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Instant Pot Jamaican Jerk Chicken Thighs

Instant Pot Jamaican Jerk Chicken Thighs is a quick and easy pressure cooker recipe for Carribean jerk chicken with spicy marinade.

Jamaican jerk chicken thighs on a serving platter garnished with green onions and habanero peppers
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Jamaican Jerk Chicken Thighs are just one of many wishlist items I have had on my radar to try with my Instant Pot. A couple of months back, I attended our annual Ethnic Enrichment Festival here in Kansas City. This event showcases over 60 different cultures from around the world. Each showcases their food, crafts, and ethnic dances.

The Jamaican tent is one of my favorites to visit. It is usually my first stop because it appears to be everyone’s favorite. It is always packed with long lines! 

instant pot Jamaican jerk chicken thighs

 

I always order the jerk chicken with rice and peas. During my visit this year, I started thinking….I need to make my own jerk chicken. After all, I am a foodie, who also blogs about food!

instant pot Jamaican jerk chicken thighs

 

Jerk chicken is typically prepared on the grill. I LOVE my grill. I am often asked for recipes with alternatives to grilling. Not everyone owns a grill, some live in residences with restrictions or may simply be intimidated. As a result, I came up with an alternative….hey Instant Pot!

instant pot Jamaican jerk chicken thighs

 

The Instant Pot ALWAYS delivers juicy meat for me. I even used it to sear the steak for my Instant Pot Steak Tacos. I have always grilled my steak for these tacos in the past. One experiment with the Instant Pot showed me, that I can improvise and still get amazing results.

instant pot Jamaican jerk chicken thighs

 

Don’t have a grill or an Instant Pot? There are so many other ways to prepare this recipe. It is loaded with flavor, especially if you marinate overnight. You can cook the chicken in a slow-cooker on low for 8 hours. You can pan sear the chicken over the stove and then bake. You really can do what works best for you.

instant pot Jamaican jerk chicken thighs

 

Traditional jerk chicken uses scotch bonnet peppers. They can be extremely hard to find. Habanero peppers are the closest substitute. Both of these peppers are HOT! Be careful during handling, if you decide to chop the peppers. I threw the habanero right into my blender, which is great because there is no contact with the inside of the pepper.

You can substitute jalapenos if you prefer something with less spice. I don’t feel like this recipe is “spicy.” Using one pepper for 4 pieces of chicken really balances it out.

 

More Instant Pot Recipes:

 
Jamaican jerk chicken thighs on a serving platter garnished with green onions and habanero peppers
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5 from 19 votes

Instant Pot Jamaican Jerk Chicken Thighs

Instant Pot Jamaican Jerk Chicken Thighs is a quick and easy pressure cooker recipe for Carribean jerk chicken with spicy marinade.
Save this recipe here.
Course dinner, lunch
Cuisine Caribbean
Keyword Instant Pot jerk chicken
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 246kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 habanero Chopped. Authentic Jerk uses scotch bonnet peppers. If you have access to these, feel free to use them. Habanero is a close substitute
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce Can substitute liquid aminos or coconut aminos.
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1/3 cup pineapple juice
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 3 green onions (scallions) Chopped
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger You can use 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 3 garlic cloves Minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 chicken thighs I used bone-in.
  • 2 teaspoons Creole Seasoning I used Tony Chachere.

Instructions

  • Combine all of the ingredients (except for the olive oil and chicken) in a blender. Blend well for about 30 seconds.
  • Rinse the chicken and pat dry.
  • Place the chicken in a Ziploc bag. Drizzle 1/2 of the marinade over the chicken in the bag.
  • Seal the bag tightly. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, to marinate.
  • Pour the olive oil into the Instant Pot.
  • Place the Instant Pot on the Saute function. Brown both sides of the chicken for 4-5 minutes total.
  • Drizzle the remaining marinade over the chicken.
  • Close the Instant Pot and Seal. Cook on Manual/High-Pressure Cooking for 14 minutes.
  • When the pot indicates it has finished, quick release the steam.
  • Cool before serving.

Video

Notes

Habanero and scotch bonnet peppers are very HOT peppers. Be sure to be very careful during use. If you prefer a less spicy marinade, jalapenos can be used as a substitute.
Recipe Tools Used in this RecipeAs an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition (displayed with net carbs)

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 69g | Fat: 8g
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Nutrition DataMacros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Recipe Rating




Mike

Wednesday 17th of January 2024

This recipe will not work because the instant pot required liquid be in it.

staysnatched

Tuesday 23rd of January 2024

It has worked every time.

Jim

Friday 24th of June 2022

Sounds good but how do you keep from getting a burn notice without any liquid in the instant pot?

staysnatched

Friday 24th of June 2022

There is liquid. Feel free to add more if you need it.

Tarah

Wednesday 3rd of February 2021

I tried this recipe this evening and it was SO GOOD. Like, unbelievably good. Thank you so much for this!

staysnatched

Monday 8th of February 2021

I'm glad to hear it!

Diana

Wednesday 20th of January 2021

Does the skin come out crispy?

Janele

Friday 27th of November 2020

This is amazing! At first I was going to substitute with jalapeños, but recipes are meant as written and my neighbor grows scotch bonnets so we went for it. You are totally right, one pepper for the recipe isn’t bad at all, so happy I didn’t substitute. My husband LOVES the marinade and we use it for everything from salad dressing to potato salad. Thank you!

staysnatched

Sunday 29th of November 2020

You're welcome! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.