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    Home » Recipes » Air Fryer recipes

    Air Fryer Jerk Chicken

    Published: Jul 19, 2021 by Adrianne

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    Air Fryer Jerk Chicken in white baking dish with text over lay

    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!

    Air Fryer Jerk Chicken with herb salad and garlic yogurt sauce in white baking dish
    Air Fryer Jerk Chicken

    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.

    Jump to:
    • Recipe highlights
    • Can you put raw chicken in an Air Fryer
    • Why is my chicken dry in Air Fryer
    • Ingredients needed
    • Instructions
    • What do you eat with jerk chicken
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Expert tips
    • 😍 More Air Fryer recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    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!

    Ingredients for Air Fryer Jerk Chicken with text labels
    Ingredients for Air Fryer Jerk Chicken

    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.

    Air Fryer Jerk Chicken Spices with 2nd image that has labelled spices
    Spices needed listed by ingredient

    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.

    Air Fryer Jerk Chicken Seasoning before and after combining
    Before (left) and after (right) combining the spices

    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.

    Step by step instructions with text labels 1 to 4
    Step by step instructions 1 to 4
    • 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)
    Raw chicken in air fryer on left and cooked chicken in air fryer on right
    Step by step instructions 5 to 6
    • 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.

    Before and after cooking jerk chicken in Air Fryer with text labels
    Before (left, seasoned raw jerk chicken and after (right, cooked jerk chicken)

    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!

    Air Fryer Jerk Chicken with herb salad and garlic yogurt sauce in white baking dish
    Air Fryer Jerk chicken with herb salad and garlic yogurt sauce

    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).

    Garlic Yogurt Sauce with Air Fryer Jerk Chicken in a white baking dish
    Garlic yogurt sauce, herb salad and fresh lime to serve!

    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 with herb salad and garlic yogurt sauce in white baking dish

    Air Fryer Jerk Chicken

    Air Fryer Jerk Chicken is out of this world yum! Sizzled to juicy deliciousness, this jerk chicken is full of flavor and melts in your mouth!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 296kcal
    Author: Adrianne
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    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

    Nutrition

    Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 117mg | Potassium: 283mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 586IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg
    Cuisine Australian, International
    Keyword air fryer jerk chicken
    Did you make this recipe? Share on Instagram!It makes my day when you make my recipes! Tag @sweetcaramelsunday

    Try these next...

    • Air Fryer Onions (Air Fried Onions)
    • Crispy Air Fryer Pork Belly
    • Nutella Puff Pastry (Nutella Pinwheels)
    • Air Fryer Beef Kabobs

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sam says

      July 19, 2021 at 4:02 am

      5 stars
      Your chicken looks amazing, can't wait to try the recipe.

      Reply
    2. Jackie says

      January 07, 2022 at 11:40 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Adrianne says

        January 07, 2022 at 11:50 pm

        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!

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