Air Fryer Jerk Chicken
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After visiting the Caribbean, I fell in love with Jerk Chicken! This spicy, juicy burst of flavor was sooo good – I had to make it myself! And it’s made even easier when you make it in the air fryer.
Chicken thighs were the obvious choice for this dish and they cook up so beautifully and quickly! Scotch bonnet peppers and all spice are essential to the seasoning mixture – I went a little easier route – and it’s so delicious.
What is Jerk Chicken?
Jerk is a Jamaican style of cooking where meat is dry-rubbed or wet marinated with a hot spice mixture called Jamaican jerk spice. You’ll find so many spices in jerk seasoning including hot peppers, black pepper, salt, onion, allspice, nutmeg, cane sugar and thyme. It’s a lot and I realized when doing research – I couldn’t do it justice. So I scoured the web to find the BEST jerk seasoning!
I really like that the Walkerswood Jerk Seasoning was a paste – which is more traditional in the Caribbean. It makes a thick coating on the chicken that really hangs on during the cook time. Yum!
How do you air fry chicken thighs?
Lucky for you – you really can’t mess it up! Season however you like – especially great with this jerk seasoning – and then air fry at 350 for about 15 minutes. You’ll also want to flipping the thighs half way through. Chicken thighs are literally the most forgiving cut of meat – they’re juicy and soak up any flavor you put on them.
What goes with Air Fryer Jerk Chicken?
Air Fryer Jerk Chicken is spicy – I even got the MILD version of Walkerswood Jerk Seasoning – and it was still HOT! With a dish like this – you want cooling sides! Here are a few of my favorites:
Air Fryer Jerk Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 4 tbsp Walkerswood Jerk Seasoning Paste
Instructions
- Rub the spice over the chicken, both the back and front.
- Place the chicken thighs in the air fryer basket or on the air fryer tray.
- Place the basket in the air fryer or the slide the tray into the air fryer.
- Set the temperature to 350 degrees F, for 8 minutes. Flip thighs and air fry another 8 minutes. Temp check them to 165.
- Serve with dirty rice and a salad – or on a salad!
Holy Mother of Pearl – I tried the “hot and spicy” Walkerswood and I can’t stop eating it although I might perish !
You are BRAVE!!!! I tried the mild and was burning my face off! 🙂