This One Pot Jamaican Jerk Chicken with Rice and Peas is a Caribbean delicacy to be enjoyed under the sun with soothing music and a cold sorrel drink. You would want to take advantage of this recipe.
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It's hard to choose just one thing I love about this recipe. The aromas that waft from the skillet and fill my kitchen are unmatched! But the taste and texture are incredible, too! This recipe yields a juicy and crispy chicken dish served with rice and peas, packed with flavor and nutrients. In just one pot, it reduces after cleanup and is very easy to make, just like my one-pot lamb shanks.
Rice and peas were adopted from West Africa, specifically Ghana, where they are known as Waakye. However, in Africa, it's known as rice and beans. In the Caribbean, it's known as rice and peas. This delicacy was introduced to Jamaica during the 18th-century slave era and has since become one of the island's favorite dishes. There is nothing better than curry goat served with some Jamaican festivals.
This is often served with Jerk Chicken, which is spicy, grilled chicken; however, in this recipe, it is pan-seared and cooked with rice and peas.
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What I Love About this Recipe
This one-pot jerk chicken is a spicy, quick, and filling meal for your family on a weeknight.
This skillet chicken and rice recipe is an African dish that is so easy to follow that even beginner cooks can prepare it.
It's an authentic one-pot dinner. You don't need any sides with it, you already have the chicken rice, and vegetables (peas).
Recipe Ingredients
Chicken: I used chicken quarters and left them whole. But you can make it with chicken thighs, drumsticks, or breasts - or a mixture of all three.
For a homemade marinade:
Aromatics: I used an onion, fresh ginger, thyme sprigs, garlic cloves, and spring onions. The key to achieving a big flavor is using fresh ingredients.
Spices: To achieve the classic jerk chicken flavor, use Scotch bonnet chilies, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, ground allspice, and brown sugar.
Chicken Bouillon: This boosts the flavors in the jerk chicken marinade; use your favorite kind.
If using store-bought marinade:
Jerk marinade: Any brand or spice level will be perfect.
Chicken Bouillon: You still want to enhance the chicken flavor.
Salt: This boosts and supports all the flavors.
For the rice and peas:
Rice: Use either white or brown rice. Just remember that brown rice takes longer to cook.
Beans: I used a can of red kidney beans with the liquid because it adds flavor to the rice.
Coconut Milk: This dairy-free option adds natural sweetness to the rice, complementing the spice perfectly.
Chicken Broth: Use my homemade chicken broth for the best flavor.
Seasonings: I kept it simple, using onion, salt, chicken bouillon, jerk seasoning, black pepper, and paprika.
Cooking oil: You can use vegetable oil or any neutral cooking oil.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Use boneless or bone-in chicken thighs, turkey thighs, chicken breasts, or drumsticks.
- For the aromatics, consider substituting shallots, garlic powder, onion powder, or pre-made minced ginger for added convenience.
- Instead of Scotch bonnets, use habaneros, jalapeños, or crushed red pepper flakes for a milder heat.
- If you don't have nutmeg and cinnamon, you can replace them with garam masala or pumpkin spice (in small amounts) for a similar flavor profile.
- Instead of chicken bouillon, use vegetable bouillon for a lighter flavor or omit for a low-sodium option.
- Replace the red kidney beans with black beans, pigeon peas, or chickpeas.
- Boost the flavor by adding a squeeze of fresh lime juice on top of everything just before serving.
How to Make Jerk Chicken Rice and Peas
Ready to try this one-pot jerk chicken recipe? Here's what you'll need to do.
- In a blender or food processor, add all the ingredients for the chicken and blend till a smooth puree. Then, marinate the chicken and let it marinate for a few hours.
- Sear each side of the chicken for about 2 minutes till it's brown. Remove and set aside
- Sauté the onion until fragrant, then add the washed rice, coconut milk, canned beans, black pepper, paprika, broth, and the chicken bouillon. Stir well.
- Place the seared chicken on top of the rice, garnished with fresh thyme and green onions. Cover the pot and cook until the rice is tender and fluffy.
- Serve immediately and enjoy.
Storing Leftovers
Store the leftover jerk chicken in an airtight container and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days.
Or store it in the freezer and eat it within one month.
You can reheat the dish in a pan over medium heat, adding a splash of water to moisten the rice and peas if needed. Another great idea is to reheat it in the microwave; make sure to pause every 20 seconds and give it a quick stir to prevent burning.
