Keto Jerk Chicken

This recipe for keto jerk chicken is loaded with rich, bold flavors and captures the essence of traditional Caribbean cuisine beautifully.

The recipe begins with a whole chicken that is spatchcocked, a marinade featuring smoked paprika, sea salt, cumin, and a variety of spices like garlic powder, onion powder, and a blend of warming spices, including cinnamon clove, and avocado oil.

The result is a mouthwatering symphony of flavors that flavors the chicken with an authentic jerk taste.

If you are not familiar with jerk cooking, the smoky flavors and a bit of spice are simply divine.

To complement the marinade, I prepare a homemade sugar-free BBQ jerk sauce, creating a luscious glaze that perfectly balances the heat with a subtle sweetness.

Allulose, butter, and sugar-free ketchup form the base, which is then carefully seasoned with a similar melody of spices used in the wet paste marinade.

This homemade sauce amplifies the flavor profile of this Jamaican jerk chicken.

With only 3 g net carbs per serving, it’s a keto recipe you should include in your keto meal planning rotation.

It’s a keto dinner recipe you will be proud to share with your family or guests.

And our keto chicken recipes, too!

Keto Jerk Chicken Recipe

If you are on a keto diet and a fan of jerk seasoning, you should also try our keto jerk wings.

When preparing a low carb jerk chicken, I rely on specific ingredients to ensure an authentic jerk flavor with a spicy kick and minimal carbs.

The spice blend is essential, with smoked paprika providing a deep, smoky essence and ground cumin, adding an earthy warmth. Sea salt, black pepper, garlic, and onion powders contribute to the primary seasoning.

The mix of dried thyme, ground allspice, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground clove creates a distinct jerk flavor profile.

To achieve the signature heat of jerk chicken, I use chopped scotch bonnet peppers, which impart intense and fruity spice, characteristic of traditional Jamaican cooking.

For the sugar-free BBQ jerk sauce, I utilize sweeteners like allulose powder and a granulated brown sugar substitute instead of regular sugar, maintaining the dish’s keto integrity.

The sauce’s base includes unsalted butter for richness and sugar-free ketchup for tanginess.

Additional smoked paprika, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cumin, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, dried thyme, garlic, and onion powders are used to mirror the spices on the jerk chicken marinade.

These ingredients combine to create a dish that stays true to jerk traditions while being suitable for a keto lifestyle.

Ingredients Needed

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

The following are the ingredients needed to make this baked jerk chicken.

Note that the full recipe card is at the bottom of the page, along with the exact measurements and complete nutritional facts.

• Whole chicken, spatchcocked (or your preference of chicken pieces)
• Sea salt
• Smoked paprika
• Cumin powder
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Dried thyme
• Ground allspice
• Red pepper flakes
• Cayenne pepper
• Cinnamon powder
• Ground nutmeg
• Ground clove powder
• Granulated sugar substitute
• A scotch bonnet pepper chopped, or a habanero pepper, or even a serrano pepper, depending on the heat level you want to achieve
• Avocado oil or olive oil

Sugar-Free BBQ Jerk Sauce

• Allulose powder or liquid
• Unsalted butter
• Granulated brown sugar substitute
• Smoked paprika powder
• Sugar-free ketchup
• Cinnamon powder
• Nutmeg powder
• Allspice powder
• Cumin powder
• Sea salt
• Black pepper
• Red pepper flakes
• Dried thyme
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder

How To Spatchcock Chicken

Begin by rinsing the whole chicken with water and then drying it with paper towels. Place the chicken on a large cutting board.

Open the chicken’s cavity and remove the neck, gizzards, and heart. These can be frozen for later use in making chicken broth.

To spatchcock the chicken, carefully cut it out on both sides of the backbone using kitchen shears. Locate the backbone and cut along each side to separate it from the ribs.

It’s important to cut as close as possible to the spine to avoid removing too much meat. Alternatively, the spine can be removed by cutting from the neck hole.

If you encounter difficulty removing the entire spine, try rotating the chicken so that the tailbone is facing you and then cutting through this end. Keep the backbone for making chicken stock.

