Spice up your chili game with this Jamaican Jerk Chili recipe. Bursting with bold flavors and Caribbean flair, this chili offers a tantalizing twist on a classic favorite. Whether you're craving a hearty meal for cool autumn nights or seeking a taste of the tropics, this Jamaican Jerk Chili is sure to satisfy. Let's dive into how to make this flavorful and comforting dish!
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Why This Recipe Works
- Exotic Flavors: This jerk chicken chili recipe brings the vibrant, spicy flavors of Jamaica to your kitchen.
- Versatile Dish: This Jamaican chili can be served with rice, salad or in wraps.
- Easy to Make: Despite its complex taste, this chili recipe is simple and straightforward to prepare.
📋 Ingredients
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs: Are the protein base of the dish, providing a tender, juicy texture and soaking up the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Green and Yellow Peppers (Chopped): Add a crunch and a fresh, slightly sweet flavor that contrasts beautifully with the spicy and savory elements of the dish.
- Onion (Diced): Lend a foundational sweetness and aroma that's essential in any chili.
- Black Beans, Kidney Beans, and Caribbean Beans (Pinto Beans In Chili Sauce): Give the dish body and texture, while also providing a hearty, earthy flavor that complements the chicken and spices.
- Fire Roasted Tomatoes: Bring a smoky sweetness to the dish, adding depth and complexity to the chili.
- Jerk Marinade: Is the heart of the dish, infusing the chicken with the iconic spicy, tangy, and slightly sweet flavor that jerk seasoning is known for.
- Soy Sauce: Adds a deep umami flavor and saltiness, enhancing the overall savory profile of the dish.
- Juice of 2 Limes: Brings a burst of tangy freshness that cuts through the richness of the chili and balances the heat.
- Garlic (Minced): Adds a punchy, aromatic note that pairs well with the other ingredients and boosts the overall flavor of the chili.
- Brown Sugar: Enhances the sweetness in the dish, creating a delightful balance with the spicy and tangy elements.
- Thyme (Dried), Cinnamon, All Spice: Bring warmth and complexity to the chili, contributing to its distinctive Caribbean flavor profile.
- Jalapenos Sliced: Add a spicy kick to the dish, elevating the heat level and making the chili truly memorable.
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
- Bell Pepper: You can add bell pepper and fresh cilantro to this delicious Jamaican chili.
- Chicken Broth: Feel free to add a little broth to the dish for added chicken flavor.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese: You can sprinkle cheese to the top of your jerk chili.
🔪How To Make Jamaican Chili?
- Add 1 can of the fire roasted tomatoes into the crockpot.
- Place the chicken thighs on top of the tomatoes.
- Add the rest of the ingredients on top of the chicken.
- Lightly toss to combine.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 7 hours.
- Once the chili is cooked, remove the chicken and shred it.
- Place the shredded chicken back into the crockpot and toss to combine.
- Garnish as desired and enjoy the Caribbean Jerk Chicken!
👩🍳 Expert Tips
- Marinate the Protein: Start by marinating your chosen protein (like chicken, beef, or tofu) in a quality jerk marinade for at least a few hours, or overnight if possible. This allows the flavors to deeply penetrate, ensuring that every bite is infused with the rich, spicy, and aromatic notes of the jerk marinade.
- Balance the Marinade's Intensity: Jerk marinade can be quite bold, so balance the intensity with ingredients like beans, tomatoes, and vegetables. These elements will absorb some of the heat and add depth to your chili without overwhelming the palate.
- What Are Carribean Beans? Carribean beans are simply pinto beans in chili sauce. You can either use pinto beans in chili sauce or simple unflavoured pinto beans. Either method tastes great especially with the jerk marinade.
💭 FAQs
Jerk marinade is a traditional Jamaican seasoning made from a blend of spices, herbs, and ingredients like allspice, thyme, Scotch bonnet peppers, garlic, ginger, and sometimes a hint of sweetness from brown sugar or honey.
It’s used to marinate meat or vegetables, infusing them with a distinctive spicy, smoky, and slightly sweet flavor that’s central to Caribbean cuisine.
Yes, you can adjust the heat level of your chili by using more or less jerk marinade, depending on your taste preference. If you find the marinade too spicy, balance it out with additional ingredients like tomatoes, beans, or even a touch of coconut milk to mellow the heat while retaining the rich flavors.
Black beans and kidney beans are excellent choices for Jamaican Jerk Chili. They hold up well to the robust flavors of the jerk marinade and add a hearty texture to the chili. You can also mix different types of beans for added variety and texture.
This Jamaican chili can be stored in the fridge for up to four days. Just make sure to let it cool completely before storing it in an airtight container. You can also freeze Jerk chili for up to three months. Just make sure to let it thaw completely before reheating it
Serving Suggestions
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Jamaican Chili:
- Coconut Rice: Fluffy, fragrant rice cooked with coconut milk for a tropical twist.
- Mango Salsa: Fresh mango, red onion, cilantro, and lime juice deliver a sweet and tangy kick.
- Ackee and Saltfish: A traditional Jamaican dish of ackee fruit and salted cod, rich in flavor.
- Fried Plantains: Crispy and caramelized plantains, a sweet contrast to the spicy jerk chicken.
- Jamaican Callaloo: Sautéed greens with coconut milk and spices, a tasty Caribbean side.
🍜 Related Recipes
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Best Jamaican Chili Caribbean Jerk Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds Chicken Thighs Boneless Skinless
- 1 Green Pepper chopped
- 1 Yellow Pepper chopped
- ½ Onion diced
- 1 15 oz Black Beans
- 1 15 oz Kidney Beans
- 1 15 oz Caribbean Beans
- 2 Can Fire Roasted Tomatoes
- 1 cup Jerk Marinade
- ¼ cup Soy Sauce
- 2 Limes Juices
- 1 tbsp. Garlic minced
- 1 tbsp. Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp. Thyme dried
- 1 tbsp. Cinnamon
- 1 tbsp. All spice
- 2 Jalapenos sliced seeds removed
Instructions
- Add 1 can of the fire roasted tomatoes into the crockpot.
- Place the chicken thighs on top of the tomatoes.
- Add the rest of the ingredients on top of the chicken. Lightly toss to combine.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 7 hours.
- Once the chili is cooked remove the chicken and shred.
- Place the chicken back into the crockpot and toss to combine.
- Garnish and enjoy
Notes
- Marinate the Protein: Start by marinating your chosen protein (like chicken, beef, or tofu) in a quality jerk marinade for at least a few hours, or overnight if possible. This allows the flavors to deeply penetrate, ensuring that every bite is infused with the rich, spicy, and aromatic notes of the jerk marinade.
- Balance the Marinade's Intensity: Jerk marinade can be quite bold, so balance the intensity with ingredients like beans, tomatoes, and vegetables. These elements will absorb some of the heat and add depth to your chili without overwhelming the palate.
Nutrition
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I was going to make this, but I am not sure what a "Caribbean Bean" is? I looked it up, but all it gives me is recipes to make Caribbean Beans, or basically says it's black beans. So do I use two cans of black beans? Or is there a substitute?
yes replace with regular black beans
Good Morning
What exactly is Caribbean beans? I’ve been to almost every Caribbean supermarket and cannot find them
Hi, The term Carribbean beans refers to Pinto beans in chili sauce. You can use a can of pinto beans in chili or simply add plain pinto beans. Either way works well. I've cooked my Jamaican Chili both ways and it takes great both with chili pintos and regular pinto beans.