Jerk Chicken Thighs with Roasted Cabbage

The short answer: These jerk chicken thighs roast on one sheet pan with wedges of cabbage, and each serving has about 38g of protein. Blend scallions, scotch bonnet, garlic, ginger, thyme, allspice and lime into a fast jerk paste, rub it on bone-in thighs, and let the oven do the rest.

It’s Sunday and you want one cooking session to carry you through the week. Chicken thighs are one of the cheapest proteins in the store, and cabbage costs less than almost any vegetable. Together, with a real jerk paste, they taste like a cookout.

It’s one of the meals from our guide to clean eating on a budget, and it’s built the Clean Fit Fab way: real food, big flavor, and no seed oils.

Why these jerk chicken thighs work on tired nights

• Thighs stay juicy. They’re more forgiving than breasts, so they don’t dry out when you reheat them.
• Bone-in is cheaper. Bone-in, skin-on thighs usually cost less per pound than boneless cuts.
• One pan. The cabbage roasts in the chicken juices, so dinner and the side are done together.
• It makes leftovers. Pull the extra meat off the bone for bowls, wraps and quesadillas later in the week.

Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable that adds fiber and crunch for very little money. The Harvard Nutrition Source has more on why vegetables like it deserve a spot on your plate.

The flavor: what makes it taste so good

Jerk is Jamaica’s gift to the world: hot scotch bonnet, warm allspice and lots of fresh thyme and scallion. The paste takes 3 minutes in a blender. Also, it costs far less than any jar.

• Scotch bonnet pepper for real Caribbean heat (use half for medium)
• Allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg for warmth
• Fresh thyme, scallions, garlic and ginger for a bright, herby base
• Lime juice and coconut aminos for tang and savory depth

What you need

Here’s a quick look at the ingredients. Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

• Jerk paste: scallions, scotch bonnet pepper, garlic cloves, fresh ginger, fresh thyme leaves, ground allspice, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, black pepper, sea salt, lime, coconut aminos, avocado oil
• Sheet pan: bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, green cabbage, avocado oil, sea salt, lime

Also, a note on fat: we cook with extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, butter or ghee. They taste better, and they’re real food.

How to make jerk chicken thighs

First, blend the jerk paste. Next, rub it all over the chicken and let it sit while the oven heats. Then roast the thighs with cabbage wedges until the skin crisps and the cabbage chars at the edges. The full recipe card is below.

Jerk Chicken Thighs with Roasted Cabbage

Bone-in chicken thighs rubbed with a fresh scotch bonnet jerk paste and roasted with cabbage wedges on one sheet pan.

55minutes

38gprotein

560calories

4servings

Servings

1x2x3x

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Ingredients Uncheck all

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Jerk paste

• 6 scallions roughly chopped
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper stemmed, seeded for less heat
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 inch fresh ginger peeled
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried
• 2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 lime juiced
• 1 tbsp coconut aminos
• 2 tbsp avocado oil

Sheet pan

• 2 1/2 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs about 8
• 1 small green cabbage cut into 8 wedges
• 1 tbsp avocado oil
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 lime cut into wedges, to serve

Instructions

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1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a large sheet pan with parchment.
2. Blend all the jerk paste ingredients until mostly smooth, about 1 minute.
   Start 1 min timer
3. Pat the chicken dry. Rub the paste all over and under the skin. Let it sit for 15 minutes, or cover and chill overnight.
   Start 15 min timer
4. Toss the cabbage wedges with the avocado oil and salt and arrange them around the edges of the pan. Set the chicken in the middle, skin side up.
5. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the skin is crisp, the cabbage is charred at the edges and the chicken reaches at least 165 degrees F.
   Start 40 min timer
6. Spoon the pan juices over the cabbage and serve with lime wedges.

Calories 560Protein 38gCarbohydrates 14gFat 39gFiber 5gper serving, estimated

Serving ideas

Serve the jerk chicken thighs and cabbage with brown rice or roasted sweet potatoes and a squeeze of lime. Then save any extra meat for lunch bowls.

Nutrition at a glance: each serving has about 560 calories, 38g protein, 14g carbs and 5g fiber. Numbers are estimates and change with your exact ingredients.

Swaps and variations

• Use drumsticks instead of thighs. They’re often even cheaper.
• Swap cabbage for sweet potato or carrot chunks.
• For less heat, seed the scotch bonnet or use a jalapeno.
• Grill the thighs in summer for a smokier char.

Make-ahead and storage tips

Store the jerk chicken thighs and cabbage in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them in a 375 degree oven or an air fryer for 8 to 10 minutes so the skin crisps again. You can also freeze the raw marinated chicken for up to 3 months.

Frequently asked questions

Save this one for your next long day. Want more? Try our cinnamon apple baked oatmeal next.

This article is for general information and is not medical or nutrition advice.