Chicken Pelau
Dive into a delightful one-pot wonder with our Chicken Pelau! This savory dish combines tender marinated chicken, fluffy rice, and vibrant peas, all simmered together in a luscious blend of coconut milk and aromatic spices. The hint of brown sugar adds a touch of sweetness that perfectly balances the flavors, making it the ultimate comfort meal you’ll crave again and again!
Prep
30
min
Cook
45
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(5)
- 1 green onion chopped
- 1 lime juiced
- 1/2 red tomato chopped
- 150ml water (5.07 fl oz)
- 1/2 white onion chopped
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 8 boneless and skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- 2 tbsp avocado oil (30 ml)
- 3 tsp brown sugar (15 ml)
- 250ml coconut milk (8.45 fl oz)
- 200g washed long grain rice (7.06 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(8)
- 1 tbsp all purpose seasoning (I used Goya Adobo) (15 ml)Goya Adobo
- 2 tsp dried thyme (10 ml)
- 1/2 cup fresh coriander chopped (120 ml)
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme (dried works well if you haven’t got any)dried thyme
- 1 tsp garlic powder (5 ml)
- 1/4 cup green seasoning (optional*) (60 ml)optional
- Salt & Black pepper to taste
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 1 tbsp ketchup (15 ml)
📦Other(3)
- 1/4 cup spring onions chopped (60 ml)
- 200g cooked & drained green pigeon peas (7.06 oz)
- 1 scotch bonnet (optional)optional
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Marinate the washed and dried chicken thighs with the marinade listed then marinate for at least 30 minutes, overnight is recommended.
- 2
Heat up a large pot on medium-high heat, then add the avocado oil. Add the sugar and mix until it becomes a dark brown which should take around a few minutes. Once dark brown but not burnt, add the chicken excluding the vegetables, then cook for 8-10 minutes uncovered, stirring frequently.
- 3
Add the vegetables from the marinade pot then cook for a further 5 minutes. Now add the pigeon peas and mix well then add the washed rice and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk, water, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste, then mix well and bring to a boil, lower the heat then cover and cook for 15 minutes.
- 4
After 10 minutes, uncover and stir well. The rice should have absorbed most of the liquid by now. Cover and cook for a further 20 minutes for a dry pelau or 5-10 minutes for a more wet pelau (more sauce). Finally, add in some fresh coriander and green onions. Mix well, serve and enjoy.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Caramelize sugar to 320-340°F (hard crack stage) for proper browning - it should smell nutty and turn deep amber before adding chicken to create the signature pelau color and flavor.technique320-340°F
- ✓Use a 2:1 liquid to rice ratio (coconut milk + water combined) and maintain gentle simmer at 185-190°F after boiling to prevent rice grains from breaking and becoming mushy.technique2:1 ratio, 185-190°F
- ✓Toast the rice for exactly 2 minutes with the vegetables before adding liquid - this gelatinizes the outer starch layer and prevents grains from sticking together.timing2 minutes
- ✓Add fresh herbs only in the final 2-3 minutes to preserve volatile oils that dissipate above 140°F - earlier addition results in 60-80% flavor loss.timing2-3 minutes, 140°F
- ✓Let pelau rest covered for 10 minutes after cooking so residual steam finishes cooking at 200-212°F and rice absorbs remaining moisture evenly.timing10 minutes, 200-212°F
Share this recipe
Prep
30
min
Cook
45
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Chicken Pelau
Dive into a delightful one-pot wonder with our Chicken Pelau! This savory dish combines tender marinated chicken, fluffy rice, and vibrant peas, all simmered together in a luscious blend of coconut milk and aromatic spices. The hint of brown sugar adds a touch of sweetness that perfectly balances the flavors, making it the ultimate comfort meal you’ll crave again and again!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(5)
- 1 green onion chopped
- 1 lime juiced
- 1/2 red tomato chopped
- 150ml water (5.07 fl oz)
- 1/2 white onion chopped
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 8 boneless and skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- 2 tbsp avocado oil (30 ml)
- 3 tsp brown sugar (15 ml)
- 250ml coconut milk (8.45 fl oz)
- 200g washed long grain rice (7.06 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(8)
- 1 tbsp all purpose seasoning (I used Goya Adobo) (15 ml)Goya Adobo
- 2 tsp dried thyme (10 ml)
- 1/2 cup fresh coriander chopped (120 ml)
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme (dried works well if you haven’t got any)dried thyme
- 1 tsp garlic powder (5 ml)
- 1/4 cup green seasoning (optional*) (60 ml)optional
- Salt & Black pepper to taste
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 1 tbsp ketchup (15 ml)
📦Other(3)
- 1/4 cup spring onions chopped (60 ml)
- 200g cooked & drained green pigeon peas (7.06 oz)
- 1 scotch bonnet (optional)optional
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Marinate the washed and dried chicken thighs with the marinade listed then marinate for at least 30 minutes, overnight is recommended.
- 2
Heat up a large pot on medium-high heat, then add the avocado oil. Add the sugar and mix until it becomes a dark brown which should take around a few minutes. Once dark brown but not burnt, add the chicken excluding the vegetables, then cook for 8-10 minutes uncovered, stirring frequently.
- 3
Add the vegetables from the marinade pot then cook for a further 5 minutes. Now add the pigeon peas and mix well then add the washed rice and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk, water, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste, then mix well and bring to a boil, lower the heat then cover and cook for 15 minutes.
- 4
After 10 minutes, uncover and stir well. The rice should have absorbed most of the liquid by now. Cover and cook for a further 20 minutes for a dry pelau or 5-10 minutes for a more wet pelau (more sauce). Finally, add in some fresh coriander and green onions. Mix well, serve and enjoy.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Caramelize sugar to 320-340°F (hard crack stage) for proper browning - it should smell nutty and turn deep amber before adding chicken to create the signature pelau color and flavor.technique320-340°F
- ✓Use a 2:1 liquid to rice ratio (coconut milk + water combined) and maintain gentle simmer at 185-190°F after boiling to prevent rice grains from breaking and becoming mushy.technique2:1 ratio, 185-190°F
- ✓Toast the rice for exactly 2 minutes with the vegetables before adding liquid - this gelatinizes the outer starch layer and prevents grains from sticking together.timing2 minutes
- ✓Add fresh herbs only in the final 2-3 minutes to preserve volatile oils that dissipate above 140°F - earlier addition results in 60-80% flavor loss.timing2-3 minutes, 140°F
- ✓Let pelau rest covered for 10 minutes after cooking so residual steam finishes cooking at 200-212°F and rice absorbs remaining moisture evenly.timing10 minutes, 200-212°F