Air Fryer Jerk Chicken is out of this world delicious! Sizzled to juicy heaven sent yum, this jerk chicken is full of flavor and melts in your mouth!
Recipes like our Air Fryer Roast Chicken, Air Fryer Chicken Legs and Dry Rub Air Fryer Chicken Wings make fuss free cooking!
Pair them with the Air Fryer Frozen Onion Rings, Chips and Gravy or Air Fryer Portobello Mushrooms for a complete feast.
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Recipe highlights
Chicken is incredibly easy to cook in the Air Fryer with fantastic juicy results.
Dinners can be on the table in a flash without breaking a sweat or cooking for hours!
The jerk seasoning packs SO much flavour into the chicken that every mouthful is utterly delicious and you can choose your favorite bit, be it the leg, breast, thigh or wing!
Can you put raw chicken in an Air Fryer
Yes, you can put raw chicken in an Air Fryer.
There is also many different cuts, methods, techniques and tricks you can try when cooking chicken from start to finish in the Air Fryer.
Recipes like the Air Fryer Chicken Skewers, Air Fry Chicken Burger and Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Drumsticks are all examples of starting with raw chicken and cooking it in the Air Fryer.
Those recipes use a combination of chicken thighs and chicken legs.
On the whole, each part of the chicken can be cooked from start to finish and the results are simply delicious!
Why is my chicken dry in Air Fryer
There are 2 reasons why chicken can dry out in the Air Fryer.
The 1st is that there is not enough moisture to cook it with and the 2nd is if you over cook the chicken.
I know most people cooking with Air Fryers these days are doing it for healthier lifestyle choices.
Whilst I don't recommend using aerosol cooking sprays, I do recommend using a small amount of olive oil to achieve moist, juicy results!
Ingredients needed
The ingredients needed for the recipe are all simple and easy to find at the local shops. I recommend making the spice mix yourself as you probably have most of them already and we need simply combine!
As you can see, the recipe calls for:
- whole chicken (or can use chicken thighs, breast, wings, legs)
- jerk seasoning (more detail on this in below images)
- olive oil (if desired)
I use a homemade jerk seasoning for this recipe and the info you need to make it is in the image below.
Jerk seasoning or Jamaican Jerk seasoning uses some very basic spices that when combined deliver ultimate deliciousness to recipes!
For this recipe we use a total of a number of versatile spices and brown sugar.
As you can see from the photo above, the seasoning uses the following ingredients:
- hot chilli flakes 1 tsp
- paprika 1tsp
- cumin 1 tsp
- mixed spice 1 tsp
- onion powder 1 tsp
- garlic powder 1 tsp
- dried thyme 1 tsp
- dried parsley 1 tsp
- ginger ½ tsp
- pepper ½ tsp
- salt ½ tsp
- brown sugar 2 tbsp
My recommendation is that you measure out the spices on a plate or zip lock bag and simply stir or shake till combined.
Jamaican jerk chicken is irresistible in its appeal and you can see why, we pack a lot of flavor into it! And for the faint of heart, whilst it is full of spice, it is not 'hot!', so you can breathe easy!
Instructions
Here are the step by step instructions to make the recipe.
We start by cutting the chicken into pieces, you will need a knife and chopping board.
- break down chicken into legs and thighs, breast and wings (Photo 1)
- add chicken portions to a zip lock bag (Photo 2)
- pour jerk seasoning into bag to coat chicken (Photo 3)
- massage seasoning into and over chicken till consistent (Photo 4)
- lightly spray Air Fryer basket with olive oil, then place raw seasoned chicken on top (Photo 5)
- cook chicken for 10 mins, flip and cook other side for 10 mins (Photo 6)
I do recommend using a touch of oil to both aid clean up and ensure the chicken doesn't stick to the basket.
I also recommend the flip that I am showing here in the photos. Reason being that in my experience I get better results from the Air Fryer when I do flip food whilst cooking, much the same as on a stove or BBQ.
Both the Air Fryer basket and sides will be hot, so use kitchen tongs as you can easily flip then return the basket for the remaining cook time.
