Baked Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Although this Keto Baked Jamaican Jerk Chicken recipe has a lot more ingredients than most of my recipes, I promise you it is well worth investing the time to make this.  This seasoning blend is also delicious on any other type of chicken, steak or fish.  So pull out some spices and make the most amazing oven baked chicken!  Moist and tender on the inside and deliciously crispy on the outside.

This Jamaican Jerk Seasoning blend is too good to be true.

Sweet and spicy, this low carb seasoning is perfect on almost anything.

Also, it is simple to put together and there is a good chance that you already have all the spices necessary to make up this Jamaican Jerk seasoning.

What is Jamaican Jerk Seasoning?

According to Wikipedia, Jerk is a style of cooking native to Jamaica, in which meat is dry-rubbed or wet marinated with a hot spice mixture called Jamaican jerk spice.

Some historians believe it was originally developed by Maroons, African slaves who escaped into the wilds of Jamaica when the British captured the island from Spain in 1655.   

Adapting to their new surroundings, the former slaves made use of the natural food sources available to them, creating the spicy sauce and slowly cooking the meat over a smoking wood fire. 

The smoky taste of jerked meat is achieved using various cooking methods, including modern wood-burning ovens.

The meat is normally chicken or pork, and the main ingredients of the spicy jerk marinade sauce are allspice and Scotch bonnet peppers.  

What ingredients do you need to make this Keto Jamaican Jerk Seasoning?

• onion powder 
• dried parsley
• sweetener (preferably dark)
• garlic powder
• tomato powder (optional)
• salt
• chili powder 
• smoked paprika
• thyme
• allspice
•  black pepper
• cumin
• nutmeg
• cinnamon
• OPTIONAL - onion flakes and tomato powder

What type of dark sweetener can you use?

Dark sweetener or brown sugar has a slightly deeper flavour than regular sugar or sweetener.   To keep this seasoning keto and low carb, I used Lakanto Golden.

Other options would be Swerve Golden or make your own dark sugar blend by taking regular sugar and adding a touch of molasses (for regular sugar) or sugar-free maple syrup or yacon syrup for a lower carb version.

What is tomato powder?

Tomato powder is simply dehydrated tomatoes that are finely ground until they are of light powdery consistency.  The flavour has a slight hint of sweetness which adds an extra layer to the seasoning.  

I bought my Tomato powder on Amazon and have used it for my Keto Nacho Cheese Seasoning as well as for my Easy Keto Copycat Nacho Cheese Doritos.

If you don't want to buy the tomato powder, you can completely omit it and I guarantee you will still love the way this jerk seasoning tastes.

How do you make this Keto Jamaican Jerk Seasoning blend?

• Add all the spices in a mason jar
• Seal the jar and shake until all of the spices have been combined.

How do you store this low carb Jamaican Jerk Seasoning Blend?

Store the blend in your pantry or spice drawer for up to 6 months.

How do you make the keto Bake Jamaican Jerk Chicken Quarters?

• take 1-2 tablespoon of jerk seasoning for each piece of chicken
• lift the skin of the chicken quarter and rub about ½ tablespoon under the skin - if using chicken drumsticks, omit this step
• take remaining seasoning and rub it all over the outside of the chicken 
• cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil
• place a grilling rack over the baking sheet and spray it well with cooking spray
• place chicken in the 400 degrees F. preheated oven and bake for about 25- 30 minutes for drumsticks and 50 minutes for larger chicken quarters
• raise the temperature of the oven to 450 degrees F. and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 170 degrees F.  and the skin begins to crisp

Can I use boneless or skinless chicken instead for this Baked Jamaican Jerk Chicken?

You sure can!

Boneless chicken breasts: 

• Bake in a 375 degree F. oven for about 20-25 minutes

Boneless chicken thighs:

• Bake in a 400 degree F. oven for about 35-40 minutes

*Baking times can also vary depending on the thickness of your chicken.  You will know your chicken is cooked thoroughly when the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken reads 165 degrees F for chicken breasts and 170 degrees F. for chicken thighs.

What can you serve with this low carb Baked Jamaican Jerk chicken?

• Spicy Harissa Carrot Salad (Whole30, Low Carb, Paleo)
• Easy Keto Prosciutto Antipasto Salad
• Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts and Onion Skewers (Whole30, Low Carb)
• Easy Watermelon Cranberry Freedom Cocktail

Keto Jamaican Jerk Seasoning

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Although this Keto Baked Jamaican Jerk Chicken recipe has a lot more ingredients than most of my recipes, I promise you it is well worth investing the time to make this.  This seasoning blend is also delicious on any other type of chicken, steak or fish.  So pull out some spices and make the most amazing oven baked chicken!  Moist and tender on the inside and deliciously crispy on the outside.

• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 8 drumsticka 1x

Ingredients

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• 8 chicken drumsticks (or other type of chicken)
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp onion flakes
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 2 tbsp sweetener (preferably dark such as Lakanto Golden)
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp tomato powder (optional)
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp cinnamon

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Place a grilling rack over the baking sheet and spray it well with cooking spray.  Set it aside.
2. Combine all the ingredients in a small mason jar.  Place the lid on the jar and shake it well to incorporate all the ingredients.
3. Using a paper towel, blot the chicken to remove any excess moisture.
4. Place chicken in a large bowl or in a large Ziploc bag and add the seasoning.  Toss until chicken is well coated.  You can also lift up some of the chicken skin and place some seasoning under the skin if you want.
5. Place chicken on baking rack and bake for about 25- 30 minutes for drumsticks and 50 minutes for larger chicken quarters
6. Raise the temperature of the oven to 450 degrees F. and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees F.  and the skin begins to crisp

• Author: Cat
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Category: Main Meals
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Keto, Low Carb, Gluten Free
• Diet: Gluten Free

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 drumstick
• Calories: 97
• Sugar: 1 g
• Fat: 5 g
• Carbohydrates: 2 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 12 g