Chicken Coconut Rice (Printable Recipe Version)

Chicken and airy rice mingle with warm spices, colorful peppers, and coconut milk, making every bite taste like sunshine from the Caribbean.

# Ingredients You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 6 chicken thighs or drumsticks, bone in with skin
02 - 2 teaspoons sea salt
03 - 1 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon ground allspice
05 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
07 - 0.5 teaspoon onion powder

→ Rice

08 - 2 tablespoons coconut oil or vegetable oil
09 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
10 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
11 - 1 medium onion, chopped up fine
12 - 3 garlic cloves, smashed or grated
13 - 1 medium tomato, diced
14 - 1 whole or chopped Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper
15 - 2 teaspoons fresh thyme (or use 1 teaspoon dried)
16 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
17 - 1 teaspoon ground allspice
18 - 1.5 cups basmati or long-grain rice
19 - 1.5 cups broth (chicken)
20 - 1 cup coconut milk
21 - 1 teaspoon salt (more or less as you like)
22 - 0.5 cup frozen peas (optional)
23 - Chopped cilantro for topping
24 - Sliced green onions for topping

# Steps to Make It:

01 - Mix onion powder, garlic powder, salt, paprika, allspice, and pepper in a little bowl. Dry off the chicken and coat every piece all over with your seasoning mix. Let it sit out for 10-15 minutes so the flavors hang out together.
02 - Add oil to a big sturdy pot and let it heat up over medium-high. With the oil hot, lay the chicken skin-side down. Sear for 4-5 minutes until it looks deep golden. Flip and cook a bit more. Set the chicken aside for now—it’s not done yet.
03 - Toss onion, garlic, and both bell peppers into the same pot. Stir them around for 3-4 minutes until they get soft and smell good. Add your tomato, Scotch bonnet, thyme, smoked paprika, and allspice. Stir for two minutes so the flavors pop.
04 - Dump in the rice and stir until it's fully mixed with everything else. Pour in your coconut milk and chicken broth. Salt it up, give it all a good stir. Drop the chicken on top, skin side up, right over the rice.
05 - Crank up the heat until it just starts boiling. Drop the heat down low. Cover tight and simmer anywhere from 25 to 30 minutes. Check that your rice is soft and your chicken hits 74°C inside. Stir gently here and there if you’re worried about sticking.
06 - If you’re adding peas, throw them in for the last five minutes. When everything’s ready, take the pot off the burner and keep the lid on. Let it sit for another 5-10 minutes so the rice finishes soaking up goodness.
07 - Fluff the rice up with a fork. Sprinkle on green onions and cilantro to make it pretty. Dish it up hot. Lime wedges on the side? Totally your call.

# Extra Information:

01 - Looking for less heat? Use a habanero instead of Scotch bonnet, or just ditch the seeds for a milder kick.
02 - Letting the pot rest after you finish cooking does wonders—it keeps the rice fluffy and makes the texture awesome.

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