Slow-Cooked Jerk-Style Chicken

Jerk chicken is great, but not everyone has a grill, or the time to cook it all after a long day. For a busy day-friendly version of the recipe, try this slow-cooker version instead. It’s got all the classic spices: allspice, cardamom, ginger, and of course plenty of chili peppers. A little pineapple juice is a more flavorful alternative to sugar or other sweeteners.

But the problem with slow-cooker jerk chicken is that you can’t get that beautiful blackened outside…or can you? (spoiler: you totally can). It’s actually pretty easy to get even without a grill. Just take it out of the slow-cooker and pop it under the broiler for a few minutes. It’s not cheating if it’s still delicious!

This recipe is also a good one for tight grocery budgets, because you can tweak it to fit whatever chicken parts are available at the store. Use any combination that you like – legs, thighs, drumsticks, breasts…even if you have a whole chicken, just cut it up and use that. Serve it with cauliflower “rice,” roasted peppers and onions, or whatever other side dish you like.

Slow-Cooked Jerk-Style Chicken Recipe

SERVES: 4 PREP: 20 min. COOK: 6 h.

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Ingredients

• 4 lbs chicken pieces, bone-in and skin-on
• 8 green onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 habanero chilies, stemmed and seeded
• 1 tbsp. fresh ginger, sliced
• ½ cup pineapple juice
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 tbsp. fresh thyme, minced
• 2 tsp. allspice
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 to 2 limes, sliced
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. In a food processor, combine the green onion, habanero, ginger, garlic, thyme, allspice, cardamon, pineapple juice and salt and pepper to taste.
2. Pulse until well-blended and smooth.
3. Add the chicken to a slow cooker, and generously rub with the sauce.
4. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.
5. Preheat your oven broiler.
6. Remove chicken from the slow cooker, and place on a baking sheet.
7. Broil the chicken in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes per side, until lightly charred, and serve with fresh lime slices.