Last Updated on January 29, 2023
Today, we’ll make a rich Jamaican-style baked chicken recipe. It’s loaded with sweet, peppery, and herbaceous flavors, paired with a spicy sauce.
This recipe is very easy to make and can be easily adjusted to your liking. Give it a try and feel free to share it along if you love it!
What Makes This Jamaican-Style Baked Chicken Recipe Unique?
This is one of our favorite Caribbean-baked chicken recipes to date. It is incredibly quick to assemble. And, once the chicken is inside the oven, all that is left to do is patiently wait for it to finish baking.
The spice mix we’ve created that goes on top of the whole chicken is very customizable. While we personally love the blend of flavors in this recipe, not everyone loves sweet, herby, or spicy chicken.
So, while this is technically a Jamaican-style baked chicken recipe, you can alter the flavors slightly. The same goes for the delicious sauce we are making from scratch today.
This is a sweet, spicy, and super garlicky sauce recipe. And, you can adjust the amount of cornstarch in the recipe to either make it thick or runny.
Overall, this is a very easy recipe to make that is loaded with delicious complex Caribbean flavors. Not to mention it pairs well with virtually any side dish too! For some inspiration, you can have a look at this video.
So, without further or due, let’s take a look at how to make this Jamaican-style baked chicken recipe.
What You Need To Make This Jamaican-Style Baked Chicken Recipe
Ingredients for the baked chicken
- 1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup rum
- 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon rosemary leaves
- 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Pinch of cloves
- 3-pound whole chicken, cleaned
- Olive oil
Ingredients for the spicy honey sauce
- 3/4 cup honey
- 3/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup chili sauce
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce, low sodium
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch
Equipment
- Large roasting tray
- Non-stick baking paper or foil
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Pastry brush
- Medium saucepan
- Whisk
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Prepare your elements and equipment
Preheat the oven to 320ºF (160ºC). Line a large roasting tray with non-stick baking paper or foil.
Then, in a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, rum, and sugar. Set the sauce aside for later.
In another medium bowl, whisk together the herbs and spices. Make sure that they are well mixed.
Step 2: Prepare the whole chicken
First, ensure that the chicken is completely cleaned. The features should be plucked, the head removed, the innards taken out and discarded, and the surface wiped down for dirt and dust.
Then, place the chicken inside the lined roasting tray. Brush the chicken with a generous amount of olive oil and sauce. Finally, coat it with the spice mixture you just made.
Step 3: Bake the Jamaican-style chicken
Place the chicken inside the preheated oven and bake it for 90 minutes. At every 20-minute interval, baste the chicken with the sauce and juices that is inside the pan.
Don’t remove your chicken until it is completely cooked. The internal temperature in the thickest part should be at least 165ºF (74ºC).
Step 4: Make the sauce
While your chicken is baking, let’s take a look at how to make a sauce for baked chicken.
Combine all of the sauce ingredients (except for the cornstarch) into a medium saucepan. Whisk them well and place them over medium-high heat. Leave the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes so it reduces.
Then, add the cornstarch into a medium bowl. Add 1/2 cup of reduced sauce into the cornstarch while whisking continuously. Add this mixture back into the saucepan.
Whisk the sauce well and bring it back to a simmer for another 10 minutes.
Step 5: Serve your Jamaican baked chicken
Once your chicken is completely baked, remove it from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Then, serve it warm with your sweet and spicy honey-garlic sauce.
Expert Tips And Tricks
- If you don’t know how to clean a chicken, you can have a look at this tutorial.
- The flavors of the chicken seasoning and sauce can easily be adjusted to your liking. If you like it sweeter or less sweet, alter the amount of sugar or honey you use. And, if you like it spicier, add more chili. You get the idea!
- If your chicken starts browning too quickly, you can cover the dark piece with foil. The foil will help prevent browning while the chicken can still continue cooking. Don’t cover the whole chicken with foil from the start. It will slow the cooking process too much.
