Crockpot Jerk Chicken Thighs
These Crockpot Jerk Chicken Thighs are slow-cooked until juicy and tender in a bold homemade jerk sauce made with fresh peppers, garlic, ginger, and warm spices. Serve with rice, beans, or fried plantains for an easy, flavor-packed dinner.
Try my crockpot chicken fajitas and crockpot honey garlic chicken next!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Big Caribbean flavor with minimal effort. The slow cooker does all the work while the jerk marinade infuses the chicken with sweet, smoky, spicy flavor until it’s fall-off-the-bone tender.
- Easy to customize. Adjust the heat, sweetness, and even the cut of chicken to make this recipe just the way your family likes it.
- Perfect for busy weeknights or entertaining. Serve it with rice, beans, fried plantains, or your favorite sides for a flavorful meal that’s impressive enough for guests but easy enough for any day of the week.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2-4 habaneros (or scotch bonnets), deseeded and stemmed
- 1 onion, quartered
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2-inch fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- 2 stalks green onions, chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, stems removed
- 2 teaspoons all spice
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
Step by Step Instructions
STEP ONE – Place chicken into the Crockpot in an even layer.
STEP TWO – Add the remaining ingredients into a food processor or blender and puree into a sauce. It does not have to be completely smooth.
STEP THREE – Pour the sauce over the chicken thighs.
STEP FOUR – Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours, until chicken is cooked through and tender.
STEP FIVE – Optional step: Place chicken onto a baking sheet and broil on high in the oven, about 3-5 minutes, to crisp the skin. Spoon the jerk sauce from the Crockpot onto the chicken.
Crockpot Jerk Chicken Thighs
- Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
Description
These Crockpot Jerk Chicken Thighs are slow-cooked until juicy and tender in a bold homemade jerk sauce made with fresh peppers, garlic, ginger, and warm spices. Serve with rice, beans, or fried plantains for an easy, flavor-packed dinner.
Ingredients
6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2–4 habaneros (or scotch bonnets), deseeded and stemmed
1 onion, quartered
4 garlic cloves, peeled
2-inch fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
2 stalks green onions, chopped
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons brown sugar, or to taste
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, stems removed
2 teaspoons all spice
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Place chicken into the Crockpot in an even layer.
- Add the remaining ingredients into a food processor or blender and puree into a sauce. It does not have to be completely smooth.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken thighs.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours, until chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Optional step: Place chicken onto a baking sheet and broil on high in the oven, about 3-5 minutes, to crisp the skin. Spoon the jerk sauce from the Crockpot onto the chicken.
Notes
Recipe Tips
- This recipe works well with chicken quarters, breasts, wings, drumsticks, or boneless, skinless chicken. If using boneless chicken, reduce the cooking time by about 1 hour.
- Adjust the sweetness by adding more or less brown sugar to suit your taste.
- Control the heat by increasing or decreasing the habanero peppers. For a milder version, substitute jalapeños or serrano peppers.
- White wine vinegar adds great flavor, but distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar are excellent substitutes.
- Coconut aminos can be used in place of soy sauce.
- Short on time? Use a store-bought Caribbean jerk seasoning, marinade, or sauce. If using a dry seasoning blend, add ½ to 1 cup of chicken broth or pineapple juice to the slow cooker to help keep the chicken moist.
Storage
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium heat until warmed through. You can also microwave individual portions in 30-second intervals, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Dinner Recipes
- Method: Slow Cooker/Crockpot
- Cuisine: American
