One Pot Caribbean Jerk Chicken & Rice for a true flavor explosion! Chicken thighs baked to crispy perfection on a bed of fragrant rice and beans come together in a dash for an easy weeknight meal.
Who doesn’t love a good one-pot meal? Less prep, less cleaning, and it’s on your table in about an hour. Plus, the way the chicken juice seeps into the rice and flavors it is heavenly. 😇
I cook this jerk chicken and rice recipe in an oven-proof skillet because it can go from stovetop to oven without messing up an extra pan. That said, you could easily use a Dutch oven.
The Secret to Insanely Good One-Pot Jerk Chicken and Rice
I’m all for saving time in the kitchen, but one ingredient is worth spending a little time making at home: homemade jerk spice. Most store-bought blends don’t even come close to the flavor of this homemade version, and you can customize it to your preferences. 😋
What You Need
- Chicken – Any cut of chicken will work here, but chicken thighs are the juiciest and most flavorful.
- Rice – Any long-grain rice, basic white rice, jasmine, and basmati will do. Even brown rice works, though you may need to adjust the cooking time.
- Beans – Kidney beans add flavor and extra protein to this dish, making it extra satisfying.
- Broth – For extra flavor, I cook the rice in chicken broth instead of water.
- Coconut Milk adds creaminess and a tropical undertone.
- Seasonings – Garlic, onion, thyme, bay leaves, white pepper, Creole seasoning, chicken bouillon, paprika, scotch bonnet pepper, and green onion to garnish are fantastic.
How to Make One-Pot Caribbean Jerk Chicken & Rice
Chicken Thighs
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃).
- Rinse the chicken thighs and pat them dry—season with salt (about 1½ teaspoons) and bouillon powder.
- Season – Then, rub both sides of each piece with a generous amount of jerk seasoning.
- Sear – Add about 2 tablespoons of oil to a skillet, Dutch oven, or oven-safe pot. Then add chicken thighs skin side up, and brown for about 3 minutes on each side, being careful not to burn it. Take the chicken out of the pan and set aside.
Vegetables, Rice, and Beans
- Clean Pan – Wipe the pan with a paper towel or napkin to remove any burned bits from the pan.
- Saute – Add another 2 tablespoons of oil, followed by onions, thyme, garlic, and bay leaf, and sauté until soft but not golden, 2-3 minutes.
- Assemble – Then, add the rice and beans. Next, add all the remaining ingredients: chicken stock, coconut milk, paprika, white pepper, jerk seasoning, salt, and bouillon. Add the chicken back to the pot and bring everything to a boil.
- Bake – Place the pan in the oven and cook, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes or until the chicken is done.
- Serve – Remove from oven, allow to rest a minute, garnish with chopped green onions if desired, and serve.
Recipe Variations
- Try a different protein. Instead of chicken, try it with pork or shrimp. You can also swap out kidney beans for a different kind of bean if you’d like. 🫘
- Turn the heat up (or down). If you don’t enjoy spicy food, leave the hot pepper out. But if you’re a heat seeker, dice the scotch bonnet and prepare for the burn. For somewhere in the middle, add the scotch bonnet whole.
- Add more veggies. Chopped bell peppers, peas, carrots, or other veggies are delicious and nutritious.
Tips and Tricks
- For faster cooking, make a ½-inch slit in the chicken thigh meat on both sides before searing.
- Rinse the rice to remove excess starch for fluffier results. ☁️
- An instant-read meat thermometer ensures the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165℉ (75℃). 🌡️
Make-Ahead Instructions
To make this dish ahead of time, let it cool and refrigerate it in an airtight container for 1-2 days. Or freeze it for up to 3 months. Then, thaw, reheat, and enjoy!
Serving and Storage Instructions
Serve one-pot jerk chicken and rice piping hot, fresh out of the oven, and garnished with chopped green onions.
