Sticky BBQ Jerk Chicken
This BBQ jerk chicken is sticky, sweet, and a little spicy. The chicken is fried until golden, then coated in a jerk-spiced BBQ sauce and baked until tender and glazed. It’s an easy way to put a Caribbean spin on BBQ chicken and makes a great Sunday dinner or weeknight meal.
This recipe combines two things I love: well-seasoned fried chicken and a sweet, spicy BBQ sauce. Adding jerk seasoning paste to the sauce gives it that extra Caribbean kick without overpowering the BBQ flavor.
The chicken gets marinated in green seasoning first, fried until golden, then coated in the jerk BBQ sauce and finished in the oven. The result is tender chicken covered in a thick, sticky glaze with plenty of flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Tender, juicy chicken coated in a sticky BBQ jerk glaze
- Fried first for a golden coating, then finished in the oven
- Sweet, savory, and spicy with plenty of Caribbean flavor
- Easy to adjust the heat by using more or less jerk seasoning paste
How to make sticky jerk BBQ chicken
What You’ll Need
- Chicken thighs: Bone-in, skinless chicken thighs stay juicy through both the frying and baking stages. Drumsticks can also work well here.
- Green seasoning: This is the base seasoning for the chicken and gives it plenty of Caribbean flavor before frying. Use homemade green seasoning or your favorite store-bought version.
- Eggs and flour: These create the golden coating on the chicken before it goes into the oven.
- Salt, black pepper, and paprika: Used to season the flour before dredging the chicken.
- BBQ sauce: Use your favorite homemade or store-bought BBQ sauce. Sweet Baby Ray’s is my go-to when I don’t have homemade sauce on hand.
- Jerk seasoning paste: Adds the jerk flavor and heat to the BBQ glaze. I use Walkerswood, but you can also use homemade jerk seasoning paste.
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro adds another layer of flavor to the sauce.
- Oil: Use a neutral oil suitable for frying, such as vegetable or canola oil.
1. Marinate the Chicken
Season the chicken thighs with green seasoning. Cover and marinate for at least 1 hour, or overnight if preparing ahead.
2. Coat and Fry the Chicken
Heat enough oil for frying in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly beat the eggs in a shallow bowl, then combine the flour, salt, paprika, and black pepper in a separate shallow dish.
Dip each piece of chicken into the beaten egg, then coat well in the seasoned flour. For a thicker coating, dip it in the egg and flour a second time.
Fry the chicken until the coating is golden brown, turning as needed to brown both sides. Transfer to a baking dish. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked at this stage since it will finish cooking in the oven.
3. Add the Jerk BBQ Sauce and Bake
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, mix together the BBQ sauce, jerk seasoning paste, and chopped cilantro.
Pour the jerk BBQ sauce over the fried chicken, making sure each piece is well coated. Bake for 15 minutes.
Spoon or brush the sauce from the baking dish back over the chicken, then return it to the oven for another 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Tips for the Best BBQ Jerk Chicken
- Give the chicken time to marinate. Let it sit in the green seasoning for at least 1 hour. If you’re planning ahead, season it the night before and refrigerate overnight.
- Adjust the jerk seasoning to your taste. Two tablespoons give the BBQ sauce a good jerk flavor, but you can use a little less if you prefer a milder glaze.
- Double-dredge for a thicker coating. Dip the chicken in the egg and seasoned flour twice if you want more coating before frying. You may need an additional egg.
- Don’t fully cook the chicken while frying. You’re looking for a golden coating at this stage. The chicken finishes cooking after the jerk BBQ sauce is added and it goes into the oven.
- Baste during baking. Spoon the sauce from the baking dish back over the chicken after the first 15 minutes to keep that sticky glaze coating the chicken.
What to Serve With BBQ Jerk Chicken
This sticky BBQ jerk chicken works well with classic Caribbean sides that can balance the sweet and spicy glaze. Serve it with rice and peas, Caribbean macaroni pie, fried plantains, coleslaw, or a simple salad.
For a bigger Sunday dinner, add a few sides to the table and let everyone build their own plate.
Storage & Reheating
Store leftover BBQ jerk chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
Reheat in a 300°F oven until warmed through. You can also reheat individual pieces in the microwave, but the oven works better for keeping the coating from getting too soft.
For longer storage, freeze the cooked chicken in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, but boneless thighs will cook faster than bone-in thighs. Keep an eye on the cooking time and check that the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Walkerswood is my go-to store-bought jerk seasoning paste. You can also use homemade jerk seasoning paste if you prefer to make your own.
The BBQ sauce balances some of the heat from the jerk seasoning, so this recipe has a sweet and spicy flavor. You can reduce the amount of jerk seasoning paste if you prefer a milder glaze.
Yes. Bone-in drumsticks can be used instead of chicken thighs. Follow the same method, but check the chicken for doneness since cooking time can vary depending on the size of the pieces. The internal temperature should reach 165°F.
More Jerk Recipes
If you love jerk flavor, try my:
Recipe
Sticky BBQ Jerk Chicken
Ingredients
Method
- Season chicken with green seasoning (or however you season your chicken) and set aside for 1 hour
- Place oil in a deep enough frying pan and heat to med-high heat
- Lightly beat eggs in a shallow bowl
- In a large plate add flour, salt, paprika, and black pepper and mix together
- Remove pieces of chicken from the seasoning and dip each piece into the egg bath, then flour and set aside (If you want a crunchier cover, dip in the egg bath again and flour. If doing this, more eggs may be needed)
- Fry chicken until golden brown and semi-cooked through, then place in a dish to bake
- Heat oven to 350 degrees
- Mix BBQ sauce, jerk paste, and chopped cilantro together
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Take a spatula or a knife and spread the sauce around the chicken.
- Return and bake for another 10 minutes or until cooked through
- Remove from oven and let the chicken sit for 5 minutes
Nutrition
Recipe Printed From ThisBagoGirl.com
