20-Minute Weeknight BBQ Jerk Chicken

Category Chicken
Author: Sammy D

Weeknights do not leave much room for slow cooking, but they should still leave room for flavour. This is the dinner you make when everyone is hungry, the clock is against you, and plain chicken is not going to cut it.

With Sammy D's doing the work, you can put sweet heat chicken on the table in about 20 minutes.

 

20-Minute Weeknight BBQ Jerk Chicken

Ingredients

  • Boneless chicken
  • Sammy D's BBQ jerk sauce
  • Salt and pepper
  • A little oil for the pan
  • Optional: a squeeze of lime and something green on the side

No measuring, no marinating overnight, no stress.

How to make weeknight BBQ jerk chicken

  1. Prep fast: Pat the chicken dry and season it with salt and pepper. If your pieces are thick, flatten or slice them so they cook quickly and evenly. Dry chicken plus thin pieces is the whole secret to fast dinners.
  2. Sear, then glaze: Heat a little oil in a pan or grill pan over medium high. Lay the chicken down and let it sear without fussing so it builds colour. Flip once, then spoon or brush on a good coat of Sammy D's.
  3. Let the sauce bubble and cling, turning the chicken so both sides get glazed and just a little sticky. Because the sauce is sweetened with brown sugar and honey, it caramelizes fast, so keep it moving.
  4. Rest and serve: Pull the chicken when it is cooked through and let it rest for a couple of minutes so it stays juicy. Hit it with a fresh brush of sauce and a squeeze of lime, then serve.

Make it a full meal in 20 minutes

While the chicken cooks, warm some rice, toss a bag of slaw, or char some frozen corn.

Spoon extra Sammy D's over rice bowls, or set some out as a dip.

For more ideas, see our 12 ways to use BBQ jerk sauce.

Tips for fast weeknight flavour

Thin is quick, so slice thick cuts before cooking. Save clean sauce for glazing and serving rather than reusing anything that touched raw chicken. And if you have five extra minutes in the morning, a quick coat of sauce before work turns this into a marinade, covered in our BBQ jerk marinade guide.

Frequently asked questions

How do you make jerk chicken fast?

Can I make this without a grill?

What should I serve with weeknight jerk chicken?