Refrigerate leftover chicken and rice in an airtight container for 3-5 days. To reheat this dish, pop it back in the oven set to 350℉ (180℃) for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Add a couple of tablespoons of water or broth to prevent drying. Or pop individual portions in the microwave.
What Goes With One Pot Caribbean Jerk Chicken & Rice
This dish goes beautifully with fried plantains and Caribbean coleslaw. A sorrel drink might cool down the heat from the scotch bonnet. Or, if you are feeling like an adult beverage, a pina colada works just as well. 😉
More Caribbean-Inspired Recipes to Try
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”jTCYDYNO” upload-date=”Tue Aug 07 2018 11:48:32 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)” name=”One Pot Caribbean Jerk Chicken & Rice” description=”One Pot Caribbean Jerk Chicken & Rice – A flavor explosion in a pot! Comes together quickly- chicken thighs baked to crispy perfection on a bed of fragrant rice and beans.”]
This blog post was originally published in June 2015 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video
One Pot Caribbean Jerk Chicken & Rice
Ingredients
Jerk Chicken Thighs
- 2½-3 pounds (1-1.5k) chicken thighs (about 5-6)
- 1½ teaspoons (8g) salt
- ½ teaspoon (2g) chicken bouillon (optional)
- 1-2 tablespoons (12-24g) jerk seasoning
One Pot Jerk Chicken and Rice
- 4 tablespoons (60ml) canola oil
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 1 sprig fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 small bay leaves
- 2 cups (360g) uncooked long grain rice
- 1 13.5-ounce can coconut milk (1¾ cups)
- 1 15.5-ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 teaspoon (5g) white pepper
- 1½-2 teaspoons (8-10g) Creole seasoning (or jerk seasoning)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2-2¼ cups (470-530ml) chicken broth (or water) If using 6 chicken thighs, I use 2 cups of water
- 1 teaspoon (4g) chicken bouillon (optional)
- 1 whole scotch bonnet pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon (6g) paprika (optional)
- 1 green onion for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉/177℃.
- Wash chicken thighs. For faster cooking, make a ½-inch slit into the meat on either side of the bone and pat dry with a paper towel—season with salt (about 1½ teaspoons) and bouillon powder.
- Rub both sides of the thighs with a generous amount of jerk seasoning.
- Add about 2 tablespoons of oil to a skillet, Dutch oven, or oven-safe pot. Then add chicken thighs skin side up, and brown for about 3 minutes on each side, being careful not to burn it. Take the chicken out of the pan and set aside.
- Wipe the pan with a paper towel or napkin to remove any burned bits from the pan.
- Add another 2 tablespoons of oil, followed by onions, thyme, garlic, and bay leaf, and sauté until soft but not golden, 2-3 minutes.
- Then, add the rice and beans. Next, add all the remaining ingredients: chicken stock, coconut milk, paprika, white pepper, jerk seasoning, salt, and bouillon. Add the chicken back to the pot and bring everything to a boil.
- Place the pan in the oven and cook, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes or until the chicken is done.
- Remove from oven, allow to rest a minute, garnish with chopped green onions if desired, and serve.
Tips & Notes:
- Feel free to replace the jerk seasoning with Creole, taco, or your favorite spice mix.
- For faster cooking, make a ½-inch slit in the chicken thigh meat on both sides before searing.
- Rinse the rice to remove excess starch for fluffier results. ☁️
- An instant-read meat thermometer ensures the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165℉ (75℃).
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Mo says
What temperature should the oven be set at?
ImmaculateBites says
350 degrees F
Joy Eggleston says
Hi was I supposed to cook it covered?? The recipe didn’t say. ..Ugghh I think I may have messed it up.my rice isn’t done.
ImmaculateBites says
No. It’s suppose to be cooked un-covered. So the skin gets really crispy
Maggie says
Love the way to add beans with the chicken, and the rice is so flavorful. This is going into our lunch menu 🙂
Olivia @ Olivia's Cuisine says
This has my name all over it! I am literally drooling all over my keyboard.
