Jerk chicken normally gets marinaded forever and a day and then grilled up quickly. Here we throw it in the slow cooker so it marinates while it cooks, killing two culinary birds with one stone. Shred the meat and serve it up on rolls for your next game-day bash or just keep the thighs whole for a winner of a chicken dinner.

What to buy: A traditional jerk recipe would use Scotch bonnet chiles, but they can be really hard to find. The more common habanero pepper is a good substitute.

There are various intensities of molasses available, from light to blackstrap. Dark (sometimes marketed as robust) tastes best in this recipe.

Game plan: You can make the jerk chicken and toast the rolls up to 1 day ahead so all you have to do is warm up and assemble the sandwiches when you’re ready to eat.

If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can braise this in the oven. Brown the chicken and place in a Dutch oven with tight-fitting lid. Add the marinade, cover, and braise in a 325°F oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and continue braising until the chicken is very tender, about 45 minutes more.

This recipe was featured as part of our Tailgating Recipes photo gallery. For more game day protein, check out our beer can chicken recipe.