By removing the spine, the chicken can be flattened easily, allowing for even cooking. Making a small incision in the cartilage on the back of the breastbone can facilitate pressing the chicken flat.

Transfer the chicken bone side down onto the cutting board and use both hands to give a firm push to flatten the chicken.

Your chicken is now ready to be marinated and baked.

How To Make Keto Jerk Chicken

After the whole chicken has been spatchcocked, proceed to make the marinade. Mix all the spices, including the tablespoon of sugar substitute, in a small bowl. Then, add the avocado oil or your choice of oil to these dry ingredients, along with the chopped scotch bonnet pepper.

The wet marinade creates an authentic, perfect jerk chicken that is sure to please!

Baste the chicken with this Jamaican jerk marinade, then add the chicken on a large rimmed baking sheet with the breast side up, being sure to tuck the wings under so that they do not burn.

I prefer to cook spatchcock chicken in a preheated 450°F oven. A 5-pound roasting chicken typically takes around 50–60 minutes to cook.

During the last 10 minutes of baking, you will baste the chicken with the sugar-free BBQ jerk sauce and allow the chicken skin to get golden brown.

After cooking, allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before serving to retain the juices.

To determine if the spatchcock jerk chicken is done, use a meat thermometer. 

Once the thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest part of the chicken thigh, it is safe to eat. Avoid overcooking the chicken to preserve its juiciness and flavor.

Sugar-Free BBQ Jerk Sauce Preparation and Application

While the chicken bakes, I prepare the jerk sauce. Combining allulose, unsalted butter, brown sugar substitute, and all the dry spices in a saucepan, I simmer the ingredients until they meld together into a bold, flavorful sauce.

Then, at the 40-minute mark, I generously baste the chicken with this aromatic jerk sauce and bake another 10–20 minutes.

This extra 10–20 minutes of baking allows the sauce to caramelize slightly and adhere beautifully to the chicken.

Pair this keto chicken recipe with cauliflower rice or a side green salad.

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to five days in the refrigerator or up to three weeks in the freezer.

Tag Us 

I sure hope you will make this keto jerk chicken the next time you find yourself craving Caribbean food. I promise your taste buds will be happy if you love slightly spicy food.

Once you do, remember to tag us on  Instagram and Facebook. I can’t tell you how encouraging it is to see how well you are all duplicating our little recipes.

Grab Our Books!

In case you don’t know, I have authored two books for you, Essential Keto Bread and Essential Keto Desserts, both inspired by your requests over the years.

It’s my prayer that these keto cookbooks will help make keto a delicious breeze for you.

Join Our Jesus And Keto Movement 

Looking for an online support system to help you stay on keto? As a family, we came to the keto diet, looking at it from a Christian perspective. As believers, we live our lives supported by God’s grace.

So when the Holy Spirit led us to combine our Christian faith and the keto diet, we did so in hopes of finding lasting transformation. When we followed the Holy Spirit’s prompting, we got on the path to real transformation.

Knowing firsthand the benefits of this decision, we have created a closed Christian group that is using the keto diet to transform their lives.

We invite you to join our Private Facebook Group and see if it’s not the key you have been missing.

Be sure to request our FREE Jesus and Keto E-Book (First 7 Days). We hope it blesses you.

Fittoservegroup Keto App

Looking for a fast way to access our keto recipes? We’ve got you covered. There’s an app for that. Yup, there’s a Fit To Serve Group App and it’s going to make your keto diet a delicious breeze!

Access hundreds of recipes that are all sugar-free, gluten-free, and keto-friendly.

Enjoy early access to recipes on the website before they go live. Plus, there are bonus recipes that are exclusive to the app. Make your own personal cookbooks that you can use to organize your favorite recipes.

Search recipes by title, ingredients, keywords, and categories, and of course, every recipe shows complete nutritional facts.

Get the Fit to Serve Group App for easy-to-follow keto recipes made with easy-to-source ingredients. 

The app is loaded with hundreds of yummy recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and even desserts!

Learn more by visiting our Fit To Serve Group App Page.