These Jerk Chicken Bowls are bursting with bold Caribbean flavors and are perfect for a quick, delicious lunch or dinner. They’re packed with juicy jerk chicken, fluffy rice, and fresh, vibrant toppings that bring it all together.
Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the
recipe card at the bottom of the post.
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.
I'm a huge fan of meal prep when the recipe is flavorful and easy to, well...prep. These jerk chicken bowls are just that. These bowls are perfect for when you want a satisfying, vibrant meal that’s ready to go when you are.
Packed with bold Caribbean spices, juicy chicken, and colorful toppings, they make an ideal option for busy weeknights or grab-and-go lunches. Plus, they’re customizable to suit your taste and dietary preferences, making them a household favorite you’ll want to make again and again.
For this recipe, I stuck to traditional Jamaican recipes I grew up eating to make up the bowl. The bowl comes with a base of rice and peas, and is topped with jerk chicken, Jamaican coleslaw, and plantain.
A Quick Look at the Ingredients
Ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions are on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Jerk Chicken: Chicken thighs, jerk marinade or jerk wet seasoning, olive oil.
- Jerk BBQ Sauce: Ketchup, apple cider vinegar, jerk wet paste, liquid smoke.
- Rice and Peas: Rice, coconut milk, kidney beans, water, spices, green onions, thyme, Scotch bonnet pepper (or any other hot pepper, like habanero or jalapeño).
- Cabbage Coleslaw: Green cabbage, carrot, mayonnaise, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and allspice.
- Fried Plantains: Frozen plantains or ripe fresh plantains.
How to make Jerk Chicken Bowls
Rub the chicken with jerk seasoning. Cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
While the chicken is marinating, make the coleslaw. Shred cabbage and carrot. In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and allspice until smooth. Add the shredded green cabbage and shredded carrot.
Mix until well combined—season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate while preparing the rest of the meal.
In a small saucepan, combine ketchup, apple cider vinegar, jerk seasoning wet paste, and liquid smoke. Heat on low, stirring occasionally, until combined and slightly thickened. You can also whisk these ingredients together and place them in the microwave for 15-30 seconds.
Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Combine coconut milk, water, an kidney beans in a pot. Stir and bring to a boil. Stir in the rinsed rice. Place the green onions, thyme, and whole hot pepper in the pot.
Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 18-20 minutes until the rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and sit for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
I choose to make frozen plantains in the air fryer for this quick bowl. Preheat the air fryer to 380° degrees Fahrenheit (193.33°C). Place the frozen plantains in the basket in a single layer and air fry for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and heated.
Pan-sear the marinated jerk chicken thighs in a large skillet over medium-high heat; 5-7 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Remove from heat and chop into pieces.
Then, assemble the Bowls. Here's How I do it:
- Layer the rice and peas in a bowl.
- Top with jerk chicken and drizzle with jerk BBQ sauce.
- Add a scoop of coleslaw on the side.
- Place the fried plantains next to the coleslaw or as a garnish.
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
Make Ahead:
- Chicken: Marinate the chicken up to 24 hours in advance. Once cooked, cooked chicken can be refrigerated for 3-4 days.
- Rice and Beans: Cook these components ahead of time and store them separately in airtight containers.
- Coleslaw: Prepare ahead of time and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Storage:
- Store leftover components in separate airtight containers for up to 4 days. I like to store the rice, chicken, and plantains in one bowl and cold toppings, like coleslaw, separately.
- Assemble bowls just before serving to keep everything fresh and vibrant.
- You can freeze components of these Jerk Chicken Bowls for convenience, but it's best to freeze them separately to maintain the best texture and flavor.
Reheating Tips:
- Reheat the chicken and rice in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through.
- Add cold toppings, like coleslaw, after reheating.
Recipe Variations
- Low Carb: Use cauliflower rice or shredded lettuce as the base.
- Vegetarian: Swap the chicken for roasted sweet potatoes or jerk-marinated tofu.
- Extra Heat: Add sliced hot peppers or a drizzle of hot sauce to your bowl.
- Different Bases and Toppings: Feel free to use other toppings. Some popular choices are pineapple salsa, coconut rice, and black beans rather than rice and peas. You can also sub with brown rice.
Tanya's Top Tips for making these Bowls Easily
- Mise en place, or gather all your ingredients before you start cooking. It’ll make the process smoother and ensure you don’t forget any key components. Chop veggies, measure spices, and prep your protein in advance.
- If you have time, marinate the jerk chicken overnight to enhance the flavors.
- Frozen plantains are a great time-saver. Reheat them as per the package instructions and enjoy deliciously sweet and caramelized sides without the extra work.
- I love storing these bowls in cute meal prep container bowls.
I hope you love these jerk chicken bowls as much as we do.
If you have tried this or any other recipe on my blog, please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Jerk Chicken Bowls
Ingredients
For the Jerk Chicken
- 1 pound chicken thighs boneless, and skinless
- 1 Tablespoon jerk wet seasoning store-bought or homemade
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Coleslaw
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ½ Tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups shredded green cabbage
- ½ cup shredded carrot
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- salt and pepper to taste
For the Jerk BBQ Sauce
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon jerk wet paste
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
For the Rice and Peas
- 2 cups long grain white rice rinsed
- 1 13.5 oz can unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 15.5 oz can kidney beans undrained
- 1 cup water
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 green onions
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 Scotch bonnet pepper
For the Fried Plantains
- 8 frozen plantains pieces
Instructions
- Rub the chicken with jerk seasoning. Cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Make the Coleslaw
- While the chicken is marinating, make the coleslaw. In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, brown sugar, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, and allspice until smooth. Add the shredded green cabbage and shredded carrot. Mix until well combined—season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate while preparing the rest of the meal.
Make the Jerk BBQ Sauce
- In a small saucepan, combine ketchup, apple cider vinegar, jerk seasoning wet paste, and liquid smoke. Heat on low, stirring occasionally, until combined and slightly thickened. You can also whisk these ingredients together and place them in the microwave for 15-30 seconds.
Cook the Rice and Peas
- Combine coconut milk, water, an kidney beans in a pot. Stir and bring to a boil. Stir in the rinsed rice. Place the green onions, thyme, and whole hot pepper in the pot.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 18-20 minutes until the rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and sit for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
Make the the Plantains
- Air Fryer Method: Preheat the air fryer to 380° degrees Fahrenheit (193.33°C). Place the frozen plantains in the basket in a single layer and air fry for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and heated.
- Skillet Method: Heat a thin layer of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the plantains until golden brown on each side. Drain on paper towels.
Cook the Chicken
- Pan-sear the marinated jerk chicken thighs in a large skillet over medium-high heat; 5-7 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Remove from heat and chop into pieces.
Assemble the Bowls
- Layer the rice and peas in a bowl., top with jerk chicken and drizzle with jerk BBQ sauce., Add coleslaw and plantains. Serve and enjoy.
Suggested Tools
Notes
- For these bowls, I suggest a good jerk wet paste to season the chicken. I suggest Walkerswood for a storebought version, or you could use my homemade jerk marinade.
Jani Connelly says
Tanya, on a whim yesterday I picked up a fresh plantain. Now you post this recipe! I don't normally cook with plantain. Would you let it get dark and then use either of your options for cooking it?
Tanya says
Hi Jani! What a coincidence lol. Yes, let it get dark. I use frozen plantains in this bowl, but a fresh one works, as long as it's ripe (almost black) before cooking it. If using fresh plantain in the air fryer, decrease the cooking time to about 8-10 minutes.