- The honey-garlic sauce only makes about 1 1/2 cups of sauce. If you want to make more, you can easily double the recipe.
- You can also make the sauce in advance. It will keep well inside the fridge when stored in an airtight container.
- It is crucial that you properly rest your chicken after it has been baked. This will ensure that the juices are absorbed into the flesh of the chicken and that they won’t run out as you cut them. It creates an overall more flavorful, tender, and juicy cut.
- If you want to make this recipe using an air fryer, it is completely possible. Set the air-fryer to the same temperature. The only thing you shouldn’t add is the basting sauce. It will run down underneath the fryer basket. Instead, baste the chicken with the sauce every 20 minutes. Your chicken may also bake slightly faster because the heat distributes better. In that case, chicken the progress of your chicken around the 60-minute mark.
Preparations Times And Servings
| Preparation Time | Baking Time | Servings |
| 10-20 minutes | 90 minutes | 4 |
Wrapping Things Up – Jamaican-Style Baked Chicken Recipe
Let us know what you think about this rich flavorful Jamaican-style baked chicken recipe. And, if you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to ask in the comments below.
3-Step Easy Jamaican-Style Baked Chicken Recipe With Sauce
Equipment
- Large roasting tray
- Non-stick baking paper or foil
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Pastry brush
- Medium saucepan
- Whisk
Ingredients
Ingredients for the baked chicken
- 1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup rum
- 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon rosemary leaves
- 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Pinch of cloves
- 3- pound whole chicken,cleaned
- Olive oil
Ingredients for the spicy honey sauce
- 3/4 cup honey
- 3/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup chili sauce
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce, low sodium
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Prepare your elements and equipmentPreheat the oven to 320ºF (160ºC). Line a large roasting tray with non-stick baking paper or foil.Then, in a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, rum, and sugar. Set the sauce aside for later.In another medium bowl, whisk together the herbs and spices. Make sure that they are well mixed.1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/4 cup rum, 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon rosemary leaves, 1 teaspoon thyme leaves, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, Pinch of cloves
- Prepare the whole chickenFirst, ensure that the chicken is completely cleaned. The features should be plucked, the head removed, the innards taken out and discarded, and the surface wiped down for dirt and dust.Then, place the chicken inside the lined roasting tray. Brush the chicken with a generous amount of olive oil and sauce. Finally, coat it with the spice mixture you just made.3- pound whole chicken,cleaned, Olive oil
- Bake the Jamaican-style chickenPlace the chicken inside the preheated oven and bake it for 90 minutes. At every 20-minute interval, baste the chicken with the sauce and juices that is inside the pan.Don't remove your chicken until it is completely cooked. The internal temperature in the thickest part should be at least 165ºF (74ºC).
- Make the sauceWhile your chicken is baking, let's take a look at how to make a sauce for baked chicken.Combine all of the sauce ingredients (except for the cornstarch) into a medium saucepan. Whisk them well and place them over medium-high heat. Leave the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes so it reduces.Then, add the cornstarch into a medium bowl. Add 1/2 cup of reduced sauce into the cornstarch while whisking continuously. Add this mixture back into the saucepan.Whisk the sauce well and bring it back to a simmer for another 10 minutes.3/4 cup honey, 3/4 cup rice wine vinegar, 1/3 cup chili sauce, 8 garlic cloves, minced, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, low sodium, 4 teaspoons cornstarch
- Serve your Jamaican baked chickenOnce your chicken is completely baked, remove it from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Then, serve it warm with your sweet and spicy honey-garlic sauce.
Notes
Lindy is an experienced chef with a passion for creating delicious and unique dishes. She has worked in some of the most renowned kitchens in the country, honing her skills in both traditional and modern cuisine. With an innate ability to create beautiful and flavorful dishes, Lindy loves to explore new ingredients, techniques, and flavors. She loves to experiment with different flavors, textures, and cooking styles to make her dishes as interesting as possible. Lindy‘s dishes are always a hit, as her focus on freshness, quality, and presentation always shines through.
