Bakers Royale

Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken

By 72 Comments

I’m back to crazy, so please join me as I make my way through posting five days a week. To celebrate, I’m bringing America’s Test Kitchen’s slow cooker recipe for Caribbean jerk chicken. This is definitely the simpler way to make this dish since you can trade in hours of marinating and grilling time for the simple slow cooking method of dumping it all in a pot and letting the chicken cook in the spice marinade, then give it a quick charring and crisping in the broiler and — done!

Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken

Imagine all the random awesomeness we can share with one another over ten minutes a day, for five days a week. See, I’m not even greedy with your time—drop in, grab some food and stay awhile or not. Let’s just make sure we connect because damn you guys are fun to bake and cook for and even better to converse with.

Seriously, my coffee-meeting friends just don’t get this whole blogging thing or hanging out online, chatting it up with people I’ve never met. Despite the many ways I’ve explained social media, they’ve reduced Facebook to a place where people solicit advice and pats on the back. Twitter as a playground for stating the obvious or the minutiae in life. Instagram as an app for triple filtered #selfies (self-portraits).  And now Vine, a place of unbearable 6 second clips of people making coffee, walking and videos of their kids and pets.

 

That’s why this cozy corner is so dear to me. We’re like minded people. Although I’m willing to admit there may be a few objections to that last sentence. O-kay, I get that not everyone enjoys being a talker of randomness, a social media geek and a dessert-before-dinner type of person like me. . . well, if nothing else, we bond over food and if that’s the only thing—I’ll take it.

Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken

Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken

Yield: Serves 4-6

Ingredients

  • 8 scallions, chopped coarse
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 habanero chilies, stemmed and seeded
  • 1 (1-inch) fresh ginger, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 2 tablespoons molasses
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 tablespoon thyme
  • 2 teaspoons allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (split breasts, thighs)
  • lime wedges for serving

Instructions

  1. Place scallion, oil, habaneros, ginger, molasses, garlic, thyme, all spice, cardamom, and salt in a food processor or blender and puree. Transfer 1/2 cup mixture to slow cooker; reserve remaining mixture.
  2. Add chicken to slow cooker and coat evenly with scallion mixture. cover and cook until chick is tender, about 4- 6 hours on low.
  3. Position oven rack 10 inches from broiler element and start broiler. Place a wire rack in a foil lined bake sheet and coat with vegetable spray. Transfer chicken, skin side down onto rack. Brush chicken with half of reserved scallion mixture and broil until lightly charred and and crisp, about 10-15 minutes. Flip chicken over, brush with remaining scallion mixture and continue to broil until lightly charred and crisp on second side, about 5-10 minutes. Serve with lime wedges.

Notes

A few notes:

  • If you aren't into spicy, omit the habanero peppers. 
  • If you accidentally over spice your sauce, add a few dashes of lime to neutralize some of the heat or add in pureed cucumbers to cool down the heat. 
  • I recommend doubling the marinating sauce  so you have plenty to brush on the chicken for broiling step.
  • Tweaks I made: I added cardamom and used fresh thyme over dried thyme.

© Naomi Robinson | Bakers Royale
Category: Popular on Pinterest

Comments

  2. Amanda says

    I wish we were more like minded. I would especially like the photography and creative and styling portions of your mind to be more like ok? 😉 This looks fantastic girl!!

  3. DessertForTwo says

    My real friends don’t get my blog friends either. I find myself always saying ‘but I’ve met them in real life at conferences!’ And then I feel them judging me, hah.

    What a great slow-cooker recipe. I love the broiler at the end step. Thanks for sharing 🙂

  5. Catt says

    Have you been looking in my fridge? How is it that I just happen to have what your recipes call for so that I can make them the day they are posted? I’m making this today. That should sure free up some time!

  7. Julie @ Table for Two says

    wow this looks to die for!! i love the way you photographed this. it really looks as if i’m about to dive right in with my fork and knife! it’s awesome that it’s made in the slow cooker too!!

