Jerk Chicken Rice Peas (Printable)

Spicy chicken marries coconut rice and beans for a vibrant Caribbean dining experience.

# What You’ll Use:

→ Jerk Chicken

01 - 4 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
02 - 2 tablespoons jerk seasoning
03 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
06 - 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and finely chopped
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
08 - Juice of 1 lime
09 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
10 - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
11 - 1 teaspoon ground allspice
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
13 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
14 - 1 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ Rice & Peas

16 - 1 cup long-grain rice
17 - 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
18 - 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
19 - 1 cup water
20 - 2 spring onions, chopped
21 - 1 clove garlic, minced
22 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
23 - 1 bay leaf
24 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
25 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# How-To:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine jerk seasoning, vegetable oil, minced garlic, chopped onion, Scotch bonnet pepper, fresh thyme leaves, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until well blended.
02 - Add chicken thighs to the marinade and coat thoroughly on all sides. Transfer to refrigerator and marinate for a minimum of 1 hour, preferably overnight for enhanced flavor development.
03 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove marinated chicken from refrigerator and arrange on a foil-lined baking tray. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes until cooked through and skin achieves crispness. For enhanced charring, finish under broiler for 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - While chicken roasts, combine coconut milk, water, drained kidney beans, long-grain rice, chopped spring onions, minced garlic, fresh thyme leaves, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover saucepan with lid, and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes until rice becomes tender and liquid is fully absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to steam, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork and remove bay leaf.
06 - Distribute rice and peas mixture among serving plates. Top with jerk chicken thighs. Garnish with additional fresh thyme leaves or lime wedges if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The marinade does most of the heavy lifting, so you can prep it the night before and feel like a genius when dinner comes together.
  • Roasting instead of grilling means you get that coveted crispy skin without needing special equipment or wrestling with a hot grill.
  • Serving it over coconut rice with kidney beans makes this a complete, satisfying meal that feels special but isn't fussy.
02 -
  • Don't skip the overnight marinade if you have time—it's the difference between good jerk chicken and the kind you keep thinking about for days afterward.
  • If your rice turns out mushy, you've probably used too much liquid or cooked it too long; next time reduce the total liquid by a quarter cup and set a timer so you don't get distracted.
03 -
  • Toast your spices in a dry pan for 30 seconds before mixing the marinade—this small step wakes them up and makes the whole dish taste more intentional.
  • If your oven runs hot, start checking the chicken at 30 minutes because every oven behaves differently and dry chicken is the enemy.
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