Oven Baked Chicken Jamaican Style (2024)

JERK TAVERNAugust 2, 2023

This recipe is not only delicious but also easy to prepare, making it perfect for both weeknight dinners and special occasions look no further than oven-baked chicken Jamaican style. Bursting with vibrant Jamaican flavors, this recipe is a delightful way to transport your taste buds to a flavor profile that is unique and unforgettable. Get ready to savor the irresistible combination of aromatic spices, tender chicken, and a touch of heat. Let’s dive into this mouthwatering recipe that will surely become a family favorite! So, gather your ingredients, fire up the oven, and get ready to enjoy a taste of Jamaica in the comfort of your own home!

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The Origins of Jamaican Cuisine

Jamaican cuisine is renowned for its bold and vibrant flavors, and one dish that perfectly embodies this culinary tradition is oven-baked chicken Jamaican style. Jamaican cuisine is a melting pot of flavors, reflecting the island’s rich history of colonization, slavery, and immigration. The indigenous Taino people, who inhabited Jamaica before the arrival of Europeans, introduced cooking techniques using smoke and fire. The African slaves brought to Jamaica during the colonial era brought with them their culinary traditions, which heavily influenced the development of Jamaican cuisine.

The Influence of African Cuisine

As African slaves arrived in Jamaica, they brought their knowledge of cooking with various spices and herbs. The use of aromatic herbs and spices, such as allspice (pimento), scotch bonnet peppers, thyme, and garlic, became integral to Jamaican cuisine. These ingredients formed the foundation of the distinct flavor profile found in oven-baked chicken Jamaican style.

European Influence

The European influence on Jamaican cuisine can be attributed to the colonization of the island by the Spanish and later the British. European cooking techniques and ingredients were integrated into Jamaican dishes, resulting in a unique fusion of flavors. The introduction of new ingredients like onions, peppers, and citrus fruits added depth and complexity to traditional Jamaican dishes, including oven-baked chicken.

The Birth of Jamaican Jerk

The roots of oven-baked chicken Jamaican style can be traced back to the traditional Jamaican cooking technique known as “jerk.” Jerk refers to the marinating and grilling of meat, typically chicken or pork, over a pimento wood fire. This cooking method was developed by the Maroons, descendants of escaped African slaves who settled in the mountains of Jamaica. The Maroons used a combination of spices, including allspice berries, scotch bonnet peppers, and thyme, to create the distinct jerk flavor.

The Evolution of Oven-Baked Chicken Jamaican Style:

While traditionally chicken was cooked over an open flame, the introduction of ovens brought about a new way to prepare this flavorful dish. Oven-baked chicken Jamaican style retains the essence of jerk seasoning but offers a convenient and equally delicious alternative to traditional grilling. The chicken is marinated in a blend of spices, including Jamaican jerk seasoning, and then baked to perfection, resulting in tender, succulent meat with a caramelized and slightly charred exterior.

How long does it take to cook chicken in the oven?

How long to cook chicken in the oven at 350°F?

Always cook your chicken for about 20 minutes per pound at this temperature of 350°F (175°C).

Is it better to bake chicken at 350°F or 400°F?

Bake the chicken at 400°F the first half of the baking time to get a nice color on both sides then slow cook at 350 for the next half. This makes sure the chicken Is not dry.

Is it better to bake chicken at 350°F or 425°F?

This all depends on the parts of the chicken you’re making if you’re going to fall off the bone then it’s best to bake 300° and 350°. For firmer meat and crisper skin, roast the chicken at around 425 degrees °F.

Is it better to bake chicken at 400°F or 450°F?

What is the best temperature for baking chicken? The best temperature to bake chicken has to do with your chicken size, how hot your oven is, plus the type of chicken you’re making to name a few.

Can you bake chicken at 350°F for an hour?

Quick answer YES! But this all depends on the size of your bird. For example, a chicken breast bakes way faster than whole chicken or mixed parts of chicken. So this all depends on your bird size.

Ingredients for Oven Baked Chicken

• Chicken
• Jamaican jerk seasoning
• Italian seasoning
• Complete seasoning
• Paprika
• Adobo
• Garlic powder
• Green seasoning
• Mushroom sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Baked Chicken Sauce

• Chicken juice
• Sugar
• Ketchup
• Honey BBQ Sauce
• Garlic
• Onion
• Fresh Scallion
• Fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper
• Complete seasoning

How to make Oven Baked Chicken

Oven-baked chicken Jamaican style is a testament to the rich history and cultural diversity of Jamaica. The fusion of African, European, and indigenous influences has given birth to a dish that is comforting and full of bold flavors.

1. Marinate the chicken:

• In a mixing bowl, combine the Jamaican jerk, Italian, complete seasoning, paprika, adobo, green seasoning, mushroom sauce, salt, and pepper.

• Place the chicken in a large ziplock bag or a shallow dish, and pour the marinade over them.
• Massage the marinade into the chicken, ensuring each piece is well-coated.

• Seal the bag (or cover the dish with plastic wrap) and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat.

