Just thinking about Jamaican food is making our taste buds tingle! Whether it’s the curry goat, the saltfish and ackee or of course, the infamous jerk chicken, we can’t get enough of their special spice!
Here though, we’re going to delve into the world of what to serve with jerk chicken for next time you’re rustling up a platter of the Jamaican classic, but haven’t thought any further than that.
What to Serve with Jerk Chicken
1. Jamaican Rice and Peas
Rice and Peas is a very famous and common side dish in Jamaican cuisine. It’s very simple to make with flavorful ingredients that go great with each other.
Easy side recipe to make for your get-togethers or parties.
Get the Recipe: Jamaican Rice and Peas
2. Mango Salsa
Pork goes so well with something sweet and fruity on the side. Our mango salsa is no exception.
All you need to do is some chopping and mixing.
Get the Recipe: Mango Salsa
3. Rasta Pasta
Make a popular Jamaican pasta dish at home with this Rasta Pasta recipe!
This absolutely delicious and creamy pasta is loaded with red, green, and yellow peppers, along with shrimp seasoned in Jamaican jerk seasoning. It’s one of our favorite Jamaican recipes.
Get the Recipe: Rasta Pasta
4. Fried Plantains
These famously twice-fried green plantain discs are crunchy crisp on the outside with a softer inside.
All you need is a sprinkling of sea salt on top and stack a heap of them along with some dipping sauce for unlimited snacking. Great party appetizer contender, or side for your jerk chicken.
Get the Recipe: Fried Plantains
5. Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Why Sweet Potato Mash? Nowadays, regular potatoes seem out! But sweet potatoes are in!! BIG TIME IN!!!
Why not? It’s super yum, it’s healthy and nutritious… result? Your good old potatoes are taking a back seat to this new age healthy option.
Get the Recipe: Mashed Sweet Potatoes
6. Three Bean Salad
This easy Three Bean Salad recipe is a summertime potluck classic. But it goes so well with so many things, we love it all year long!
Fresh green beans are mixed with garbanzo beans and kidney beans, then all get tossed with a tangy dressing. It’s tasty, budget friendly, and one of our favorite sides for jerk chicken.
Get the Recipe: Three Bean Salad
7. Dirty Rice
Dirty Rice is a famous side dish in Creole and Cajun cuisines. White rice gets a “dirty” color from bits of meat and a generous dose of seasonings.
It’s a super delicious recipe that’s packed with flavor. Try it and see!
Get the Recipe: Dirty Rice
8. Wedge Salad
This Wedge Salad recipe is a real classic, and for good reason!
Bright, crispy lettuce, homemade blue cheese dressing, sweet cherry tomatoes, and don’t you dare forget the bacon!
It’s the perfect side dish for a huge variety of mains, and it’s one of the easiest salads you’ll ever make.
Get the Recipe: Wedge Salad
9. Cheese Grits
Cheese Grits… the ultimate Southern side dish! This creamy and comforting corn-based delight is a staple in the south.
This one deserves a spot in every cook’s collection.
Get the Recipe: Cheese Grits
10. Mexican Street Corn Salad
Our Mexican Street Corn Salad is a great accompaniment to pork.
It’s sweet and savory, creamy and cheesy, and even a little bit spicy. Once you try it, you’ll be making it again and again!
Get the Recipe: Elote Salad
11. Roasted Baby Potatoes
Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes take next to no effort, and are the ideal side dish for just about anything.
Tossed with olive oil and fresh herbs, you can have these easy potatoes are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and seasoned to perfection!
Get the Recipe: Roasted Baby Potatoes
12. Peach Salsa
What to do with all the peaches life gives you when they are in season? Simple… make this Peach Salsa.
It’s fresh and sweet, it’s addictively delicious and it’s colorful and pretty to take it to all your summer potlucks and poolside parties.
Get the Recipe: Peach Salsa
13. Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
How many of you know that Macaroni Salad, aka Mac Salad, is an iconic staple side dish in Hawaii?
It’s just made in a very unique Hawaiian style. Soft and tender macaroni becomes plump and luscious when drenched in a very unique dressing for hours, so all the delicious flavors absorb into the noodles by the time you serve it…
Get the Recipe: Hawaiian Mac Salad
14. Corn Casserole
This easy 5 ingredient Corn Casserole is a great southern style side dish, and takes next to no effort. Seriously, just mix up the ingredients, then stick it in the oven.
It’s a versatile dish that would go great on a holiday spread. But it’s so good, you just might want to eat it all year long!
Get the Recipe: Corn Casserole
13. Steak Fries
These easy baked Steak Fries are a breeze to make, and go with just about anything. They may be the perfect side dish.
You’ll love these tasty potato wedges, which are perfectly seasoned, then baked to crispy perfection.
Get the Recipe: Steak Fries
14. Coleslaw
There are a lot of Coleslaw recipes out there, but this is the best hands down! Just a quick chop and mix is all it takes to make this iconic side dish.
This Classic Coleslaw is essential for all your upcoming cookouts and potlucks. It’s creamy and crunchy, and goes with all of your summertime favorites.
Get the Recipe: Coleslaw
15. Maque Choux
Give your corn a Louisiana style makeover with this Cajun Maque Choux! Corn is sautéed in bacon grease with Cajun or Creole seasoning, along with other flavor enhancers.
This recipe is perfect for summer, when corn season is at its peak. It will become the new star side dish at your cookouts and potlucks.
Get the Recipe: Maque Choux
16. Watermelon Salad
Get the Recipe: Watermelon Salad
17. Southern Squash Casserole
Need a delicious and comforting side dish or meal? Our very own Southern Squash Casserole is sure to impress.
It only takes 45 minutes to make and feeds about 6-8 people. With buttery, creamy, and cheesy squash covered in a crunchy cracker topping, what’s not to love? Give it a try!
Get the Recipe: Squash Casserole
So many sides for jerk chicken to choose from. Which one will you try first?
Check out these other great recipe collections!
Sides for Shrimp and Grits
Sides for Burgers
Sides for Steak
Sides for Barbecue
Sides for Fried Chicken
Side Dishes for Salmon
Sides for Sloppy Joes
Side for Filet Mignon
What to Serve with Jerk Chicken (15+ BEST Sides)
Discover the perfect sides to elevate your jerk chicken experience! From rice and peas to fried plantains, these pairings will take your meal to the next level.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil
- ½ small onion, diced
- 3 scallions, diced
- 3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ½ inch ginger, finely chopped
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper
- 5-6 allspice berries, whole
- 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 13.5oz can coconut milk
- 1.5 cups water
- 2 cups long grain rice
- 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot (we use a 5qt dutch oven) over medium high heat. Sauté onion, ginger, garlic, scallions, scotch bonnet pepper, thyme and allspice for 5 minutes.
- Add coconut milk and water to the pot. Increase temperature to high and bring to a boil.
- Stir in rice and kidney beans. Reduce heat to medium low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.
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