Oven Baked Jamaican Jerk Chicken Salad

This Oven Baked Jamaican Jerk Chicken Salad recipe is a really great combination of spicy flavor and fresh veggies. Inspired by the traditional Jamaican favorite–Jerk Chicken, this recipe creates a nice twist to your traditional salad. Easy to make and a sure crowd pleaser on any given summer day.

Happy Weekend! I’m so happy that the week is over. My week has been a rollercoaster, so I’m definitely glad it’s over.

It’s been pretty rainy here in NYC, however, the heat is still alive and well. When it has been sunny here, the temperature often reaches the high 90s. Yes, it super hot! So, I really love recipes that require less cooking to keep all that heat at bay. Don’t you agree?

That’s why I’m so ecstatic to be able to share this recipe with you, all. The awesome thing about this recipe is that the ingredients are household staples—kale, tomatoes, carrots, bell peppers, onions, and cucumber. So, no worries about not having them already on hand.

If you’ve followed our blog, then you’ll know that ever so often, I like to create dishes that are inspired by my Jamaican roots. Jerk chicken in Jamaica is a staple and most coveted dish. Often brown and crisp to perfection, Jerk Chicken is often served with a slice  of hard-dough bread and drenched in jerk and BBQ sauce. YUM! I can smell and tastes this goodness now.

Unlike the traditional Jamaican Jerk Chicken which is grilled, I’ve chosen to bake two chicken breasts to perfection in jerk seasoning and it is finger-licking good, ya’ll.

By using kale, I was able to enjoy a bit of spiciness in conjunction with the freshness of each leaf. Much like a traditional Jamaican inspired salad, I added slices of tomato, cucumber, shredded carrots, bell peppers, and for a nice touch—red onions. Personally, I love adding red onions to my salads. They offer a great crunch and kick of flavor, in my opinion.

For more Jamaican-inspired dishes, you should take a glance at these Hot + Spicy ‘Nine Mile’ Buffalo Chicken Wings, which definitely live up to their name—HOT + SPICY! Drenched in hot buffalo sauce with a hint of BBQ sauce and maple syrup to balance the heat, these wings remain a spicy staple inspired by Bob Marley and the Jamaican culture with bold uses of red pepper flakes + scotch bonnet peppers.

Or perhaps, this Spicy Jamaican Mini Beef Patty  recipe would be the perfect dish to make in just 25 minutes and doesn’t lack in flavor at all.

Of course, there’s this Shredded BBQ Jerk Chicken + Sweet Plantains recipe, which is to dye for. It’s truly an island feel, and a great play on spicy and sweet! Inspired by the traditional Jamaican favorite–Jerk Chicken, this recipe creates a modern feel and is nothing short of flavor. Easy to make and does not require much time in the kitchen, despite the intricate look of this dish.

To start, add the jerk chicken marinade (I used the Grace brand) to your chicken breasts in a ziplock bag and allow chicken to fully marinate for at least an hour in the refrigerator; best if marinated overnight.

To cook chicken, pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove chicken from marinade and add to a medium non-stick skillet, pouring marinade juices atop chicken.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, until chicken is fully cooked through and golden brown.

Remove chicken from oven and let it rest for 2 minutes before slicing into strips.

Arrange the veggies unto a platter and top with sliced chicken. Serve with your favorite dressing or our Avocado Basil Mango Dressing (See Notes).

Bon Appetite!

For Homemade Jerk Marinate: 

• 1/2 onion, coarsely chopped
• 4 medium green onion scallions, chopped
• 2-3 Tbsps of fresh thyme
• 1 1/2 Tbsps fresh ginger, chopped
• 8 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 Tbsp ground cinammon
• 1 Tbsp allspice, coarsely ground
• 1 Tbsp coarsely ground white pepper
• 1 tsp grated nutmeg
• 2 Tbsps dark brown sugar
• 2 Tbsps honey
• 2 Tbsps of soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp bouillon powder
• 1 cup fresh mangos or pineapples (option)
• 1-2 scotch bonnet pepper (depending on how spicy you’d like it to be)

Instructions: In a food processor combine all the ingredients. Adjust for taste and heat level with more or less spices. Use what you need for recipe and store the rest in the refrigerator, to use again.

Oven Baked Jamaican Jerk Chicken Salad.