Recipe · 4 November 2026
Mobay Sauce: Creamy Jerk Sauce with Mobay Chicken
What Mobay sauce is and how to make it at home: a rich, creamy jerk sauce built on a fresh Scotch bonnet and allspice paste, served with chicken, coconut rice and peas and fried plantain.
- Serves 4
- Prep 20 min
- Cook 35 min
- Total 55 min
- Main course
- Caribbean
Suits
- Gluten free (use tamari instead of soy sauce)
- Dairy free with coconut milk
For the jerk paste
- 6 spring onions, roughly chopped
- 1 to 3 Scotch bonnet chillies, stalks removed (1 deseeded for mild, 3 with seeds for hot)
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled
- 5cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tbsp soft brown sugar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp salt and plenty of black pepper
For the chicken
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1kg)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
For the Mobay sauce
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 250ml chicken stock
- 250ml double cream, or a 400ml tin of full-fat coconut milk for a dairy-free version
- A squeeze of lime juice
- Salt, to taste
To serve
- Coconut rice and peas, or plain rice
- Fried ripe plantain
- Sliced spring onion or chopped coriander
- Lime wedges
Mobay sauce is a creamy jerk sauce: the bold flavours of Jamaican jerk seasoning (Scotch bonnet chilli, allspice, thyme, garlic, ginger and spring onion) softened with cream or coconut milk into a rich, gently spiced sauce. The name comes from MoBay, the nickname for Montego Bay on Jamaica's north coast, and the sauce is best known in the UK from the Mo'Bay chicken served by the Caribbean restaurant chain Turtle Bay, which describes it as a creamy jerk sauce with a background warmth. This is our own version, not the restaurant's recipe. You make a fresh jerk paste, use half to marinate chicken thighs and half to build the sauce, then simmer the chicken in it so the meat soaks up the flavour. Traditional jerk is fiercely hot, but the cream mellows it, so you can control the heat with the number of Scotch bonnets you use. Serve it the Caribbean way, with coconut rice and peas and sweet fried plantain, or keep it simple with rice and a green salad. It also makes a brilliant, relaxed main course for a dinner party.
Method
- 1
Make the jerk paste. Put all the jerk paste ingredients into a small food processor or blender and blitz to a thick, fairly smooth paste. Wear gloves when handling Scotch bonnets and wash your hands and the board well afterwards. Taste a tiny amount: it should be hot, salty, aromatic and slightly sweet.
Blitz the fresh jerk paste - 2
Marinate the chicken. Put the chicken thighs in a bowl, add half the jerk paste and rub it in well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or ideally overnight. Keep the rest of the paste covered in the fridge for the sauce.
- 3
Sear the chicken. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large, deep frying pan or casserole over a medium-high heat. Lift the chicken out of the marinade, letting the excess drip back, and fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until well browned and lightly charred at the edges. Work in batches so the pan isn't crowded. Lift the chicken onto a plate.
Sear the chicken until well browned - 4
Start the sauce. Lower the heat, add 1 tbsp oil and the onion to the same pan and cook gently for 5 minutes until soft, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved jerk paste, depending on how spicy you like it, and fry for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- 5
Simmer. Pour in the stock and let it bubble for 3 to 4 minutes to reduce slightly, then stir in the cream or coconut milk. Return the chicken and any juices to the pan, bring to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes, turning the chicken once, until it's cooked through and the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon - 6
Season and serve. Taste the sauce and add salt, a squeeze of lime and more jerk paste if you'd like more heat. Scatter with spring onion or coriander and serve with coconut rice and peas, fried plantain and lime wedges.
Tips
What is Mobay sauce? Mobay sauce is a creamy jerk sauce, named after MoBay, the nickname for Montego Bay in Jamaica. Jerk seasoning gives it its heat and aromatic warmth, and cream or coconut milk makes it rich and smooth. It's milder than a traditional jerk marinade. Controlling the heat. Scotch bonnets are very hot, and the heat varies from chilli to chilli. Start with one deseeded chilli if you're cooking for a crowd, and add more of the reserved paste to the sauce at the end if you'd like it hotter. Bottled jerk paste works in a hurry: use about 4 tbsp to marinate and 2 tbsp in the sauce, and taste for salt, as shop-bought pastes vary. Cream or coconut milk? Double cream gives the richest, silkiest sauce. Coconut milk makes it dairy free and a little sweeter, which is lovely with the allspice. You can also use half and half. Vegetarian or vegan Mobay. Swap the chicken for chunks of firm tofu, roasted squash or a couple of tins of drained chickpeas, use vegetable stock and coconut milk, and simmer for 10 minutes. Make it ahead. The jerk paste keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to a week. The finished dish keeps for 2 days in the fridge and reheats gently in a pan with a splash of water; don't let a cream sauce boil hard or it can split. Coconut rice and peas. Simmer 300g rinsed long-grain rice with a drained 400g tin of kidney beans, a 400g tin of coconut milk topped up with water to 600ml, a sprig of thyme, a crushed garlic clove, a spring onion and a whole Scotch bonnet (don't let it burst), covered, for about 20 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Remove the chilli, thyme and spring onion and fluff with a fork. Fried plantain. Use very ripe plantain with black skins. Peel, slice on the diagonal and fry in a little oil for 2 to 3 minutes each side until deep golden and caramelised.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Mobay sauce?
Mobay sauce is a creamy jerk sauce: Jamaican jerk seasoning made with Scotch bonnet chilli, allspice, thyme, garlic, ginger and spring onion, softened with cream or coconut milk. It's named after MoBay, the nickname for Montego Bay in Jamaica.
Is Mobay sauce the same as jerk sauce?
Not quite. Jerk sauce or marinade is usually fiery and intense. Mobay sauce uses the same jerk flavours but adds cream or coconut milk, so it's richer, smoother and milder.
Is Mobay sauce from Turtle Bay?
Mobay sauce is best known in the UK from Turtle Bay's Mo'Bay chicken, which the restaurant describes as having a creamy jerk sauce. This recipe is our own homemade version, not the restaurant's recipe.
Is Mobay sauce spicy?
It has a gentle to medium heat, depending on how many Scotch bonnets you use. The cream or coconut milk mellows the chilli, so it's much milder than traditional jerk.
What do you serve with Mobay chicken?
Coconut rice and peas and sweet fried plantain are the classic sides. Plain rice, a crisp green salad or a slaw also work well.
Can I make Mobay sauce without dairy?
Yes. Use a 400ml tin of full-fat coconut milk instead of the double cream for a dairy-free sauce.
Can I use shop-bought jerk paste?
Yes. Use about 4 tablespoons to marinate the chicken and 2 tablespoons in the sauce, and taste before adding extra salt, as bought pastes vary.
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