Simple Jamaican Jerk Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner in the Air Fryer

What Does Jamaican Jerk Chicken Taste Like?

Jamaican jerk chicken is a tasty, spicy, and sweet roasted chicken normally grilled on pimento wood over coals.

Jamaican chicken is a stand out recipe for its sweet and spicy flavoring.

You will find a hundred different recipes for Jamaican jerk chicken seasoning, and the one I am sharing with you isn’t the authentic stuff you would find if you were to travel to Caribbean, but it is pretty good for just a handful of pantry staples you might find in America.

Learn more about authentic Jamaican chicken jerk cooking. 

Easy Jamaican Chicken Recipe that You Can Cook in Your Air Fryer

I am excited to share today’s recipe with you because it is sweet, spicy, and just hits the spot. No, we aren’t using the traditional method of cooking this Jamaican chicken. But, you will be surprised with how simple, easy and delightful this recipe is, especially because we are cooking it in the air fryer.

Keep reading to learn how to make Jamaican Jerk Chicken in your air fryer.

How do you make Jamaican Jerk seasoning from scratch?

The seasonings and spices we are using to make this homemade Jamaican seasoning is by no means the most authentic. But the flavor is still sweet and spicy.

The seasonings you will need to make a homemade jerk seasoning are:

• 1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon ground allspice
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more if you want it more spicy)

As someone who doesn’t own a lot of exotic spices, I love this blend because I can make it with pantry staples.

How do I make Jamaican Chicken in the air fryer?

This recipe is so simple to make. There are a couple of different ways you can cook chicken in the air fryer. For example, you can cook entire chicken breasts, or cut the chicken into strips, or even cube the chicken.

I like to cut the chicken into bite sized pieces because I’ve noticed that cubed chicken cooks a lot faster and better in the air fryer than entire chicken breasts or chicken thighs.

What sides go best with Jerk Chicken?

The recipe I am sharing with you today is a sheet pan dinner, which means you will be cooking the chicken with a variety of different vegetables. Vegetables taste fantastic with this jerk chicken. Here are a handful that I recommend:

• 2 cups of chopped baby potatoes
• 1 small zucchini
• 1-2 bell peppers
• ½ red onion
• 2 mangoes

What chicken do I use for Jamaican jerk?

I used 1 large chicken breast (or 2 small chicken breasts) for this recipe. You can switch this out with your favorite such as chicken wings, chicken thighs, or chicken tenders.

If you aren’t a fan of chicken, this recipe also works for beef, pork, or seafood. Just adjust the cooking time as needed depending on the meat you are using. An instant read food thermometer will help you know when your food is thoroughly cooked.

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Air Fryer Jamaican Sheet Pan Dinner Recipe

This recipe is so easy to make in the air fryer. Here are a few tips you need to know when you make this dish in the air fryer.

Tip 1. Make the Jamaican jerk seasoning

Mix the spices together in a small bowl or container.

I ended up not using all of the seasoning, so you will want an airtight container for storing.

Tip 2. Air fry the potatoes

Potatoes are a root vegetables and normally take longer to roast and become tender. Because of this cook the potatoes first in the air fryer basket before you add the rest of the ingredients.

Chop the potatoes into bite size pieces. Then, place the potatoes in the air fryer basket. Spray with a little oil and season the potatoes with the Jamaican seasoning to your liking. Cook the potatoes for 8-10 minutes at 380 degrees F or 193 degrees C, or until they are almost tender.

Tip 3. Prepare the veggies and chicken

Cut the bell peppers, zucchini, and red onion into slightly larger than bite size pieces (or however big you prefer). Cut the chicken into bite size pieces as well.

Combine the chicken and vegetables together in a bowl. Spray or drizzle on a little bit of oil (just enough to lightly coat the mixture- this is anywhere from 1/2 a tablespoon to 1 tablespoon of oil).

Tip 4. Season to taste

Add the Jamaican seasoning to your taste (anywhere from 1 -3 tablespoons) to the chicken and vegetables. Stir everything together until evenly coated and flavored.

Important Note: The Jamaican seasoning has a really strong taste. If you aren’t one for strong flavors, don’t add as much of the spice to the vegetables. I love tasty flavors , and still had leftover seasoning. I made sure that my chicken was covered in enough of the seasoning so that it had a rich and roasted coloring.

Tip 5. Air Fry

Place the chicken and vegetables in the air fryer basket once the potatoes are done cooking. Stir the contents together.

Cook everything together in the air fryer at 380 degrees F or 193 degrees C for 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken comes to temperature (165 degrees F or 74 degrees C).

