Jerk chicken made in the Instant Pot is such an easy way to get dinner on the table or to meal prep for the week. It is so flavorful and will easily become one of your favorite ways to cook chicken.
🥘 Ingredients Needed
• chicken
• Jamaican Jerk Seasoning
• a cooking oil, such as olive oil or avocado oil
🍽 Equipment Needed
• tongs or a fork
• an Instant Pot
🥣 How to Make It
We love to make jerk chicken in the Instant Pot. It is seriously, so easy and so good.
First, clean your chicken breasts of any excess fatty pieces and add them to a bowl. (Picture 1)
Next, fully coat your chicken on both sides with jerk seasoning and let it sit for 25 – 30 minutes. You should need about one tablespoon per chicken breast. (You could let it sit overnight if you want or let it sit as little as 15 minutes, but I wouldn’t do less than that if you want to get the most flavor.) (Picture 2)
Next, set your instant pot to saute and add a tablespoon of olive oil or avocado oil to the pot. (Pictures 3 – 4)
When the oil starts to get thin and spreads across the bottom of the pot, it should also become fragrant. (Picture 4)
At this point, you can add your chicken to the Instant Pot and sear each side for 2-3 minutes. You don’t want to fully cook the chicken in doing this, you just want to get a crust of seasoning on each side. This also helps to lock in moisture and keeps the chicken really juicy. (Picture 5)
Next, turn the saute function off and put the lid on your Instant Pot. You can press the poultry button or use “Manual Mode” or “Pressure Cook” on high for 15 minutes. (The button name depends on the model of your IP – I have an older model that has “Manual”, but the newer pots have “Pressure Cook.”) (Pictures 6 – 8)
Let the pressure naturally release and then remove and slice or shred your chicken. (Pictures 9 – 10)
🍳 Serving Suggestions & Uses
We like to serve jerk chicken with crispy sweet potato noodles. It is one of our favorite dinners – I also think this meal is why my husband decided to marry me 😉
🥫 Storage/Shelf Life/Reheating
For storage, let your chicken cool and store it in the leftover juices in the instant pot. This will keep your chicken super moist. It should keep in the fridge for 3-5 days or you can freeze it for up to 6 months.
✏️ Helpful Tips
• Use an oil with a high smoke point, like avocado oil – an Instant Pot gets really hot!
• Serve this with Nom Nom Paleo’s Sweet Potato Swoodles – I use regular sweet potatoes and it is delicious.
• Let the chicken sit with seasoning on it for at least 15 minutes. It is SO tasty when the flavors have a chance to blossom.
🐔 Looking for More Chicken Recipes?
• Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
• Chili Lime Chicken
Have You Tried This Recipe?
Please rate it and leave a comment below. I would love to hear what you think!
Instant Pot Jamaican Jerk Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Jamaican Jerk Seasoning You will need about 1 tbsp per chicken breast
- 3 chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp avocado oil You can also use olive oil.
- ½ – 1 cup chicken broth This is optional, but if you often get a burn message on your Instant Pot, you should use this method.
Instructions
- First, clean your chicken breasts of any excess fatty pieces and add them to a bowl.
- Next, fully coat your chicken on both sides with jerk seasoning and let it sit for 25 – 30 minutes. You should need about one tablespoon per chicken breast. (You could let it sit overnight if you want or let it sit as little as 15 minutes, but I wouldn't do less than that if you want to get the most flavor.)
- Next, set your instant pot to saute and add a tablespoon of olive oil or avocado oil to the pot.
- Let the oil start to get thin and spread across the bottom of the pot.
- At this point, you can add your chicken to the Instant Pot and sear each side for 2-3 minutes. You don't want to fully cook the chicken in doing this, you just want to get a crust of seasoning on each side. This also helps to lock in moisture and keeps the chicken really juicy.
- Next, if you have ever experienced a "burn" message on your Instant Pot, deglaze the pot with chicken broth, then place a trivet or sling in the pot. Place your seared chicken on the trivet.
- Next, turn the saute function off and put the lid on your Instant Pot. You can press the poultry button or use "Manual Mode" or "Pressure Cook" on high for 15 minutes. (The button name depends on the model of your IP – I have an older model that has "Manual", but the newer pots have "Pressure Cook.")
- Let the pressure naturally release and then remove and slice or shred your chicken. Store the chicken in the delicious juices that have collected.
Notes
- Serve with crispy sweet potato noodles – you won’t regret it!
- You can store jerk chicken (once cooled) for 3 – 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate and is automatically calculated, so should only be used as a guide.
I got a burn noticed. Added a bit of liquid and it seems to be fine.
Thanks for letting me know this! I have never ever gotten a burn notice with my Instant Pot, but it is 8 years old so maybe the one I have is less sensitive or something. I have updated the instructions to prevent this from happening to someone else 🙂
There is no liquid in this recipE? is that correct?
Hey Jenn, that is correct! As long as your Instant Pot is super hot and you sear the chicken on both sides, it won’t stick to the bottom, so you don’t need any liquid. The chicken will release a bunch as it cooks – I usually do three large breasts at a time and end up with between 1/2 and a full cup of broth after cooking!
This looks a delicious chicken. I never tried Jamaican Jerk Chicken but I am sure it taste good. Can’t wait to try this at home.
This sounds like such a flavourful dish! Always looking to try something new in my Instant Pot so will definitely be trying this.
You cannot go wrong with Jerk chicken. It’s my favourite poultry dish!!
We usually make jerk chicken in the slow cooker, but I am going to have to try it in the instant pot.
Oh yum!!! This recipe looks like it makes for a delicious dinner. I can’t wait to try it. Chicken and salad is so perfect for an easy meal. Yum!!