Description
Whipping up Caribbean Chicken Rice brings island vibes straight to your dinner table, with bold spices and tender chicken dancing through fluffy rice. Zesty herbs and a splash of tropical warmth guarantee a meal that’ll transport your taste buds to sun-soaked shores.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Grains and Starches:
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans
- 1 cup corn kernels
Seasonings and Supporting Ingredients:
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 medium onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 lime, juiced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Combine 1 teaspoon each of cumin, paprika, and thyme with salt and pepper. Thoroughly coat 4 chicken thighs with the spice mixture, massaging the seasonings into every surface.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat at 375°F. Sear the chicken thighs for 6-7 minutes per side until they develop a golden-brown exterior and reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Remove chicken from the skillet and let it rest for 5 minutes. Then slice into bite-sized pieces approximately 1 inch thick.
- In the same skillet, sauté 1 finely chopped onion and 3 minced garlic cloves for 2-3 minutes until the onion becomes translucent.
- Add 1 diced red bell pepper and 1 diced green bell pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the peppers soften and become slightly tender.
- Introduce 1 cup of long-grain white rice to the skillet. Stir and toast the rice for 2 minutes, ensuring each grain is coated with the vegetable mixture.
- Pour 2 cups of chicken broth into the skillet. Bring the liquid to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 18 minutes until the rice absorbs all the liquid.
- Drain and rinse 1 can of black beans. Add the beans and 1 cup of corn kernels to the rice during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- Remove the skillet from heat. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice over the rice and gently fold in the sliced chicken pieces.
- Transfer the Caribbean chicken rice to serving plates. Sprinkle chopped fresh cilantro on top and serve immediately with extra lime wedges.
Notes
- Season the chicken generously for deep, authentic Caribbean flavor, ensuring each piece is fully coated with spices.
- Toast the rice in the skillet before adding liquid to enhance its nutty taste and prevent clumping.
- For a gluten-free version, double-check that your chicken broth is certified gluten-free and use tamari instead of soy sauce if needed.
- Fresh corn will give better texture than frozen, but frozen works perfectly when fresh isn’t available.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Category: Sautéed
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Caribbean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg