Updated
For this One Pan Caribbean Jerk Chicken, I marinate chicken breasts in a homemade jerk seasoning, sear them, and then bake them with a fresh and flavorful mango salsa. What I end up with is juicy, tender chicken ready to be paired with a side of fluffy rice for an easy weeknight dinner.
Pin this recipe for later!
Pin It5-Star Review
“This was delish! I was a little skeptical about cooking the salsa—something about it felt off to me—but boy, was I wrong! Everything came together so well, and the flavors were spot on…Served with some chipotle rice, black beans, and tortilla chips for a little crunch.” -Susan
Chicken-Inspired Flavor in Every Bite
We went to Jamaica for our honeymoon, and I’ve been missing the bold taste of Jamaican food ever since. Especially the jerk chicken! There’s so much spice and flavor that pairs well with pineapple, mango, and other sweet fruit. So, I decided to toss all those delicious flavors into this one skillet meal.
Once the chicken has marinated in the homemade jerk seasoning, it’s just a matter of a quick sear, preparing the mango salsa, and spooning it over the chicken to cook. When it comes out of the oven, it’s juicy, tender, and loaded with that Caribbean tang. I’ll whip up a quick side dish of rice to soak up all the flavors, and that’s it. From searing to the table, it’s about 30 minutes. If I’m organized, I’ll let the chicken marinate overnight; otherwise, I’ll get it going and let it sit for about 2 hours before I prepare dinner.
Tips for Beginners
- Don’t overcrowd the skillet. When searing the chicken, leave enough space so the breasts can brown. Overcrowded chicken will steam instead of sear.
- Let the chicken rest. When you pull the chicken out of the oven, let it sit for a few minutes so the juices redistribute. This ensures you get moist and juicy chicken.
- Adjust the spice level. Add more or less of the chile depending on your heat preference.
Skinny One Pan Caribbean Jerk Chicken Skillet
Ingredients
- 3 green onions chopped
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 habanero chile seeded and finely chopped (important to remove the seeds as it's HOT, handle with care)
- ⅓ cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup olive oil (plus 1 tbsp)
- 1 tbsp packed light brown sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
For the Mango Salsa
- 2 large mangos peeled pitted and diced
- ½ red bell pepper finely chopped
- ¼ cup red onion finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsp chopped jalapeno pepper
Instructions
- In a high-powered blender, combine the green onions, garlic, chile, lime juice, soy sauce, ¼ cup olive oil, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt and pepper. Process until fully combined and smooth.3 green onions, 3 garlic cloves, 1 habanero chile, ⅓ cup fresh lime juice, 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce, ¼ cup olive oil, 1 tbsp packed light brown sugar, ½ tsp cinnamon, salt and pepper to taste
- Coat all four chicken breasts generously with the jerk paste. Place them in a large Ziploc bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- When ready to make the dish, preheat oven to 350℉ and remove the chicken from the fridge.
- Make your mango salsa by combining all the ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.2 large mangos, ½ red bell pepper, ¼ cup red onion, ¼ cup fresh cilantro, ¼ cup fresh lime juice, 2 tbsp chopped jalapeno pepper
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the 1 tbsp olive oil. Swirl to coat the bottom of the skillet.
- Add all four chicken breasts into the skillet and cook for 5 minutes on each side, searing but not completely cooking the chicken through.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and cover in the mango salsa.
- Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through (no pink).
- Garnish with more cilantro and chopped jalapeño if desired. Enjoy!
Becky’s Tips
- Sear the chicken in a single layer so it browns nicely.
- Let the chicken sit for a few minutes when you take it out of the oven so the juices can redistribute.
- Add more or less spice depending on your preference.
- Store leftovers for up to 3 days.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
How to Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in an oven heated to 350°F until warmed through.
Freeze
Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
I find this jerk chicken is so tasty; it really only needs a simple side like Instant Pot basmati rice, but sometimes I’ll add more flavor and make garlic rice or cilantro lime rice. This jerk chicken is great for a busy weeknight meal, but I’ll also serve it when we are having guests for a fun and flavorful meal. I used 4 breasts for this recipe so it’s ideal for a family of 4.
More One Pan Recipes To Try
- This Chicken Parmesan Pasta is a simple comfort food recipe that comes together in 30 minutes.
- I make this Sheet Pan Hawaiian Chicken with chicken, bell peppers, and sweet pineapple that I toss in a savory homemade sauce.
- For this Honey Mustard Salmon and Potatoes Sheet Pan Dinner, the salmon cooks on top of potatoes, green beans, and tomatoes for a quick, easy meal.
This was delish! I was a little skeptical about cooking the salsa…something about it felt off to me…but boy, was I wrong! Everything came together so well and the flavors were spot on. (I did use 2 tsp of jerk seasoning instead of the dry spices, just to add some oomph.) Served with some chipotle rice, black beans and tortilla chips for a little crunch.
We’re so happy to hear you loved this recipe, Susan!!
wow! its a awesome, i need to try it soon
Your photos show several whole habanero chiles in the dish, but they are not referenced in the recipe. Can you recommend how they should be added? This dish looks amazing and I will try it soon. Thanks!
1 habanero chile seeded and finely chopped (important to remove the seeds, this puppy is HOT, handle with care) – you add to the mixture you blend!
This was really easy to make and it was delicious. My wife and son declared the recipe needs to go into regular rotation. We eat a lot of spicy foods, so I’ll probably double the chilies in the recipe next time, but there was still a kick to the chicken as is.
I’m so glad you both loved it so much!
If you like spicy, try Jamaican scotch bonnet pepper instead of jalapeno and Jamaican pimento (aka allspice in your neck of the woods) instead of cinnamon. That’s what we actually use in Jamaica. Since it may be hard for you to find, any pepper with robust flavour and a “kick” should work. Marinating is a must tho, just as she said!
Yummy… This recipe sounds fantastic & I love the top picture. this is very easy. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
VERY GOOD
SO GOOD
I like to cook the dishes myself for my family. I’m always learning new recipes. Pay attention to the nutrition for my family meal
Jamaica is one of the places I want to visit most in the world, until then, eating a delicious dish like this will more than suffice!
this is a nice website… i like this