Caribbean Pelau
A one-pot Caribbean staple with tender chicken, caramelized sugar, fragrant rice, and pigeon peas. Savory, slightly sweet, and deeply flavored with herbs and spices.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 625
- Protein
- 38g
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 medium onions, yellow
- 4 cloves garlic cloves
- 1.5 cups long-grain white rice
- 1 can (15 oz) canned pigeon peas, drained
- 2.5 cups chicken broth
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- 1
Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, which helps them brown better.
- 2
Slice each onion lengthwise from root to tip, then crosswise into crescent-shaped rings about 1/4 inch thick.
- 3
Mince the garlic until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice, about the size of pencil-tip dots.
- 4
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat for 1 minute until it shimmers.
- 5
Sprinkle the sugar directly into the hot oil and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until it turns dark golden brown, like caramel, about 2–3 minutes—do not walk away.
- 6
Add the chicken thighs skin-side down to the caramelized sugar and sear for 3 minutes without moving them until the skin browns, then flip and sear the other side for 3 minutes.
- 7
Remove the chicken thighs to a clean plate and set aside.
- 8
Add the sliced onions to the same pot and stir constantly for 2 minutes until they begin to soften, scraping up any stuck-on brown bits.
- 9
Add the minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds until the smell becomes strong and fragrant.
- 10
Pour in the rice and stir constantly for 1 minute to coat each grain with oil, so the rice looks glossy and slightly translucent at the edges.
- 11
Pour in the chicken broth and add the thyme sprigs and drained pigeon peas; stir once to combine.
- 12
Return the seared chicken thighs to the pot, nestling them skin-side up into the rice mixture.
- 13
Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat—you'll see vigorous bubbling and steam rising, about 3–4 minutes.
- 14
Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, reduce heat to low, and cook for 25 minutes without lifting the lid—steam will cook the rice and chicken gently.
- 15
Remove the pot from heat and let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes so the rice continues to absorb any remaining liquid.
- 16
Lift the lid carefully—steam will rise—and fluff the rice with a fork, breaking up any clumps and distributing the pigeon peas evenly.
- 17
Remove and discard the thyme sprigs, then taste the rice and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- 18
Serve the pelau family-style straight from the pot, or divide among individual bowls with one chicken thigh per serving.
Tools you’ll need
- large heavy-bottomed pot with lid (at least 5-quart capacity)
- wooden spoon
- paper towels
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- clean plate
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.
