Jerk Chicken Skewers make the perfect summer party appetizer or family dinner. The chicken has a bold Jamaican flavor and is paired with fresh pineapple, red pepper, and red onion for the perfect kabob.
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The ingredient list for a good jerk chicken marinade looks long, but they are pretty basic and also easily versatile. Sure you can slap on some dry jerk seasoning, but marinating gets flavor through to the core of the chicken. A full list of ingredients with measurements is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Olive oil- You can also use another neutral oil like canola or avocado oil.
- Lime juice- Citrus helps to brighten up the chicken and to tenderize it.
- Pineapple Juice- This juice adds a little tropical flair.
- Garlic- Because what a good marinade without some garlic, right?
- Jalapeno– You can use scotch bonnets, habaneros or other peppers. Or omit them if you don’t like heat.
- Scallions– or other member of the onion family
- Maple syrup– Use this to naturally sweeten up the marinade.
- Soy sauce- Soy sauce is the perfect way to infuse this with umami.
- Spices- A blend of thyme, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, and salt adds layers of flavor.
Make It!
It’s a breeze to make this easy dish! You’ll be putting this recipe on repeat, for sure!
- Prepare the Marinade. Chop green onions and remove ribs and seeds from jalapeno pepper, then add all of the remaining marinade ingredients to the bowl of a food processor or blender. Blend for 1 minute on medium speed until smooth. Once blended, add half of the marinade to a large bowl with the cubed chicken breast and toss to combine. Cover and marinade in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
- Prepare other Ingredients: While the chicken is marinating, Slice and chop the red pepper (removing the ribs and seeds) and red onion into large 1-inch pieces. If using a fresh pineapple; peel, core, and chop into 1-inch chunks.
- Prepare Kabobs: Once the chicken is done marinating, spray 8 10-inch metal skewers with cooking spray. Next, begin to skewer the chicken, chopped red peppers, red onion, and pineapple chunks onto each skewer. I like to alternate mine. Brush the remaining marinade over the finished kabobs and move on to grilling.
Grilled Kabobs
Spray the cool grill with cooking spray to prevent the chicken from sticking. Next, heat the grill to 400°F.
Once the grill is heated, add the jerk chicken skewers to the grill and cook 5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Kabobs in the Oven
If you prefer to use your oven instead of grilling these jerk kabobs you can absolutely do so. The cooking time will differ, and traditionally jerk chicken is best cooked over an open flame or grill, but the idea and concept will be the same.
Preheat your oven to 450°F. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray or line with foil.
Once preheated, add prepared kabobs to the baking sheet and cook on the middle rack for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. If you want a more charred veggie and chicken you can broil on high for an additional minute.
5S Philosophy 👩🏻🍳
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- Salt – While we do add a little bit of salt, soy sauce also brings saltiness to the table in the marinade.
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- Seasoning – The spices in the marinade add warm flavor while the thyme gives it some herbaceousness.
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- Sauces – Lime and pineapple juices give it some sweetness while soy adds savory flavor.
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- Swaps – Instead of maple syrup, try using brown sugar or honey. You can also switch up the citrus and use grapefruit or lemon juice.
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- Senses – Wait until you hear these skewers sizzle on the grill! They’re also a colorful feast for the eyes and once you smell them cooking you’re going to want to dig right in.
Sidekicks that Shine
For a more traditional side dish you could go with corn, or tomato rice. Other great options include cooked beans or grilled veggies.
We also love to serve it with vinegar coleslaw, Greek pasta salad, ranch rice, and two ingredient bread.
Storage and Freezing
Kabobs can be made ahead of time up to 24 hours, but they taste best right off the grill.
How to Store
Remove the chicken from the kabobs and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Rewarm before enjoying. The oven tastes best, but the microwave is good too.
Can I Freeze Jerk Chicken Skewers?
If this recipe can be frozen, write how to store it in the freezer
Recipe FAQs
Jerk chicken is known for its spicy kick, primarily from scotch bonnet peppers. But you can adjust the heat level by using fewer peppers or opting for milder chili varieties.
Absolutely! The jerk marinade works wonderfully with other meats like pork, shrimp, or even tofu for a vegetarian twist.
For the best flavor, marinate the chicken for at least 20 minutes, but overnight is ideal. This allows the spices to penetrate the meat.
More Chicken Recipes
If you’re looking for more flavorful chicken recipes, we have you covered with these easy recipes!
Jerk Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
Jerk Marinade:
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup pineapple juice
- 5 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 jalapeno pepper , ribbed and chopped
- 6 scallions , chopped
- 1 pinch cinnamon
Skewers:
- 1 pound boneless chicken thighs
- 2 cups pineapple cubes
- 1 red bell pepper , cut into large 1-inch pieces
- 1 red onion , cut into large sections
- Fresh Cilantro , optional for serving
Instructions
- Add the ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, ¼ cup pineapple juice, minced 5 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 2 teaspoons lime juice, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ground allspice, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, minced and seeded 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped 6 scallions and 1 pinch cinnamon to a food processor or blender and combine on medium speed until no large chunks remain and everything is well blended.
- Cut the 1 pound boneless chicken thighs into 1-inch cubes and add them to a large prep bowl. Pour half of the marinade over the chopped chicken and toss to combine. Reserve the rest of the marinade for grilling, and cover and marinade in the fridge for at least 20 minutes, but up to overnight.
- Once the chicken is done marinating, spray 8 10-inch metal skewers with cooking spray. Next, begin to skewer the chicken, 2 cups pineapple cubes, 1 red bell pepper cut into 1-inch pieces and 1 red onion cut into 1-inch pieces onto each skewer, I like to alternate mine.
- Brush the remaining marinade over top of the skewers.
- Spray the cool grill with cooking spray to avoid the chicken from sticking. Next, heat the grill to 400°F. Once the grill is heated, add the jerk chicken skewers to the grill and cook 5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Once finished, remove from kabobs and serve topped with Fresh Cilantro.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or ratings.
Nutrition
Really enjoyed this, made them using the oven method and they were fantastic. I like how the marinade isn’t super runny and actually sticks to the vegetables so it has a good flavor. Thanks for sharing
The marinade for these chicken skewers is just like my favorite restaurant!! I will be making these again and again!
This is a wonderful recipe. I love the spiciness of the chicken with the sweetness of the pineapple. Perfect combination.
What a fun and flavourful recipe! Can’t wait for the weather to warm up so I can fire up the grill to make these.
Yum! I love all these jerk flavors – perfect in skewers.