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+ servings
Make taco nights magical with jerk chicken tacos! Fresh lettuce leaves stacked on charred tortillas are piled high with juicy jerk chicken, grilled pineapple slices, diced bell peppers, thinly sliced onions, a drizzle of sauce or spoonful of mango salsa.

Jerk Chicken Tacos

Rebecca Lindamood
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Make taco nights magical with jerk chicken tacos! Fresh lettuce leaves stacked on charred tortillas are piled high with juicy jerk chicken, grilled pineapple slices, diced bell peppers, thinly sliced onions, a drizzle of sauce or spoonful of mango salsa.

Equipment

  • Air Fryer or Grill or Oven
  • Skillet or Baking Dish
  • tongs
  • Zipper Top Bag (or Bowl or Airtight Container)
  • Chef Knife
  • cutting board
  • Foil or Paper Towels or Tea Towel

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Toss the chicken pieces and jerk sauce together in a zipper top bag, container with a tight fitting lid, or bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but up to 24 hours.

To Make Air Fryer Jerk Chicken:

  • Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF. Arrange chicken in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for 12-14 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking time, until the chicken thigh measures 165ºF in the thickest part.

To Make Stove Top Jerk Chicken:

  • Place a non-stick skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat and brush generously with vegetable oil. Arrange the chicken in a single layer on the pan. Cook for 12-14 minutes, flipping over halfway through the cooking time, until the chicken thigh measures 165ºF in the thickest part.

To Make Grilled Jerk Chicken:

  • Preheat your grill to medium heat (about 350ºF to 400ºF). Arrange the chicken in a single layer on the cleaned and oiled grill grates. Grill about 4 to 6 minutes per side, flipping once halfway through the cooking time, or until the chicken thigh measures 165ºF in the thickest part.

To Make Oven Jerk Chicken:

  • Preheat your oven to 425ºF and brush a baking pan generously with vegetable oil. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the pan. Cook for about 20 minutes, flipping over halfway through the cooking time, until the chicken thigh measures 165ºF in the thickest part.

To Make the Jerk Chicken Tacos:

  • Drain the pineapple slices and pat them dry with a towel or paper towels. Sprinkle half of the brown sugar over the tops of the pineapple slices.
  • Place a non-stick skillet or grill pan over medium high heat and brush generously with neutral oil. Arrange the pineapple slices sugar side down on the pan and cook without moving them until they become fragrant and start browning a bit on the bottom, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the tops of the pineapple slices, flip them over gently, and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until the underside is browning, sticky, and fragrant.
  • Char or warm tortillas over an open flame, wrapping them in foil to keep pliable until all are charred or stack and wrap them in a damp paper towel and heat in the microwave for 45 seconds.
  • Slice the jerk chicken and hold in a bowl with any cooking juices. Assemble the tacos as follows:
  • Lay a leaf of lettuce on a charred tortilla, top with a generous amount of jerk chicken followed by thinly sliced onion, diced bell peppers, a sprinkle of cilantro or parsley, a squeeze of lime juice, and a drizzle of mayonnaise thinned with lime juice or chick-fil-a sauce or even ranch dressing if you love it.
  • If you have some, a little fresh mango salsa on top is delightful, too!

Nutrition

Calories: 394kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 30gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 580mgPotassium: 657mgFiber: 4gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 391IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 121mgIron: 3mg

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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