What do you eat with jerk chicken
If looking for a veggie side to round out the dish, try the Air Fryer Corn on the Cob, Air Fryer Roasted Red Peppers, Air Fryer Chips or the Gravy fries for super delicious pairings!
If you are looking to deliver a feast to the table, I recommend the pairing the chicken with herb salad and garlic yogurt sauce! (As shown in the photos).
Frequently asked questions
- This is a quick, easy to bring together recipe!
- It will take approx 10 mins to portion the chicken out
- Other options are using chicken thighs, breast, legs or wings
- My Air Fryer is a 7 litre basket version
- If you have a smaller Air Fryer, you can work in batches
- Serve with garlic yogurt sauce for complimentary deliciousness
- It takes about 25-30 mins from start to finish for the recipe
If super quick and easy BBQ'ed style homemade recipes are right up your alley, you might like to try the Air Fryer Sausages, Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings or Air Fryer Honey BBQ Chicken Wings.
Expert tips
This is what I have learnt that will help you master the recipe from the 1st time and every following time:
- Spray or line the basket with baking paper (parchment paper)
- Flip the chicken using tongs halfway through cooking
- Test to see that the chicken is fully cooked, by cutting at the centre, the meat should be fully white, not pink and the juices run clear
- If the chicken is looking dry at the flip point, spray with a tiny bit of olive oil
- There are so many sizes and types of Air Fryers that some will cook faster or slower depending on the model, the 1st time you make this Jamaican jerk chicken, check it along the way to see how it is cooking!
😍 More Air Fryer recipes
If you love Air Fryer cooking then check out the following recipes for inspiration:
- Easy Air Fryer Cheeseburgers
- Juicy Air Fryer Beef Kabobs
- Air Fryer Onions
- Air Fryer Chicken Legs
- Gravy Fries
- Air Fryer Hamburgers
- Juicy Air Fryer Corn on the Cob
You can also find all of my Air Fryer Recipes in the one category so you can grab a cup of tea or coffee and have a read!
Adrianne xx
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📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Jerk Chicken
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Knife
- Chopping board
- Zip lock bag
Ingredients
- 1.7 kg whole raw chicken Note 1
- 1-2 tablespoon jerk seasoning Note 2
- olive oil optional
Instructions
- Use a knife and chopping board to cut chicken into pieces (ie legs and thighs, breast and wings)
- Combine spices for jerk seasoning
- Add chicken pieces to a zip lock bag, sprinkle with jerk seasoning, seal bag and massage spices into chicken.
- Turn the air fryer on to 180°C/350 F for 20 mins (preheat for 5 mins if your model requires it)
- Lightly spray Air Fryer basket with olive oil, then use tongs to place chicken pieces into basket
- Cook for 10 mins, then pull basket towards you, rest on heat proof surface, use tongs to flip each piece of chicken to other side, push basket back in and cook for a further 10 mins
- Serve with garlic yogurt sauce and herb salad
Notes
- Note 1 If you don't want to use a whole chicken and cut it up yourself, you can opt for chicken legs, breast, thighs or wings and follow the same instructions. If, however, you are game, it is worth every second to prepare the chicken for this delicious feast!
- Note 2 If you want to use store bought seasoning, no worries, that is fine to do! You won't find the exact combination if spices in a store bought version but they will be along the same lines (ish!).
- Note 3 Jerk seasoning: 1tsp hot chilli flakes, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1tspcumin, 1 teaspoon mixed spice, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 parsley, ½ teaspoon ginger, ½ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoon brown sugar
Sam says
Your chicken looks amazing, can't wait to try the recipe.
Jackie says
I made this tonight with great results! I was missing a spice or two, but it was great! I used a chicken breast cut in strips/nuggets. I think next time I would cook for less time since they were smaller pieces. My husband doesn't normally eat all of his chicken, but he finished his plate tonight! Thank you!
Adrianne says
Thanks Jackie!! That is great feedback and I love how you switched it up with the chicken breast to suit your dinner for the 2 of you. Appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment. Thank you!