Jamaican Jerk Chicken Tacos are restaurant quality and delicious. They are spicy, yet sweet and tangy. We've brightened up the seasoning with pineapple and lime, the perfect pairing for them. They're so full of flavor, this will be your new go to chicken taco recipe!
These are a great option for Taco Tuesday all year round! We especially love to make them in the summertime. They are a great no-oven dinner (see our directions below for the stovetop version) with lots of fresh bright flavors. Jerk is back on the menu!
Are jerk chicken tacos spicy? These tacos have a medium heat to them. You can adjust the heat level depending on how spicy you like it.
This was inspired by our Jerk Chicken Kebabs and our Jerk Chicken Rasta Pasta. For other tacos ideas, check out our roasted cauliflower black bean tacos, Tostado de Tinga, and our air fryer chicken tacos. Yum! The bright flavors of these also goes great with our Passionfruit Cheesecake!
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What I Love About This Recipe
I love the combination of spicy and tangy that is in the jerk chicken and the jerk sauce. I also love the way the jerk sauce and pineapple come together for a delicious pineapple salsa. These are the perfect light and satisfying meal for summertime and to switch up Taco Tuesday. They don't take long to make and bring a big bang for your buck (effort).
Ingredients
Below is a list of ingredients needed for this recipe. Follow our tips on each ingredient for best results.
- Raw boneless skinless chicken breasts- check out our substitutions for directions for shredded chicken or slow cooker.
- Lime juice- fresh limes produce a tangy-er, fresher taste, but lime juice concentrate works great too. We tested this recipe many times and you can't really notice the difference. The importance is just having the limes in there! They are critical in adding that delicious tang that also works to enhance the other flavors and balance the heat of the jerk flavor.
- Olive oil - could be substituted with avocado or vegetable oil
- Minced garlic- minced garlic is highly recommended over powdered
- Brown sugar - this is recommended, but can be skipped
- Jerk seasoning - we tested many types of jerk seasoning, and Great Value kept coming back as the winner for most flavor!
- Plain greek yogurt - feel free to substitute with sour cream, if desired
- Salt - regular table salt or pink Himalayan
- Pepper- we used freshly ground
- Tortillas- this is great with either corn or flour tortillas
- Purple cabbage- a slaw mix also works fine. The purple cabbage is very eye-catching though!
- Pineapple- again, fresh is recommended but canned will work in a pinch.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Jerk Chicken Tacos
Start by chopping then marinading your chicken. Cut chicken into bite sized pieces- around 1" cubes and place in a bowl. Pour the lime juice and olive oil over the chicken and stir to combine.
- Chop the chicken into 1" cubes. Place in a bowl. Add the garlic, brown sugar, and jerk seasoning.
- Stir to combine then cover and refrigerate 2-24 hours. You can make it immediately in a pinch, but we highly recommend letting the flavors marinate and seep into the chicken for maximum flavor.
- Cook the chicken. Preheat the oven to 400*F. Bake in a 9x13 baking dish for 10 minutes. Take out and stir. Bake an additional 5-10 minutes, until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165*F. Alternatively, heat cooking oil in a pan over medium heat then cook until heated through.
- Chop pineapple, cilantro and cabbage.
- Combine greek yogurt, Jamaican jerk seasoning and lime juice together in a bowl.
- Whisk together until smooth.
- Assemble your taco. Place meat on your taco shell then top with cabbage, cilantro, jerk sauce and pineapple. Then devour!
Hint: The longer you marinate your chicken, the more flavorful it will be!
Substitutions and Variations
We love switching things up when we're in the kitchen. Try any of these variations for something a little different.
- Oil - feel free to use any mild flavored oil here: avocado, vegetable, etc.
- Chicken- You can use shredded or rotisserie chicken in this recipe. To do this: add the marinade to the shredded chicken and let is sit at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. Warm in a 400* oven for 4-5 minutes, until hot. Make the rest as normal.
- Cabbage -a slaw mix or even green cabbage is fine with this recipe
- Plain Greek Yogurt- sour cream could be used instead.
- Spicy - add some chopped jalapenos or habaneros for a real kick!
- Deluxe- add some chopped fresh mango and avocado.
- Kid friendly -if you have kids that are sensitive to heat, jerk can be a little spicy. Use half the jerk seasoning for a milder yet still delicious meal.
- Try it with our Caribbean Green Seasoning.
Helpful Hints
This is commonly served with fresh mango and avocado and it makes a really delicious version!
We love this recipe in the oven, as it helps the chicken be even more flavorful. We also understand sometimes you need to cook on the stove top if it's summertime or your oven is occupied with something else. Heat 2 Tablespoons cooking oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Make these in the air fryer- simply follow the directions in our air fryer chicken tacos recipe. Or pair it with Copycat Taco Bell Baja Blast Freeze for a fun Taco Bell inspired meal.
What to serve with Jerk Chicken Tacos
Serve some chips and guacamole, corn salsa, rice and beans, plantains, sweet potato fries, mango salsa, fruit salad made with tropical fruits, or tamarind or churro chips.
Drizzle on this tasty Avocado Crema for an enhanced flavor. Or top it with Mango Habanero Salsa. You'll love eating this as a Friday Dinner Idea. It has a fun flavor just like our Bang Bang Shrimp and Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos.
Storing Jerk Chicken Tacos
Store the ingredients separately in the refrigerator in airtight containers for up to 4 days.
The jerk chicken will freeze, but the other ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.
Top tip
Don't overcook the chicken. Make sure it reaches at least 165*F to be fully cooked. Try to keep it as close to that number as possible for maximum tenderness and moisture.
Recipe
Jerk Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 24 corn street tortillas or other tortilla of choice!
Marinade:
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 package jerk seasoning reserving 1 ½ teaspoons for dressing
- 3 Tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
Dressing:
- ½ cup plain greek yogurt
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons jerk seasoning reserved from packet used for marinade
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Toppings:
- 1 pineapple
- 1 small head of cabbage I used purple
- cilantro
Instructions
- Cut raw chicken into 1 inch cubes and place in a bowl. Pour lime juice and olive oil and top and stir to combine. Add garlic, brown sugar and jerk seasoning and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate 2-24 hours.
- Preheat oven to 425. Place chicken in a 9x13 baking dish and bake for 10 minutes. Remove chicken and stir then return to the oven. Bake an additional 5-10 minutes until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165*F.
- Whisk together greek yogurt, lime juice and jerk seasoning together and salt and pepper together in a bowl.
- Assemble tacos. Place meat on a tortilla then top with cabbage, cilantro, jerk sauce and pineapple.
- Devour!
Nicole says
Yummy! These are so full of flavor. I love jerk with pineapple and these were so fresh and flavorful! We had some mango on hand and added that on too, and it was good!
JC says
Oh yes, these jerk chicken tacos are exactly what I needed. They are absolutely bursting with flavor and that pineapple on top. I'll be coming back for more!
Chenée says
These were incredible! And that creamy sauce was so perfect. We love tacos, and made them in the air fryer following your other recipe, and they were so yummy. Such a robust yet bright flavor! The sweet and spicy together, so good.