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Jerk Chicken Tacos

These Jerk Chicken Tacos are the tacos of your tropical dreams loaded with juicy, aromatic, earthy, sweet, smoky, spicy Jerk Chicken and sweet and crunchy pineapple slaw, drizzled with silky avocado jerk crema all cocooned in a warm corn tortilla. They are easy to make with a quick chicken wet rub while you prep the toppings, or they are entirely prep ahead friendly for a dinner that comes together in minutes.  Pair them with Coconut Rice and Pina Colada Fruit Salad for a complete tropical feast!
Course Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine Tropical
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 10 -12 tacos

Ingredients

CHICKEN

  • 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts or thighs pounded to an even thickness
  • 10-12 corn tortillas like La Tortilla Factory

WET RUB MARIANDE

PINEAPPLE SLAW

  • 2 cups chopped fresh pineapple
  • 2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
  • 1/4 cup chopped red onion
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon jerk seasoning <<<click for recipe

AVOCADO JERK CREMA

  • 1 medium avocado
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons jerk seasoning <<<click for recipe
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  • Jerk Seasoniong: Whisk all of the seasonings together in a medium bowl. (You will not use all of them for this recipe.)
  • Marinate Chicken: Line the chicken in a single layer in a snug dish. In a small bowl, whisk the marinade ingredients together then pour over the chicken. Turn the chicken to evenly coat. Allow the chicken to marinate while you prep the Pineapple Slaw and Crema (up to 40 minutes at room temperature) or cover and refrigerate up to 12 hours, then bring to room temperature for before cooking.
  • Avocado Jerk Crema: Add all of the ingredients to a high powered blender and blend until smooth, scraping sides down as needed. Press plastic wrap directly against the surface of the crema and refrigerate.
  • Pineapple Slaw: Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and toss to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

TO GRILL CHICKEN (See Notes for Options)

  • Preheat grill to 400 degrees F with the lid closed, clean and grease grates.
  • Grill chicken undisturbed with the lid closed for 5-7 minutes per side, until chicken is cooked through. (Cook to 160 degrees F on an instant read thermometer, then allow to rest for 5 minutes to carryover to 165 degrees F.)

ASSEMBLE TACOS

  • Chop jerk chicken into bite size pieces.
  • Warm tortillas in the microwave, in a skillet or char on the grill or open gas stovetop flame until warm but still pliable (detailed instructions in notes).
  • Assemble tacos by layering warmed corn tortillas with chicken, slaw and drizzling with avocado jerk crema.

Video

Notes

TO COOK CHICKEN ON THE STOVE:

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large non-stick skillet or indoor grill pan over medium-high heat. Once very hot, add chicken and cook, undisturbed, for 3-4 minutes, or until deeply golden on one side.
  2. Flip chicken over, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook for approximately 5-7 more minutes (depending on thickness of chicken), or until chicken is cooked to 160 degrees F on an instant read thermometer, then allowed to rest for 5 minutes to carryover to 165 degrees F.

TO BAKE CHICKEN IN THE OVEN:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Add chicken in a single layer to a lightly greased baking dish.
  2. Bake the chicken for 14 to 16 minutes (for small/medium breasts that are about 5-6 ounces), 16 to 20 minutes (for medium/large breasts that are 7 to 9 ounces), or 20 to 25 minutes (for larger breasts). Cook to 160 degrees F on an instant read thermometer, then allowed to rest for 5 minutes to carryover to 165 degrees F.
  3. How to Warm Tortillas
You can easily warm your tortillas using any of the outlined methods below. Once your tortillas are warmed, keep them warm and pliable by stacking them on a plate and covering with a slightly dampened, warmed paper towel or in a tortilla warmer. 
  • Open Flame (gas stove or grill):  This method is how I achieve the smoky char you see on the tortillas and is best with FRESH/homemade tortillas.  I simply add the tortillas directly to the burner of my gas stove then flip with tongs once they are charred on one side.  You can also accomplish this on the grill. If you are using lower quality corn tortillas, you will want to take special care not to over-char or they will become brittle and break.  You still want the tortillas soft and pliable. 
  • Skillet:  Heat a skillet (or griddle if you have one) to medium high heat (do not grease).  Working with one tortilla at a time (more for a griddle), heat each side of the tortilla for approximately 20 seconds until warm and soft.  You are not looking for char marks with this method.
  • Microwave:  Working with about 5-7 tortillas at a time, stack tortillas on a microwave safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel.  Microwave for 20 seconds on high, then repeat at 10 second intervals if needed until warmed through.
  • Oven:  Create separate stacks of about 5 tortillas each, then wrap each stack in foil.   Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until heated through (you can bake all stacks at once).

Storage

Store the toppings, tortillas, and cooked chicken in separate containers to preserve their textures. Cooked chicken can be refrigerated for up to 5 days, the slaw for up to 3 days (drain excess juices), and the crema for up to 3 days. To store the crema, press plastic wrap directly against its surface to prevent oxidation (will prevent it from turning brown).  Keep the tortillas in an airtight container at room temperature. 

Meal Prep

  • Jerk Seasoning: Can be whisked together and stored in an airtight container for up to 2 years.
  • Marinade: Can be blended together and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days without the chicken.  
  • Chicken: Can be left to soak in the marinade for up to 12 hours. Cooked Jerk Chicken will last up to 5 days in the fridge.
  • Pineapple Slaw: Can be assembled up to 2 days in advance, noting that the cabbage will soften over time.   Drain of some of the juice before using.
  • Avocado crema: Can be made up to 24 hours in advance.  Make sure to press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the crema to prevent oxidation (from turning brown).