  15. Cat says

    QUESTION! My sauce only made a little over 10 Tbsp. after pureeing in the food processor. Really? Only use 1/2 cup in the slow cooker? That leaves 4 Tbsp. for basting the chicken in the broiler. Is that enough?

  19. Cat says

    Or did you mean to double it as it’s written above to get more? Duh. Maybe that’s my problem.

  21. Tricia says

    This looks amazing and it is going on my list of dinner plans. I totally understand where you are coming from, my family and friends don’t get why I love social media and blog friends.

  22. Silver Magpies says

    This looks extraordinary, can’t wait to try it. And I love the plate from your first photo! It’s a superb image.

    – Nan

  24. Anne says

    This sounds fantastic! My husband LOVES Jerk Chicken! I can not wait to surprise him some night with this!!!

  31. Cat says

    OK. Where can I give this my 5 Star rating? Since I had only enough ingredients to make the sauce as written, I just did four chicken breasts. The sauce was perfect for that amount (about 1.5 lbs). Since I’m on a sugar free diet, I had to leave out the molasses, but it was still amazing! Incredibly tender. Save the crock pot juices in case the meat dries out, though, while you’re eating. 🙂 Thanks for offering up these savory dishes for us to try! c@

  32. Megan {Country Cleaver} says

    I get “wow, you’re a crazy person” stares from people when I tell them about blogging and they reduce their arguments to elementary quips and jabs about all the social medias. I’m over it. I figure if us like minded crazies stick together we’re all considered “sane” right, cause there’s no one to tel us any different. Perfect!

  35. Nicole @ Wonderful Joy Ahead says

    I had to laugh when I read that you described ATK as simple. Though it doesn’t stop me from using their recipes and techniques weekly, they seem to over-complicate even the easiest of things. You have managed to convince me that this one is an anomaly, and I’ll positively make this tomorrow.

  39. Jessica says

    This looks gorgeous, it’s fun to see your take on a savory recipe. I just received a slow cooker as a gift – I do braises out of my Creuset Dutch oven all the time – what do you find are the strongest benefits to the slow cooker?

  41. Joyti says

    Yes, I feel the same way about the blogging world. It is amazing, and the people here amaze me – they’re so kind and interested in making the world a better place, in small ways.

    Your chicken looks gorgeous. Love your photos!

  44. Angela says

    All these comments and only one person actually made this dish. It’s always nice to hear from people that have actually made the recipe.

  45. Scott says

    This looks amazing. . .If it tastes half as good as it smells it’s going to be wonderful. I have the chicken marinating in the fridge right now and will be going in my slowcooker tomorrow morning so it will be ready to eat when we get home from work. Will let you all know how it turns out after dinner tomorrow.

  46. Raquel says

    I know right…I hate that! We all see how great it looks…but where are the people who actually made the dish??

  48. Marnie says

    I made this chicken this evening, and all I can tell you is that there is another batch cooking in the crock pot again for me to share with friends tomorrow! It was absolutely delicious! Just a quick question. I always like a little sauce with my chicken, any thoughts on how to achieve this?

    Thank you for what I think is the best recipe I have found on Pinterest!

  49. Sweet T says

    This was delicious! The sauce is very complex and flavorful. I made it with boneless skinless chicken thighs and so i just baked it at 450 for half an hour and then broiled, but the sauce it really really good! not too spicy, in fact next time i might add another couple habaneros because we like spicy!!!! Thank you though, for the delicious recipe!

  50. Barry says

    Had this pinned for a while now and finally made it. Brilliant! Probably finish over charcoal next time for fun but good lord that sauce is easy-to-make yet so complex in flavor. Took your advice and double the sauce, you should just change the recipe to that.

  51. renée says

    It’s 108 degrees here today. I’m loading this in my crockpot and cooking it out on the patio tomorrow. It looks amazing. Thanks…and YOU, we can never have too many friends!

