J'adore le Décor

View Original

The Best 20-Minute Jerk Chicken Tacos You'll Ever Make

Ring, Ring!  It's your husband calling.  A few family members are on a road trip and are passing through your state. 
Husband:  They'd like to stop in to say a quick 'hello.'
You:  Sure

Ring, Ring!  It's your brother.  He and the wife really need a date night.
Brother:  Can we drop the kids by your house for a few hours?
You:  Sure. 
Brother:  "Oh!  By the way, they haven't eaten yet.  Can-you-take-care-of-that-Sis?-Thanks-Bye!" All in one break mind you. (click)

Has this ever happened to you?  If you answered yes, then you'll love this easy go-to recipe.   

Affiliate links may be included in this post. This means that should you purchase a linked product, I may receive a small commission, but at no additional cost to you. To read my full disclosure click here.  THIS IS NOT a sponsored post.  Just me sharing something I love with you.  Smooches!

For scenarios like these, everyone needs at least 1 or 2 simple, tasty, no-stress meals that they can whip up in minutes.  I served this at my Girls Night In, and promised share it with you at a later time.  Well here it is!  This is my recipe for 20-minute Jerk Chicken Tacos.

How to Make the Best 20-Minute Jerk Chicken Tacos Ever

Okay so I'll be honest with you, nothing beats the real thing .  Authentic jerk chicken takes hours to season, marinate and smoke low and slow on a charcoal grill.  While this recipe will require the use of a grill, actual heating time is only 20 minutes or less.  

Here's what you'll need: 

  1. 1-2 Rotisserie chickens (ALREADY COOKED. Look for ones that are slightly pale)
  2. 1/4 cup of olive oil
  3. 1/4 cup of Kroger's Tasty Topper Caribbean Jerk Marinade with Papaya Juice (see photo below)
  4. 2 Tbsp of your favorite barbecue sauce (to dilute the spiciness of the jerk)
  5. Juice of 1 lime

Step 1:  Heat the Grill

Step 2:  Mix the Marinade

In a small bowl mix ingredients listed #2 -5 above thoroughly.  Set to the side.  This brand of jerk chicken marinade can be found at any Kroger store o

Step 3:  Prep the Bird(s)

To prepare the rotissereie chicken for the grill, gently separate - but do not remove - the skin from the meat.  Lather the marinade you just mixed into the spaces between the skin and the meat of the chicken. 

If you get a bit of the sauce on the skin, it's not the end of the world.  Just do the best you can.  Once the chicken has been fully marinated recover it with its skin.  NOTE:  If the chicken was not already cooked, I'd tell you to pierce holes in it before marinating.  But we don't want to push our luck here and dry it out.

Step 4:  Warm the Marinated Rotisserie Chicken on the Grill

True Jerk chicken has a very smoky flavor.  Since this chicken has already been cooked, we need to grab that flavor as fast as we can.  Therefore, try to get a good smoke on the grill before adding the meat.  But do not place the chicken directly over the fire, and it will dry it out.

In about 20 minutes (for charcoal grills) your chicken should have enough smokey flavor to taste. 
 

Step 5:  Shred the Chicken & Serve it Up with All the Fixings

After grilling, remove the skin once again and cut or shred the tender meat into small strips.  Feel free to add more of the marinade if you'd like.  The more you add, however, the more spicy it becomes.  I served my jerk chicken tacos with cilantro, red onion, tomatoes, mango salsa, cheese and sour cream. 

See this content in the original post

I like to drizzle bacon ranch dressing on my Jerk chicken tacos.  Yum! I can't tell you how proud - and relieved - I was to see my guests going back for seconds!  They ate until they were stuffed. 

So the next time you find yourself in a bind, give this quick recipe a try.  It's a lot less expensive, and healthier than ordering pizza.  You'll have more fun serving it to your guests too. 

I'm always looking for more recipes like this to add to my collection.  Tell me, 

  • What's YOUR easy, go-to recipe?

One more favor may I ask of you?
If you enjoyed this post
Please share, tweet or pin it.
Merci Beaucoup!

Something for Your Pinterest Board