It looks like I’m into one-pan meals this week. Maybe it’s the chilly, rainy April weather, a lingering head cold, or both, but I’ve been avoiding long stove sessions. I found chicken drumsticks on sale, so I made a simple one-pan Caribbean jerk chicken—easy cleanup, leftovers for days, and plenty of flavor.
Traditional Caribbean jerk often uses brown sugar, and that’s how I used to make it before switching to Paleo-style cooking. If you follow a strict Paleo or Whole30 plan, leave out the sugar. I used a small amount of honey for balance, but you can omit it entirely (especially for Whole30) or substitute coconut sugar if you want a sweeter, caramelized finish. The sugar helps with caramelization of both chicken and vegetables, but this version still turns out tasty without it.
I tossed a mix of vegetables into the pan—onions, carrots, celery, and potatoes (I was out of potatoes when I cooked this, but I include them in the recipe). Use whatever vegetables you have on hand: add bell peppers, squash, or sweet potatoes if you like. You can also swap drumsticks for chicken thighs or breasts; the technique remains the same.
For best flavor, marinate the chicken at least one hour before baking. I often cover the bowl and refrigerate it overnight for meal prep—then the next day it’s just a matter of arranging everything in a pan and baking. Pre-chopping vegetables makes this even faster: you can throw the pan in the oven while you prepare another dish at the same time.
If you don’t have fresh thyme, dried thyme works well in this blend. If you like making spice mixes in bulk, triple this seasoning list to make about 3/4 cup of Caribbean jerk seasoning (quadruple for a full cup). Store the mix in an airtight container and use it to season chicken, shrimp, or vegetables—this blend is great for grilled shrimp too.
One Pan Whole30 and Paleo Caribbean Jerk Chicken
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
- 1.5–2 pounds of chicken drumsticks
- 2 cups potatoes, thickly diced
- 1 and 1/2 cups onion, chopped
- 3 long carrots, sliced
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons honey (no additives) — omit for Whole30
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Seasoning:
- 1 tablespoon dried onion
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Add honey (if using), olive oil, coconut aminos, and the seasoning spices into a large bowl.
- Stir until combined.
- Place the chicken in the bowl and stir to coat each piece with the marinade.
- Cover and refrigerate for 1–24 hours to marinate.
- When ready, remove the chicken from the fridge.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Chop the vegetables and spread them in the bottom of a large rimmed baking dish.
- Pour the chicken broth into the dish to keep the vegetables moist as they cook.
- Arrange the marinated chicken on top of the vegetables.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, turning the chicken halfway through for even browning.
- Ovens vary—check the chicken for doneness and add a few minutes if needed.
Nutrition Facts:
- Serving Size: Serves 4
Other one-pan meals:
One Pan Honey Mustard Chicken
Shrimp and Kielbasa Skillet
Chicken and Bacon Caesar Spaghetti Squash
Garlic and Butter Chicken with Tomato and Spinach Sauce
This post may contain affiliate links to products I use and recommend. Purchases made through those links cost you nothing extra but help support wholekitchensink.com and keep this blog running. Thank you for your support.