Tips & Tricks to Make Jamaican Jerk Chicken
- For the best flavor, let the chicken marinate for at least 2-4 hours; it's even better if it marinates overnight.
- Use the best pan. I prefer cast iron because it distributes the heat evenly, giving the chicken a nice charred crust that mimics grilling it.
- Don't skip the browning sauce. This gives the chicken the iconic crust that everyone loves.
- Toast the rice first. Toasting the rice in a bit of oil before adding the liquid brings out its natural flavors.
- Adjust the coconut milk. For a lighter flavor, dilute it with water. For a richer one, use full-fat coconut milk from the can.
- Check the chicken's temperature. Chicken needs to be cooked until it reaches an internal temperature of 165F.
- You can get jerk chicken marinade and seasoning from the store to save time. Check the recipe card, as I dropped the recipe with both the homemade jerk marinade and the store-bought marinade. You can purchase the marinade according to your preferred level of spiciness.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
Serve this spicy chicken skillet recipe on a busy weekday. It already includes rice and veggies (such as peas), so you don't need to add many additional sides to accompany it. However, a side of salad, homemade juice, or black cake won't hurt.
If you wanted to, you could make some plantain puff puffs or a moist and fluffy coconut cake to end the meal.
Recipe FAQs
Preheat your skillet before you add the oil. Then, let the oil heat thoroughly before adding the chicken. You should also avoid flipping the chicken over too soon. Let the chicken release naturally from the skillet when it forms a good sear.
In Jamaica, peas often refer to kidney beans, gungo peas, or other legumes. It isn't the peas you think of.
Add more paprika or a few drops of Liquid Smoke to the marinade while you're cooking the chicken.
For searing the chicken, I suggest using a high smoke point oil, such as vegetable, canola, avocado, or coconut oil, to prevent burning at high temperatures.
Although you will miss the creamy, sweet coconut flavor that gives it its signature taste, you can add richness with broth and extra herbs and spices and finish with a splash of unsweetened almond milk or oat milk.
More Chicken Recipes to Try
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this One Pot Jamaican Jerk Chicken recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
One Pot Jamaican Jerk Chicken with Rice and Peas
Ingredients
For the Jerk Chicken
- 2-3 Chicken quarters or 1 lb chicken, washed
- ½ large Onion
- ½ thumb size Ginger
- 4-5 sprigs Fresh Thyme
- 4 Garlic cloves
- 2 Green onion
- 1 Scotch bonnets
- ½ teaspoon Nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoon All spice
- 2 teaspoon Chicken bouillon
- ½ teaspoon Browning
If Using Store Bought Marinade
- 3 tablespoon Jerk Marinade
- 2 teaspoon Chicken Bouillon
- Salt to taste taste the marinade to know the salt content
For the Rice and Peas
- 2 cups Rice washed
- 1 can 540ml Red kidney beans with the liquid.
- 2 cups 400ml Coconut milk
- 3 cups Chicken broth low sodium or water
- ½ large Onion
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Chicken bouillon
- 2 teaspoon Jerk seasoning optional
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- Cooking oil
Instructions
- Blend all the ingredients for the chicken till smooth. If using the store-bought marinade, skip this step.½ large Onion, ½ thumb size Ginger, 4-5 sprigs Fresh Thyme, 4 Garlic cloves, 2 Green onion, 1 Scotch bonnets, ½ teaspoon Nutmeg, ½ teaspoon Cinnamon powder, 1 teaspoon Salt, 2 teaspoon All spice, 2 teaspoon Chicken bouillon, ½ teaspoon Browning
- Put the chicken in a bowl and pat dry using a paper towel. Pour the blended mix on it and marinade until the chicken is well coated.2-3 Chicken quarters
- You can let it marinate for about 1 hour to overnight or cook it immediately.
- In a pot, add cooking oil and sear each side of the chicken for 1 minute. Remove and set aside.Cooking oil
- In the same pot, sauté the onion until it softens.½ large Onion
- Add the rice with the rest of the ingredients for the rice and peas, broth, or water and stir.2 cups Rice, 1 can 540ml Red kidney beans, 2 cups 400ml Coconut milk, 3 cups Chicken broth, 1 teaspoon Salt, 1 teaspoon Chicken bouillon, 2 teaspoon Jerk seasoning, ½ teaspoon Black pepper, 1 teaspoon Paprika
- Put the chicken on the rice, with some fresh thyme and green onion, and cover the pot to cook on medium heat till the rice is tender, and the water dries.
- Transfer to a plate and serve immediately.
Bilikis
Super delicious