Tasty Jamaican Jerk Chicken Recipe with Mango

The Jamaican seasoning has a strong, spicy flavor. This is why I like to add mangoes to the top of my sheet pan dinner. It adds further sweetness and really compliments the savory flavors.

While the sheet pan dinner is cooking, cut the mangoes into small cubes. Check out these three different ways to cut a mango, if you don’t know how!

You may also enjoy making a homemade mango salsa to serve on top. 

Additional Sides to Serve with Jamaican Chicken

Top the sheet pan Jamaican chicken with the mangoes and enjoy! You might also love a little cilantro or lime juice as a garnish.

If you are looking for additional sides to serve this meal with, here are a few traditional, tasty, and perfect side dish ideas:

• potato salad
• coleslaw
• peas
• sweet potatoes or sweet potato fries
• corn
• coconut rice or Jamaican rice
• beans

Final Thoughts

This tasty and savory chicken sheet pan dinner infused with fresh sweet and spicy Jamaican flavors just hits the spot, especially if you are looking to spice up your traditional menu planning.

I love how simple this recipe is to make. You only need pantry staples to make this sweet and spicy chicken with mangoes. Share with us in the comment section below what you love about this recipe! 

More sheet pan dinners that you can make in the air fryer

• Air Fryer Roast Beef Dinner with Vegetables
• Honey Garlic Chicken and Veggies
• One Pan Teriyaki Chicken in the Air Fryer
• Salmon Air Fryer Sheet Pan Dinner with Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts
• Paprika Chicken with Fries

A few air fryer tips and tricks

• Air Fryer 101
• Learn these common Air Fryer Mistakes!
• All about the Best and Worst Air Fryer Accessories
• How to Clean Your Air Fryer
• How to Cook Any Recipe in the Air Fryer
• FREE Download → Air Fryer Tips & Temps
• Air Fryer Buying Guide
• Watch Fabulessly Frugal YouTube Channel for Air Fryer Recipes

Get more tasty and easy air fryer recipes in the Yummy Air Fryer Recipes Cookbook!

Jamaican Jerk Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner with Mango (Air Fryer Instructions)

Simple, sweet, and spicy, this Jamaican jerk chicken and be cooked in the air fryer in 30 minutes. Plus, you only need a handful of pantry staples to make this outstanding dish that everyone will love!

5 / 5 ( 4 Reviews )

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Serves: 2

Adjust Servings: 2

US CustomaryMetric

Equipment

• Air Fryer

Ingredients

Sheet Pan Dinner

• 2 cup chopped baby potatoes about 2-3 potatoes
• 1 small zucchini
• 1-2 bell peppers
• ½ red onion
• 1 large chicken breast or 2 small chicken breasts
• 2 mangoes

Jamaican Seasoning

• 1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon ground allspice
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste, depending on how spicy you want it

Instructions

• Mix Jamaican seasoning ingredients together in a small container. I ended up not using all of the seasoning, so you will want an airtight container for storing.
• Chop the potatoes into bite size pieces. Once all my potatoes were chopped, I had about 2 cups total of potatoes.
• Place the potatoes in the air fryer basket. Spray with a little oil and season the potatoes with the Jamaican seasoning to your liking. Cook the potatoes for 8-10 minutes at 380 °F, or until they are almost tender.
• Cut the bell peppers, zucchini, and red onion into slightly larger than bite size pieces (or however big you prefer).
• Cut the chicken into bite size pieces as well.
• Combine the chicken and vegetables together in a bowl. Spray or drizzle on a little bit of oil (just enough to lightly coat the mixture). Add the Jamaican seasoning to your taste to the chicken and vegetables. Stir everything together until evenly coated and flavored. *See Recipe Notes about how much seasoning to use.
• Place the chicken and vegetables in the air fryer basket once the potatoes are done cooking. Stir the contents together. Cook everything together in the air fryer at 380 °F for 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken comes to temperature (165 °F).
• Cut the mangoes into small cubes. Learn how to cut and cube mangoes.
• Remove the sheet pan dinner from the air fryer and serve with mangoes on top.

Recipe Notes

Add the Jamaican seasoning to your taste (anywhere from 1 -3 tablespoons) to the chicken and vegetables. Stir everything together until evenly coated and flavored. 

Important Note: The Jamaican seasoning has a really strong taste. If you aren't one for strong flavors, don't add as much of the spice to the vegetables. I love tasty flavors , and still had leftover seasoning. I made sure that my chicken was covered in enough of the seasoning so that it had a rich and roasted coloring. 

Nutrition

Calories: 481kcal | Carbohydrates: 84g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 5g | Sodium: 1322mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 46g

Recipe Adapted From: Sweet Peas and Saffron