Jerk Chicken Sandwich Satisfies on a Dime

You probably already have everything you need to whip up these 5 fast, easy, delicious meals

After a long day of checking off to-dos, the last thing you want to worry about is cooking a complicated meal with a ton of ingredients. But that doesn’t mean you need to settle for a bland, boring dinner. Got chicken, bread and a cabinet full of spices? Jerk chicken sandwiches are the perfect throw-together meal for you. Full of spice, heat and tropical flavor, this inexpensive weeknight wonder can be made in a pinch with things you already have on hand. Keep reading to see how you can make a simple, delicious jerk chicken sandwich that will make your busy night feel like a trip to the Caribbean.

Jerk cooking has roots in Jamaican culture, and it typically refers to slow-cooking meat that’s marinaded in a specific “jerk” spice blend. Some food historians believe the term “jerk” came from the Peruvian word “charqui,” which is a word for dried strips of meat. Others say it simply came from the way people may “jerk” a strip of meat to eat right off the barbecue. Whatever it means, we know it’s delicious. Keep reading to learn how you can make your own jerk marinade. (And click through for another delicious chicken marinade — pickle juice!)

The best jerk chicken sandwich starts with a delicious spice mix. You can easily make your own with spices and herbs you have on hand already, or you can go for a pre-made mix. Either way, this simple marinade delivers big flavor without a lot of fuss.

To make your own jerk marinade, you need just three spices. “The defining distinctive ingredients in jerk seasoning are 2 Tbs. cayenne pepper (or ¼-½ tsp. habanero pepper for the brave), 1 tsp. allspice and 1 tsp. dried thyme,” says test kitchen manager Susan Chiusano. To give it even more flavor, Chiusano recommends adding 1 tsp. nutmeg, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 Tbs. brown sugar, 1 tsp. ground ginger, 1 Tbs. garlic powder, 1 Tbs. onion powder, 2 tsp. smoked paprika and 1 tsp. dried parsley. (Click through to learn which spices go bad and when to discard them.)

But if you don’t have time to make a marinade or spice blend from scratch, you can simply buy an inexpensive one that’s pre-made, like Badia Jamaican Jerk Seasoning (Buy from Walmart, $2.73). Then, “rub spice blend over the whole chicken and marinate for at least 2 hours,” Chiusano recommends. And that’s it: You’ve got jerk chicken! Keep reading for additional ways to use your jerk chicken marinade seasoning in sandwiches, kebabs and more.

Just shred some jerk chicken, top it with coleslaw and slap it between two sides of a bun for a sandwich hearty enough to serve for supper.

Servings: 4 | Active time: 30 minutes | Total time: 45 minutes

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Grilling jerk chicken makes getting this tasty sandwich on the table a cinch.

Servings: 4 Active time: 10 minutes Total time: 30 minutes

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These bone-in chicken pieces are easy to enjoy, no bread needed. But you can easily pull off the meat, place it on a bun and you have yet another delicious jerk chicken sandwich.

Servings: 6 | Active time: 20 minutes | Total time: 3 hours

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Six-ingredient magic! Jerk seasoning adds easy Caribbean flavor to tender chunks of chicken grilled up with pineapple, red pepper and onion. Eat them off the skewer or throw in a pita for a Mediterranean take on the Caribbean sandwich.

Servings: 8 | Active time: 15 minutes | Total time: 35 minutes + grill prep time

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There’s nothing that absorbs the jerk chicken flavor better than a bed of rice, and if you place the ingredients in a wrap, you’ll have a savory jerk chicken burrito.

Servings: 4 | Active Time: 10 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes

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Click through for more delicious chicken recipes perfect for a weeknight dinner:

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