This Instant Pot Jamaican Jerk Chicken recipe features succulent bone-in chicken with boldly spiced Caribbean flavors, beautifully finished on the grill.
Note: I’ve updated this recipe to pressure cook for 10 minutes. I used to recommend 12 minutes, but the chicken can get overcooked especially if you’re grilling afterward.
I love to serve Instant Pot Jamaican Jerk Chicken with fried ripe plantains, black beans and rice, and a peach or mango salsa. So good! To make the fried plantains, peel them, cut them on a bias, and fry them in a non-stick frying pan with a little bit of oil until both sides are a rich golden brown.
Be sure to use plantains and not bananas, and they should be ripe. A ripe plantain looks kind of over-ripe in the photo above.
Tips and Substitutions
This recipe uses Jamaican jerk seasoning that is not too spicy.
If you want to make it spicier, you can add Scotch bonnet hot sauce or finely chopped Scotch bonnet peppers to your chicken marinade.
Be sure to use a light touch, because they’re spicy peppers! Alternately you could use a milder chili pepper.
The recipe calls for Pickapeppa Sauce which is a Jamaican condiment containing tamarind. I am able to find it in my regular grocery store where the barbecue sauces are sold. You can also find it on amazon.
When you’re reducing the sauce, watch for splatter. I use a splatter screen.
If you don’t have access to a grill you can finish it off in the oven on the broil setting, turning once until both sides are caramelized.
If you want to just grill chicken with a pre-made sauce, try the authentic Jamaican Walkerswood Jerk Seasoning. I have not used this marinade in the Instant Pot; I’ve only grilled with it. If using in the Instant Pot, you might need to thin it out with water.
If you’re new to the Instant Pot
and aren’t familiar with how to use it, please read the Instant Pot DUO Beginner’s Quick Start Guide or the Instant Pot ULTRA Beginner’s Quick Start Guide first and then come back here to learn how to make this Instant Pot Jamaican Jerk Chicken.
Instant Pot Jamaican Jerk Chicken Recipe Ingredients
Instant Pot Jamaican Jerk Chicken Recipe Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add ketchup, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, Pickapeppa sauce, Jamaican jerk seasoning, salt to the inner pot of the Instant Pot.
- Stir until mixed well.
- Add chicken pieces and stir to coat.
- Close Instant Pot Lid, and make sure steam release handle is in the ‘Sealing’ position.
- Press ‘Manual’ (or ‘Pressure Cook’) and ‘+’ or ‘-‘ until display reads ‘10’ (10 minutes).
- Instant Pot display will change to ‘On’.
- Once the Instant Pot is pressurized, the float valve will go up.
- The display will count down from 10 to 0; it will switch to ‘Keep Warm’ mode and display ‘L0:00’.
- Do a Quick Release: move the steam release handle to ‘Venting’. I like to place a folded towel over the steam release handle and move it to the venting position. Remove the towel after turning the knob. *
- When your Instant Pot is depressurized, the float valve will be in the down position.
- It’s now safe to open the Instant Pot. (Press ‘Cancel’ to turn off Instant Pot.)
* You can choose to do a natural pressure release (NPR) if you’re not going to grill the chicken.
- Remove chicken pieces from the inner pot and set aside.
- Press ‘Saute’ and reduce the marinade/sauce until thickened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- If necessary, use a splatter screen to prevent splatters.
- Grill chicken for just enough time to get sear marks, and to give it a grilled look and flavor, about 2 minutes per side.
- You can either baste each side while you grill, or coat the chicken in the sauce before placing on the grill.
Instant Pot Jamaican Jerk Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon Pickapeppa sauce
- 1 tablespoon Jamaican jerk seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 chicken thighs or drumsticks
Instructions
- Stir together ketchup, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, Pickapeppa sauce, Jamaican jerk seasoning, and salt in the Instant Pot.
- Add chicken pieces and stir to coat.
- Close Instant Pot Lid.
- Pressure cook for 10 minutes on High Pressure.
- Do a quick release of pressure and carefully open the Instant Pot. [Read More: The Different Pressure Release Methods].
- Remove chicken pieces and set aside.
- Press Saute and reduce the sauce until thickened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Use a splatter screen if necessary, to prevent splatters.
- Grill chicken for just enough time to get sear marks, and to give it a grilled look and flavor, about 2 minutes per side. You can either baste each side while you grill, or coat the chicken in the sauce before placing on the grill.
- Serve with peach salsa or fried plantains, and beans and rice. Serve remaining sauce on the side.
Notes
- Adapted from Cuisine at Home magazine Weeknight Meals
- If not finishing on the grill, increase pressure cooking time to 12 minutes.
- Natural Pressure Release also works fine for this recipe
- See the blog post for more detailed recipe tips.
Nutrition
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I am not a certified nutritionist. I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers. If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons, I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.
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You might also like to try these Instant Pot Recipes:
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Carolyn says
Absolutely scrumptious! Served it with rice and beans made with coconut milk. This will be a family favorite. Thank you so much!
Neena Panicker says
Carolyn, thank you for sharing! I love the addition of coconut milk to your rice 🙂
Giselle says
Our family absolutely loved this. We also agree with a previous poster that it is not exactly how authentic jerk chicken tastes like, but it is absolutely delicious anyway! My husband had suggested that we get a recipe for jerk chicken, and I reminded him of this recipe. We all agreed that we loved the taste and would love to have it again! Thank you so much for your time and preparing this!
Neena Panicker says
Giselle, thank you for trying the recipe and I’m glad you liked my interpretation of this classic Jamaican jerk chicken.
James says
Delicious. I added a little lime juice but I doubt it was necessary, I’m just partial to it 🙂
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thank you James!
Brenda says
Great flavour! Ended with 5 mins on the BBQ and wasn’t any leftovers. Three happy teenager and a husband. Thank you!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
I’m thrilled that you liked the recipe, Brenda 🙂