Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken

6
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 10 minutes

Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken is a quick recipe with fantastic authentic Jamaican flavors of peppers, onions, allspice and cloves and with no mess to clean up.

Jerk Chicken in the slow cooker

Jerk Chicken in the Slow Cooker is Easy

Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken is an easier way to make a delicious authentic Jamaican meal than firing up the grill and you’ll have no worries about the smoke you’ll be making on the indoor grill or the peppers burning your eyes standing above the outdoor grill.

Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken is actually a take on my classic Jerk Chicken recipe that I used to roast for clients (I would spatchcock the chicken and rub the mixture into it and roast it in a cast iron skillet for basically the best roast chicken ever!) but adjusted for the fact that I never have time or patience to keep my eye on the oven now that life is basically a circus.Jerk Chicken served over rice with sliced jalepenos

Jerk Chicken Spice

The herbs and onions in the marinade for this Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken is about as delicious and authentic as I’ve had. I de-seed and de-vein the jalapeno before using it but when I know I don’t have to share with a spice-wimp I double the jalapeno and leave the ribs in. Jamaican jerk chicken recipe made in the slow cookerThe added heat makes it an even more authentic version with the extra spicy kick. Plus since you’re using the slow cooker all that delicious heat mellows out a bit and melts into the chicken thighs which are going to be super moist and perfect for enjoying over a bowl of steamed rice or fried plaintains and a delicious Red Stripe beer.

Looking for more slow cooker chicken recipes? They’re a favorite around here:

How to make Jerk Chicken in the slow cooker

Tools used in the making of this Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken Recipe:
Slow Cooker: Love this slow cooker and how programmable it is, it has been a workhorse for me… until…
My New Slow Cooker: This recipe was made in this slow cooker. I browned the chicken in the cast aluminum insert before cooking the chicken on low, so I didn’t have a second pan to clean. For larger roasts I also brown the meat in the insert and not lose a bunch of the flavor by transferring the meat and leaving the browned bits behind. If you’re thinking of a new slow cooker, consider it if your budget is open.
AllSpice Spice Rack: I use this spice rack and fill up the bottles with freshly purchased spices. It’s basically one of the most beautiful things in my kitchen and when you’re working with a large quantity of spices, not having to hunt and peck through your cupboards makes everything go at warp speed.

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Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken

Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken is a quick recipe with fantastic authentic Jamaican flavors of peppers, onions, allspice and cloves and with no mess to clean up.
Yield 6
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Jamaican
Author Sabrina Snyder

Ingredients
 

  • 6 chicken thighs bone and skin on
  • 3 green onions from tip to tail with root trimmed
  • 1/2 yellow onion
  • 1/2 jalapeno pepper de-seeded and de-veined
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Instructions

  • Add the chicken thighs to a large skillet and brown them on medium high heat on both sides for 3-5 minutes.
  • In a food processor add the green onions, onion, jalapeno, soy sauce, vinegar, vegetable oil, brown sugar, thyme, cloves, nutmeg and allspice and puree until smooth.
  • Add the chicken to the slow cooker skin side up and pour the sauce over the chicken.
  • Cook on low for 8 hours.

Nutrition

Calories: 312kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 809mg | Potassium: 288mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 190IU | Vitamin C: 4.3mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1.3mg
Keyword: Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken

Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken with white rice on plate

Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken is a quick recipe with fantastic authentic Jamaican flavors of peppers, onions, allspice and cloves and with no mess to clean up.
Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken is a quick recipe with fantastic authentic Jamaican flavors of peppers, onions, allspice and cloves and with no mess to clean up.
Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken is a quick recipe with fantastic authentic Jamaican flavors of peppers, onions, allspice and cloves and with no mess to clean up.
Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken is a quick recipe with fantastic authentic Jamaican flavors of peppers, onions, allspice and cloves and with no mess to clean up.
Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken is a quick recipe with fantastic authentic Jamaican flavors of peppers, onions, allspice and cloves and with no mess to clean up.

About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.

She is also the author of the cookbook Dinner, then Dessert – Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients, published by Harper Collins.

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook for families one day a week and cook their entire week of dinners. All grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was done along with instructions on reheating. As a private chef she cooked for private parties and cooked in family homes in the evenings for families on a nightly basis after working as a personal chef during the day.

Sabrina has been certified as a ServSafe Manager since 2007 and was a longstanding member of the USPCA Personal Chef Association including being on the board of the Washington DC Chapter of Chefs in the US Personal Chef Association when they won Chapter of the year.

As a member of the community of food website creators Sabrina Snyder has spoken at many conferences regarding her experiences as a food writer including the Indulge Food Conference, Everything Food Conference, Haven Food Conference and IACP Annual Food Professionals Conference.

Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. If you enjoyed the recipe and would like to publish it on your own site, please re-write it in your own words, and link back to my site and recipe page. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Comments

  1. Hi!

    Do you know approximately how much the 5 chicken thighs weighed? The ones I have look a bit smaller than the ones in your pictures.

    Thanks!

  2. This was amazing!! My husband (who is an extremely picky eater) stated that this was the best chicken dish that he has ever had, and I can’t agree more! We like our food spicy, so do you have any recommendations for making this a little spicer for the next time I make it?

  3. I made this the other night for dinner and it was amazing! This was the first dish made in my new slow cooker and needless to say, it is definitely a top contender in family favorites now!

  4. Trying this today. Would appreciate a picture of the jerk chicken at start and finish. Its a green sauce at start and its hard to believe it will finish up looking like the pictures you posted. Are your posted pictures from the crockpot version or your grilled version. Your chicken looks like an orangy sauce with lots of caramel. I dont think there is enough brown sugar in the recipe to produce that type of caramel texture, unless maybe you broiled it at the completion however the appearance would still remain green I think

    1. It might just be the lighting but this chicken is directly from the slow cooker and wasn’t broiled at the end. I hope you enjoyed it!

  5. Oh for those who are interested I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs and they turned out tender !!! Did I say perfect ****YUM

  6. This was great! If your looking for heat you’ll need more peppers … for my family it was perfect!!! I served it with a coconut jasmine rice with a mango salsa!! Thank you!

  7. I personally think that the information that you are sharing with us is pretty amazing and I just want to thanx for it a lot. Your blog is amazing.

    1. Unfortunately the chicken needs room in the slow cooker to cook and adding the veggies would crowd it and causing too much liquid to not allow the chicken to crisp up. I would suggest just roasting your veggies in the oven instead. Sorry.

  8. Sabrina! I was nervous, but you were NOT kidding! This recipe is everything! It turned out to perfectly! I have ruined so much chicken trying to get the results that your recipe gave me in a snap! This one is a keeper. I made it last night and my husband wants me to make more tonight!

    1. I’d say this one’s a winner then! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and let me know how much you all enjoyed it!

    1. I don’t recommend layering it because the chicken doesn’t cook as well and doesn’t achieve a crisp when layered. My suggestion would be to use 2 slow cookers to be able to double it or I have a grilled version you could make as well.

  9. Oh my goodness. I have my delicious food on now. Just smelling it, I know it’s going to be good. Love trying different recipes

  10. I’m trying this tonight. I’m always use to recipes saying you have to marinade it over night. So I can’t wait to see how this comes out without doing that. I will let you know later. ??

  11. Hi there!  Can’t wait to try this.  Do you think that I could prepare the food processor items a day or 2 ahead of time?

  12. Do you think this would adapt to an Instant Pot? Or not? I am thinking the time in spices is important, so maybe not.

    1. I haven’t tested it in a pressure cooker yet so I don’t feel comfortable recommending it. I’m sorry.

  13. Hi, recipe looks amazing. My husband hates chicken skin. Can I use skinless chicken thighs instead?

  14. I’m trying to do this recipe, but I only have dried thyme. Is it okay to use it dried or does it need to be fresh

  15. I never post feedback, but just had to take the time to do it this time. Soooo good, One of my favorites and will keep making. Served it with brown rices and veggies. Really is a keeper! Thank you!

  16. So I tried this recipe last night and still haven’t had the chance to taste it yet (will do for dinner). But my chicken is not looking anything close to the picture you posted. 

    The sauce mixture produced a lot and I thought pouring it over the chicken was too much? 

    1. Sorry this got snagged in the spam filter, I definitely included the puree with it. How did your chicken turn out?

  17. HELP!!!  I was so looking forward to having this tonight but my slow cooker has decided to die on me this morning as I am prepping this….how would you recommend cooking it on the stove top? (in a dutch oven on low?, about how long would you suggest?)

    1. Oh no! So sorry I’m just now seeing this. I do have a grilled version of this recipe too. //dinnerthendessert.com/easy-grilled-jerk-chicken/

  18. Made this today, exactly as written.
    It was great, and I’d make it again.
    Next time I will not remove the seeds and veins from the jalapenos, and will probably add extra onion, and extra jalapenos and maybe some paprika and garlic.
    I served it with rice cooked in chicken broth.
    I’ll probably serve a steamed vegetable next time as well like broccoli. Or maybe some mushrooms or beans.

