Last Updated on August 26, 2025 by Barbara
There is nothing like the spicy kick you find in jerk chicken. Jamaican jerk chicken whether cooked slow on the grill or in the oven is fall off the bone tender and full of the rich Caribbean flavors. The pimento berries, clove, fresh ginger and garlic helps to bring this dish to life. Today I will share my easy recipe for Oven Baked Jerk Chicken Wings.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
When I was in dental school, eating lunch at a restaurant named Negril was a weekly habit. And my favor order was their jerk chicken. I have recreated this Caribbean dish at home to eat anytime and it is just as good as the restaurant. You will love this recipe because of the Authentic Jamaican flavors that you can create right in your own kitchen. This recipe is oven baked so no need to fire up the grill. And the best part of jerk chicken at home is you control the spice level. If you want more kick, simply add a few more peppers. This oven baked jerk chicken is perfect as a dinner served with sides or as an appetizer for a party or any given game day.
Variations and Substitutions
- If you can’t get your hands on some pimento berries then it is ok to substitute with ground all-spice seasoning.
- Fresh thyme is interchangeable for the dried thyme.
- Ground Ginger can be used in place of fresh ginger.
- This recipe can be done on an indoor or outdoor grill just be mindful of your cooking time.
Ingredients for Oven Baked Jerk Chicken
- Chicken Wings: Wings are great with jerk marinade. They are
- Onion: Adds sweet and savory depth.
- Scallions: Bright, fresh onion flavor.
- Scotch Bonnet Pepper: If you like it hot then this is it. Scotch Bonnet will give you that authentic Caribbean heat.
- Garlic: adds rich bold flavor to the marinate.
- Ginger: Adds a hint of spice as well as warmth to the dish.
- Brown Sugar: A little brown sugar is all that is needed to balance the heat with sweetness.
- Soy Sauce: Adds umami and depth.
- Browning: Often used in Caribbean cooking to give many dishes rich color and smoky flavor.
- White Vinegar: Tenderizes the chicken wings and adds tang.
- Vegetable Oil: Oil serves as a binder to aid the seasoning to cling to the chicken. It also adds a little moisture to the marinate.
- Lemon Juice: Brightens the overall flavor.
- Pimento Berries: Pimento all-spice is the flavor of jerk. It give this dish the authentic flavor we all crave.
- Cinnamon: Adds warm, earthy notes.
- Dried Thyme: An essential Caribbean herb that adds depth of flavor to this dish.
- Nutmeg: Nutty and aromatic.
- Ground Cloves: Complex spice depth.
- Seasoned Salt: Base seasoning for the wings.
- Salt: Helps to bring all of your flavors together.
- Black Pepper – Essential for balance.
Tools You’ll Need
- Food Processor
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Cooking Utensils
- Scotch Bonnet Peppers
- Plastic Wrap
- Baking Sheet & Wire Rack
- Meat Thermometer
Watch Me Make these Delicious Jerk Wings!
Step-by-Step Instructions for Oven Baked Jerk Chicken
Step 1: Preheat Oven
1. Preheat Oven: Set oven to 375°F. Wash and pat dry your chicken wings.
Step 2: Make the Marinade
2. Make Marinade: In a food processor, blend onion, scallions, Scotch bonnet, garlic, ginger, pimento berries, sugar, spices, salt, and pepper. Stir in soy sauce, browning, vinegar, oil, and lemon juice.
Step 3: Season & Marinate
3. Season & Marinate: Season wings with seasoned salt. Pour marinade over wings, mix well, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight).
Step 4: Bake
4. Bake: Arrange wings on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes, or until wings reach an internal temp of 165°F.
What to Eat with Jerk Chicken
Jerk chicken pair well with the traditional side that make Jamaican food so delicious. I love eating my jerk wings with a side of rice and peas, fried plantains and cabbage slaw. Adding a piece of Festival bread is icing on the cake. These oven baked jerk chicken wings are sure to be a hit however you choose to serve them!
How to Store Jerk Chicken
Jerk chicken can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to 2 months. When storing, make sure your wings have completely cooled. Place them in an airtight container or if freezing, a freezer safe bag. These wings can be reheated in the oven or air fryer at 350 for a 10 minutes (air fryer) or 15 minutes (conventional oven). You can reheat in the microwave on high for 2 minutes, but for best results use an air fryer or oven.
FAQs
Yes! You can adjust the heat level of these wings up or down. Use only half a Scotch bonnet or substitute with a milder pepper to give it less heat. To increase the heat add more Scotch Bonnet Peppers.
Absolutely! The longer you marinate the better the taste. Marinating overnight gives these wings the best flavor.
Oven-Baked Jerk Chicken Wings: Spicy, Flavorful & Easy Recipe
6
servings20
minutes45
minutes88
kcal1
hour5
minutesI love these spicy Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wings. They are marinated in a homemade jerk marinate and baked until perfectly tender with crispy skin. Perfect for parties, game day, or an easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
2.5 lbs Chicken Wings
1 Cup Onion
3 Scallions
1 Scotch Bonnet Pepper
6 cloves Garlic
2 pieces Ginger
2 Tbsps Brown Sugar
¼Cup Soy Sauce
1 tsp Browning
¼Cup White Vinegar
3 Tbsps Vegetable Oil
1 tsp Lemon Juice
2 Tbsps Pimento Berries
½tsp Cinnamon
2 tsps Dried Thyme
½tsp Nutmeg
½tsp Ground Cloves
½Tbsp Seasoned Salt
½tsp Salt
½tsp Black Pepper
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Make sure you have thoroughly washed and dried your chicken wings.To a food processor, add the scallions, onion, garlic, ginger, pimento berries, brown sugar, cinnamon, dried Thyme, nutmeg, ground cloves, salt and pepper and mix until well combined. Set your marinate aside until later.
- Place your wings in a large bowl and season with the seasoned salt. Make sure to coat each piece. Pour the marinate over the wings and mix well. Cover your bowl with plastic wrap then place the wings in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- After 2 hours, remove the bowl from the refrigerator and place your chicken wings on a baking sheet with a wire rack.
- Transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven and allow your wings to cook for 45 minutes or until your chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Recipe Video
Notes
- 1. To add more heat, increase the number of Scotch Bonnet Peppers.
- If you don’t have Pimento Berries you can substitute with 1 Tbsp of ground all-spice seasonings.
- This recipe is also great when cooked on an indoor or outdoor grill just be mindful of your cook time.
- Scotch Bonnet Seasoning or dried scotch bonnet peppers can be used in place of fresh peppers.
I’m Barbara, a dentist by day, a published cookbook author, and a passionate content creator by night. I’ve been sharing my love for authentic Soul Food, Southern and classic comfort food recipes for over a decade. My easy, family-friendly recipes, available as step-by-step guides on my blog and video tutorials on my YouTube channel, have been tested by millions of home cooks. My goal is to help you bring the delicious, time-honored dishes I’ve perfected to your family’s table.