ImmaculateBites says
It is really tasty olivia
Deepika@EasyBabyMeals says
I love one pot meals. And this is definitely a great recipe. I will try this soon. Thanks for sharing.
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks Deepika- hope you give it a try!
Christine says
I love jerk chicken (or jerk anything) and am so happy to have a recipe for the spices. You gotta go homemade!!
Jen says
Oh my gosh that looks so amazing. I am going to try to make it. I love spicy food and jerk chicken – yes please!
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks Jen! Let me know if you make it .
Michelle@healthiersteps says
Wow this recipe looks amazing. I grew up on Rice and Peas and Jerk Chicken, but they were made separate, love your twist!
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks Michelle!
swayam says
This is so so my kind of food!! Love that you used chicken thighs here..and yes, I have been pn a one pot meal kick myself.. 🙂
ImmaculateBites says
swayam, don’t one pot meals make cooking easier?
Byron Thomas says
Oh my God… that looks so delicious!
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks Bryon!
Sharon says
i love Jamaican dish but i don’t care for spicy to much, spice my son and his father but me aah nah can i make jerk chicken not spicy? None or less cayenne pepper very less lol
ImmaculateBites says
You sure can! Just omit the cayenne and scotch bonnet pepper. And you will be fine. Happy Cooking !!!
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
I ate so much jerk chicken when we were in Jamaica – I am literally obsssed with it. The spicier the better I say!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Dannii! You are going to love this-and you may add as much pepper as you need.
Ciao Florentina says
What a hearty beautiful meal! Must Pin !
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks for pinning
Tami says
Did you cover the pan when baking?
ImmaculateBites says
No I did not .
Tracy @ Served from Scratch says
Love this! Not only is it a one pot meal, but I love jerk chicken flavors and I’m always looking for new chicken thigh recipes!!
ImmaculateBites says
Tracy this one is a keeper!
Whitney says
I love one pot meals! For some reason, I always find jerk to be too spicy! Funny, considering how I can handle Indian spicy without a problem.
ImmaculateBites says
Whitney, Jerk Chicken is definitely spicy – however, you can adjust the spices to suit you tastebuds.
Nagi@RecipeTinEats says
I can’t WAIT to make this!! This is totally MY KIND OF FOOD!! 🙂
ImmaculateBites says
I knew you would be all over this one Nagi.
Sara says
OMG! This was Delicious!!!! Told all my friends about it. THANK YOU.
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks Sara, so glad you are spreading the word.
Robert says
How hot / how high should the heat be on skillet when you first brown chicken on both sides?
Trying this tonight with brown rice!
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Medium High heat.
Tiffany says
Did you add oil when browning the chicken? Or just right onto dry skillet?
ImmaculateBites says
I have tried it both ways and it works out just fine. If using oil go with about 2 tablespoons. Yes I do sear both sides.
DonnaB says
I couldn’t figure out where to start a comment, so I’m tagging onto your response. I will be trying this recipe for the first time, but I found the directions to be a bit confusing. I’m pretty savvy when it comes to cooking, so no problem filling in the missing steps. But for a novice cooker, the directions need to be more precise. Just a recommendation.
ImmaculateBites says
Recipe updated . Thanks !
Bert says
I’ve made this recipe several times and it is a family favorite! Each time, though, I am confused by the use of “creole spice” in one section of the ingredient list, and “homemade jerk seasoning” later in the ingredients, then again in the directions. I end up guessing when to add the two seasonings because the directions are not clear. Love the recipe, but wish I didn’t have to guess what to do!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Bert,
Sorry about the confusion, you can either use creole seasoning or jerk seasoning for spicing the chicken. When cooking the rice you add jerk seasoning to it . Seasoning is used twice to spice the chicken and cook the rice . Hope this helps .
Britney says
I totally agree
jean says
can this be made in slow cooker? If so, directions please.
ImmaculateBites says
So sorry Jean, I haven’t tried it in the slow cooker yet. So can’t offer any exact measurements or instructions.