  19. Can Brown sugar be substituted with coconut sugar? Don’t eat much refined sugar, don’t really want to buy a box that will just take up space in my pantry for a tsp.?

    1. I’ve never substituted with it before but from what I can find from my research, it seems to be a great substitute for it. I’d say go for it and let me know what you think.

    1. There’s no additional salt in this recipe. If you’re looking to limit the sodium, you could always try a low sodium soy sauce.

  20. I want to try this for an upcoming dinner, but was wondering, would it come out ok if I marinate it in the blended mixture overnight before slow cooking it for 8 hours? I plan to brown it before starting the slowcooker.

    1. I would hesitate to say yes because breasts tend to get dried out in the slow cooker. I do have a grilled version using breasts. //dinnerthendessert.com/easy-grilled-jerk-chicken/

  21. Delicious, adding this to my favorite meal rotation! I have tried several Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken recipes and this is the best. I subbed molasses for brown sugar, added extra jalepeno and more onion because I did not have green onions. I used chicken breast with skin, it was done and falling off the bones in 3 hours and it was not too dry. I tasted the sauce before cooking and it was not great, but after cooking it is perfect with incredible depths of flavor.

  22. I’m a little confused with an answer you gave to someone else about pureeing the ingredients: “really do recommend some method of blending/processing because the mixture stays on the chicken for grilling”. It’s the word “grilling”. Do you grill the chicken after cooking in slow cooker?

    Also – do you have to/need to use vegetable oil or can you use canola? Thank you

    1. My apologies, I have the recipe as both a slow cooker one and a grilled version! I accidentally replied as though it was the grilling post. You can absolutely use canola, and no, no grilling is needed for this version.

    1. Do you have a blender? If not try to mince as finely as you can, but for this recipe I really do recommend some method of blending/processing because the mixture stays on the chicken for grilling.

    1. The legs may dry out a bit because they won’t have enough skin to protect them in the slow cooker? So I think if you’re going in with that expectation but wanting to use up an ingredient you have at home it will still be delicious.

    1. I also like the idea of grilled pineapple. Here’s mine //dinnerthendessert.com/brown-sugar-grilled-pineapple/ and I’d suggest the coconut and lime marinade. It’d be a great flavor combination to go with the spice of the chicken. Enjoy!

    1. I don’t recommend using boneless skinless breasts in the slow cooker as they will dry out. The extra fat from the thighs is what keeps the meat moist. You could definitely try it though.

      1. What do you think about using boneless chicken thighs? Has anyone tried it? I purchased the wrong type of chicken (boneless, meant to get bone in). Thanks!

        1. I don’t recommend using boneless skinless breasts in the slow cooker as they will dry out. The extra fat from the thighs is what keeps the meat moist. You could definitely try it though. I know a few commenters above stated they used it and theirs came out tender. Good luck!

  23. I’m a little confused. On the top of the recipe it says that the cook time will be 10 h and 50 m but when I read the instructions, the chicken shouldn’t be cooked for 8 hours… help! I dont want to mess it up. My husband loves jerk chicken

    1. Yes, sorry about that! The recipe widget is super glitchy at the moment and is adding up numbers incorrectly for cook times. 8 hours on low will do it 🙂

  24. I’ve been on the hunt for a great jerk chicken recipe… no need to look anymore, this is the one!!

  25. I’ve never attempted making jerk chicken before. However, I’ve had it at a restaurant once and loved the blend of spices and herbs. Delicious. I have no doubt this would taste similar.

  26. The meal looks so full of flavor. I’ve tasted jerk chicken before but I want to taste yours. It’s the realness of the pics.

      1. Hi! I don’t have a slow cooker, but I do have oven bags. How long would you cook the chicken in an oven bag? And at what temperature?

      2. Recipe for jerk chicken is on point! I have a small slow cooker for 2. Made only 4 thighs. Only thing I did slightly differently was after I browned the chicken in the pan, I poured the chicken fat into the crock pot with the sauce. I also added about a 1/4 cup of vege broth +1 teaspoon of walkerswood jerk seasoning in lieu of jalapenos.

    1. Hi I’m looking to make this tomorrow. Does the chicken crisp in a slow cooker? I always find the slow cooker produces to much liquid

      1. If you brown the chicken before hand and use minimal liquids, it will have a slightly crispy texture. Since the marinade is liquid this will not be fully crispy. I’d cook in an oven at 375 for 35-40 minutes for crispy! 🙂

        1. I plan to make in oven. You said to use minimal liquid. How much of the Jerk Sauce should I use. Looks GREAT. I love Jerk Chicken.

          1. You’ll want to make the sauce the same but don’t add any additional liquid before putting it into the oven. I hope you enjoy it!