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Tacos weren’t part of my Jamaican household growing up, but somewhere along the way jerk marinade found its way into a tortilla and I never looked back. Caribbean flavours work well in a taco because tacos are easy, customizable, good for a crowd, perfect for weeknights, backyard hangouts, or a taco bar when you’re feeding a group!
Here are five Caribbean-inspired tacos I make on repeat, from jerk chicken to chipotle lime shrimp. Pick one, or put out all five and let everyone build their own plate.
Table of Contents
1. Jamaican Jerk Chicken Tacos with Avocado Crema
Smoky, spicy jerk marinated chicken thighs, shredded and stuffed into warm tortillas with a cool, creamy avocado crema to balance the heat. This is the recipe that started it all for me, and it’s built from my Authentic Jamaican Jerk Chicken, so the marinade is doing all the heavy lifting. Ready in about 40 minutes, and just as good the next day for lunch.
2. Jerk Street Corn Smashed Burger Tacos
A total mashup, and one of my favourite things I’ve made all year. Smashed, jerk-seasoned burger patties meet sweet, charred street corn, all tucked into a tortilla instead of a bun. It’s messy, it’s a little bit unexpected, and it disappears fast whenever I make it for a crowd.
3. Curry Shrimp Tacos
Curry-seasoned shrimp piled into warm tortillas with a homemade cucumber chutney and a lime honey cumin sauce. The shrimp only takes about 5 minutes to cook, so between that and the quick sauce and chutney, you’ve got dinner on the table in 30 minutes. If you love my Jamaican Curry Shrimp, you’re definitely going to love this!
4. Easy Shrimp Tacos with Chipotle Lime Dressing
Seasoned shrimp, coleslaw, avocado, cherry tomatoes, and a chipotle lime dressing. A longtime reader favourite, ready in under 30 minutes and easy to set up buffet-style so everyone can build their own.
5. Loaded Taco Bowl
Not a tortilla taco, but it belongs on this list! It’s cilantro lime rice, seasoned ground beef, and your favourite taco toppings layered into a tortilla bowl. This is the one I make on repeat for meal prep since every component holds up in the fridge for a few days.
Build a Caribbean Taco Bar
Making tacos for a group? Set out a few of these alongside your protein of choice for a build-your-own spread everyone can customize:
- Rice: Jamaican Rice and Peas or Pumpkin Rice with Coconut Milk
- Slaw: Jamaican Cabbage Salad
- Sauce: Honey Jerk Mayo
- Something fried: Fried Plantain
- Salsa: a quick Mango Pineapple Salsa or Pineapple Salsa for sweetness against the heat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — the jerk chicken, curry shrimp, and taco bowl beef all reheat well. Cook your protein up to 3 days ahead and store it separately from your toppings so everything stays fresh when you’re ready to assemble.
Corn or flour both work — corn tortillas lean into the street-taco feel, while flour holds up better for the smash burger version since it’s a heartier filling.
The Loaded Taco Bowl is the easiest to adapt — swap the ground beef for black beans or jackfruit and season the same way. I’ll be adding a dedicated jerk jackfruit or curry chickpea taco recipe soon for a fully plant-based option, so keep an eye out.
Rice and peas, fried plantain, or a simple cabbage slaw all round out the meal nicely — see the taco bar section above for my go-to pairings.