2. Preheat the oven:

• Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

3. Bake the chicken:

• Add the chicken to the baking dish and pour the seasoned juices on top to prevent sticking.
• Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 25-30 minutes. Then it’s time to make the sauce.

Make Sauce:

• In a sauce pot and 2 tbsp of oil then saute onions, thyme, scallions, garlic, and sweet pepper.

• Add the chicken juice water from the oven that the chicken sprang when baking.
• Add in ketchup, BBQ sauce, sugar mushroom sauce, complete seasoning, salt, and black pepper to taste.
• Boil for 10-15 minutes or until sauce thickens.
• Pour the sauce on the chicken and place the chicken back in the oven for 20 mins.

5. Serve and enjoy!

• Once cooked, remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes.
• Serve your oven-baked chicken Jamaican style with a side of rice and peas, fried plantains, or a fresh salad for a complete Caribbean-inspired meal.
• Dig in and savor the irresistible combination of tender, flavorful chicken with a touch of Jamaican heat.

See Also

Copycat Chipotle SteakRoasted Garlic Potatoes Au Gratin | Good Food Discoveries3 INGREDIENT CHILI DIPSpicy Potato Noodles | Two Plaid Aprons

How to keep Oven Baked Chicken Moist

Do you put water in the pan when baking chicken?

Yes you can add water to the pan when baking chicken

Can you overcook chicken in the oven?

Yes, you can overcook chicken in an oven.

Do you bake chicken covered or uncovered?

You never have to worry about covering chicken while baking, as it’s OK to bake it uncovered.

Foil or no foil for Oven Baked Chicken

Does chicken bake faster with or without foil?

Chicken bakes faster when it is covered. But leave it off so your meat can get some color.

How do you keep chicken moist without foil?

If you are baking the chicken it springs water so your meat wIll be moist if you keep an eye on it now and then.

What happens if you cover chicken with foil when baking?

Though covering your chicken is unnecessary, Covering for the first half of the baking process. It keeps your chicken moist and flavorful.

Does chicken get more tender the longer you bake it?

If you’re baking chicken breasts, it may dry out faster. But, chicken thighs and drumsticks become more tender the longer they cook. Dark meat is more juicy and tender than white meat.

Should I oil my chicken before seasoning?

Should I put oil on the chicken before baking?

Rubbing the chicken with a little olive oil before baking is not a necessity it can add moisture to the chicken and also helps the seasonings stick.

Do you put oil in the pan when baking chicken?

No use about 1/8 cup of water in the pan instead of oil.

Should you coat chicken in oil before seasoning?

This is all preference, just marinating your meat overnight will infuse the flavors significantly. So, coating the chicken in oil is not necessary.

Do you need to oil the chicken before baking?

It depends on what the recipe you’re following calls for but it is not necessary.

What is the best oil for baking chicken?

For vegetables, chicken, and just about everything else, olive oil. But oil is not needed for baking chicken.

Baked Chicken FAQs

Is it better to bake chicken low and slow or high and fast?

Chicken is a very versatile and lean meat but it depends on what you are making. High heat I called for certain chicken Recipes if frying, or low & slow based on the kind of checked recipe you’re making.

Should chicken be at room temperature before baking?

Room-temperature meat cooks more evenly so, let your chicken sit out on the counter for 30 minutes to an hour before cooking for best results.

Should you take the chicken out of the fridge before cooking?

20-30 minutes before cooking let the chicken sit at room temperature will make sure the chicken cooks more evenly.

Which side goes up when baking a chicken?

When baking the chicken place the chicken skin side up. Though you will be flipping your chicken to cook on both sides, be sure to leave its skin side up to get a nice char color.

What spices go well with chicken? How to season chicken Caribbean style?

Chicken pairs well with almost every seasoning, So the spices that go well with chicken all depend on what you are cooking jerk chicken, curry chicken, lemon pepper chicken, fried chicken, and more. Caribbeans season their chicken based on what they plan to cook that day.

Is it better to bake chicken on top or bottom?

Chicken is best cooked on the middle rack.

“I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.” Galatians 1:6-7 NKJV

Wisdom

In the last days on this earth, it is prophesied that many will turn away from the Gospel, the Good News, of Jesus Christ. Which is John 3:16. Even today in the year 2023, many people are changing their faith and what they believe in. Following strange doctrines and teachings. Many of which are perversions of the true gospel. Grace came through Jesus Christ, the Son of the Most High God when He died on the cross for the sins of the world. We now have liberty in Him, to live for Him and be obedient to Him.

But many believe they can believe in Him, and do what they want to do. Paul teaches us not to use our liberty to sow to the flesh, which is our sinful nature, but to sow to the Spirit. Why? Because we will reap what we sow. If we sow to the flesh we will reap corruption, but if we sow to the Spirit, we will reap everlasting life.

Do not be deceived in these last days, read the Word of God for yourself and let the Spirit teach you. Do not follow these wolfs in sheep’s clothing who want nothing more than for you to go to hell with them. Believe in Jesus Christ and the true Gospel taught to us by Him and His apostles. If anyone preaches a different gospel, as the apostle Paul says, let them be accursed.