Donal's Family Kitchen40 Minutes

Jerk Chicken with Mango Salsa

Name: Jerk Chicken with Mango Salsa
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 5 spring onions (scallions), trimmed; 2 scotch bonnet chillies, roughly chopped; 4 garlic cloves; 3cm (1in) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated; 1 tsp ground allspice; ¼ tsp ground nutmeg; ½ tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp dried oregano; 6 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves stripped; Juice of 1 lime; 2 tbsp tomato ketchup; 3 tbsp soy sauce; 8 free-range chicken thighs (bone in and skin on); Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; For the coconut rice:; 350g long grain rice, rinsed; 400ml tin coconut milk; 225ml water; For the salsa:; 1 large ripe mango, peeled, stoned and roughly chopped; ½ cucumber, peeled, deseeded and finely chopped; Juice of 1 lime; Good handful of roughly chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

This really comes into its own when cooked over hot coals, ensuring not only a hit of heat but also the essential smoky element that really good jerk chicken is all about. If you’re feeling fancy, place the mango over the hot coals of a barbecue until you have deep char marks all over, before prepping the salsa.

Donal SkehanFrom the series · Donal's Family Kitchen

40 min totalServes 4Medium

Time40 min

Serves4

SkillMedium

ShowSuper Food In Minutes

Method

In a small food processor whizz the spring onions, chillies, garlic, ginger, spices and herbs to form a paste. Add the lime juice, ketchup and soy sauce and plenty of seasoning.

Put the chicken into a large ziplock bag and pour in the marinade. Seal the bag and give it a good shake until everything is completely combined and the chicken is evenly coated. Leave in the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hours, or overnight if you have the time. Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before you are ready to cook.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6. Put the rice into a pan with the coconut milk and water. Add a good pinch of salt and cover. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Leave it to stand with the lid on until you’re ready to serve.

Combine all the ingredients for the salsa and season well.

Heat a large ovenproof frying pan (skillet) over a medium-high heat (crack a window open or you will end up coughing from the chilli!) and fry the chicken pieces for 3–4 minutes each side until charred and golden. Transfer to the oven for 10 minutes until they are cooked through. Serve with the coconut rice and salsa.

Cook's notes

Marinate the thighs for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight — and the marinade itself is great on all sorts, so it's worth remembering beyond this dish.
Crack a window open when you sear the chicken or you'll end up coughing from the chilli — those scotch bonnet fumes are no joke. Wash your hands well after handling them too.
Get a real char on the chicken in the pan before it goes into the oven — that colour is where the smoky jerk character comes from. It's also a great one for the barbecue if the weather plays along.
Leave the coconut rice to stand with the lid on off the heat so it finishes steaming to fluffy rather than sticky.
No ripe mango? Pineapple works brilliantly in the salsa instead — any sweet tropical fruit against that heat.

Serve with The coconut rice and mango salsa are built in, but some grilled corn, fried plantain or a simple green salad make it a proper spread. A cold lager or a rum punch leans right into the Caribbean spirit of it.

Make ahead & storage The marinated raw chicken keeps happily in the fridge overnight before cooking. Cooked leftovers will keep for up to three days and are great shredded cold into wraps or salads; make the salsa fresh on the day, as it doesn't hold well once dressed.

40 Minutes

Recipe by Donal Skehan · From the series Donal's Family Kitchen · Photography © Appetite Media
Published 13 July 2026 · Updated 15 July 2026

Nutrition

Per serving · estimated

1155kcal

51gprotein

99gcarbs

63gfat

Approximate — calculated from the ingredient list using USDA food data. A guide, not a medical figure.

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