  52. Ann Humphrey says

    This looks like a great recipe, but I am looking for a chicken recipe that can be completely cooked in a crockpot for a camping trip. My trailer oven is small so need to cook completely in crockpot.

  53. Marianne says

    The sauce was tasty, but when I transferred the chicken to wire rack, the chicken and skin fell off the bone! I probably cooked it too long!

  54. Renee says

    I just had this for dinner. So delicious! I was intimidated by the habeneros, but it was the perfect amount of spice. The last step of broiling the chicken makes the skins cripsy and delicious, as it gets very soupy in the slow cooker. I almost skipped the broiling, but I’m so glad I didn’t. And that squeeze of lime right before serving is amazing!! I’m constantly trying new recipes, and this is the best chicken recipe I’ve made in a while, hands down. Thanks for sharing.

  56. OLG says

    I’ve never had slow cooked Jerk Chicken before, I’ve always had it on the grill. I had this with a side of sweet potato fries. YUM YUM

  57. Teri Tipton says

    So… Made this for dinner. It looked delicious couldn’t wait. Sadly disappointed. Couple of things should be noted.

    Following the recipe, we slow cooked the chicken for 4 hours. This was too long. The chicken fell apart as we tried to move it to the broiler pan. Adjust this setting to your own slow cooker. Remember you are going to continue to cook the chicken at a minimum 20 minutes more to “crisp” the skin. Our chicken was too dry.

    The seasoning is off. The habanero’s overpower the cardamom, allspice, garlic,etc. We love heat, so that’s not the issue. We like heat with flavor/season. Maybe double up the seasoning, or perhaps reduce to one habanero?

    I love jerk chicken, but this recipe failed.

  58. Elizebeth says

    Love, Love, Love it! Made it for my family and thoroughly enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing.

  59. Kathy says

    Let me tell you ~~ this was just amazing. always have cooked this on the BBQ but not in a crock pot before. it was wonderful. keeping this one :O)
    Kathy

  60. Meg says

    Recipe sounds delicious … and easy. Can’t wait to try it. But what I really wanted to say was that you’re a very good writer; be sure to keep it up! I’ve been a professional journalist and editor for decades, and I appreciate crisp, informative and honest writing.

  61. denise says

    I made this today and loved the taste, but would adjust a few things. I did double the recipe for the sauce. I would cook for maybe 3-4 hours in the crock next time as it was totally falling apart when taken out. Maybe let the chicken cool/rest for a while to set back up before broiling? The flavor was amazing though~thanks for the recipe! I will make it again!!

  63. Shannon Dean says

    Thank you for this recipe! I made it for our New Year’s Eve get-together for about 8 people (doubling the chicken and tripling the sauce, and using only thighs and legs). The sauce was so flavorful and I love the technique that keeps you out of the kitchen while the crockpot does the work. However, the broiling step is key… don’t try to skip this step. Love the crispy skin with the sauce. Will definitely be making again!

  65. Alexx says

    If I am going to make this for my dinner for the week. Could I just broil what I am going to eat and save the mixture and other chicken fridge and then only take out and broil what I am going to eat for that day? Do you think that could work out?

  68. Betty says

    Tasty! But don’t over cook. I had to leave in crock pot longer than recipe called for – about 9 hours. So chicken was really tender and falling off the bone. Normally not a problem, but there was no way to keep meat, skin & bone together to get in a pan to do the crisping under the broiler. My own fault, I should have known better.
    I’m still really enjoying the flavor and just adding some marinade on top when serving. (Chicken is juicy and tender!)

  72. Paul says

    Oof. Lesson learned—always read the comment thread on the recipe.

    I’ll admit, I’m a novice cook, to put it lightly, but this was a spendy disaster. The chicken looked and tasted *great* after it came out of the slow cooker. I should have stopped there. A few minutes in the broiler completely burned off all the spices and sucked all the moisture out.

    I’ve resolved to make this a learn-by-effing-up situation. But, man…I’m majorly bummed it didn’t turn out.

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