Spicy, sweet, and completely irresistible, this Instant Pot jerk chicken brings island-inspired flavor to your table any time of year. Chicken thighs get coated in a warm homemade jerk spice blend with allspice, cinnamon, and cayenne, browned right in the pot, then pressure cooked with Little Potatoes and onions until everything is tender and infused with flavor. A fresh mango salsa with lime and cilantro cools things down beautifully alongside the spice. It’s a complete meal from one pot, and everyone will be coming back for more.
On-the-Go Tip
This one-pot meal packs up beautifully for busy evenings. Portion the chicken and potatoes into lidded containers with the mango salsa in small separate containers to keep it fresh and vibrant. It reheats quickly for dinners between school pickup and evening activities, making leftovers an easy grab from the fridge on hectic nights.
Kid-Friendly Tip
Kids can take charge of the mango salsa, mixing the diced mango, onion, pepper, cilantro, and lime together while the chicken cooks. Younger helpers can measure and stir the jerk spice blend, shaking it over the chicken like magic dust. For spice-sensitive eaters, cut the cayenne in half or leave it out entirely, and let the sweet mango salsa do the heavy lifting. The fruity salsa is often the gateway that gets kids excited about the whole plate.
Equipment
- Instant Pot
- Small bowl
- Medium bowl
Jerk Chicken:
- 2 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 6 chicken thighs
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1.5 lbs Little Potatoes (this recipe uses Little Duosâ„¢, but you can use any variety you like!)
Mango Salsa:
- 2 mangoes, diced
- 1/4 cup sweet onion, finely diced
- 1/2 red pepper, finely diced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- (To taste) kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
Personalize This Recipe.
These AI tools can help you adapt this recipe to your needs, whether that's picky eaters, dietary restrictions, or needing to use whatever's in the fridge. Pick a tool, hit send, and chat to get a version that works for your family. Using Gemini? Your prompt is automatically copied so you can paste it once the window opens.
Instructions
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Step 1
In a small bowl, mix together the allspice, cinnamon, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, thyme, salt and pepper, and brown sugar.
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Step 2
Coat the chicken on all sides with the spice mixture and set aside. No need to marinate the chicken but let it sit with the spices for a few minutes while you continue on.
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Step 3
Set your Instant Pot to the Sauté function and add the olive oil. Allow the oil to heat up.
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Step 4
Once heated, add the chopped onions and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are softened but not browned, about five minutes.
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Step 5
Spoon the onions out of the Instant Pot into a bowl and set aside.
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Step 6
Add the remaining olive oil if needed, then add the chicken to the Instant Pot, and start to brown the chicken on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Work in batches, removing the chicken to a plate once browned. Don’t worry about cooking the chicken all the way through.
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Step 7
Turn the Instant Pot off and pour in the chicken stock. Using a spoon, scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pot.
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Step 8
Add in the potatoes, then evenly spoon the onions over the potatoes.
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Step 9
Return the chicken back into the pot along with any juice from the chicken.
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Step 10
Set the Instant Pot for seven minutes on high pressure, then natural release for 10 minutes before quick releasing the remaining pressure in the pot.
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Step 11
While the chicken is cooking, in a medium bowl, mix the mango salsa ingredients together and set aside.
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Step 12
Serve the chicken and potatoes with mango salsa.
