Coconut Rice Jerk Chicken Bowls with Sweet Plantains
Tropical grain bowls with a coconut rice base, spicy jerk chicken and sweet plantains.
Ingredients
- 3/4 tsp onion powder
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/8 tsp cumin
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 ripe plantains
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 2 cups water
- 1.5 cups rice
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 4 tsp coconut oil, divided
- 1 lime
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C).
- In a small bowl, combine the first 13 ingredients to make the spice mix. Toss the spice mix with the chicken thighs and place in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Place the chicken on the top rack of the oven to bake for 25 minutes.
- Once the chicken is in the oven, in a 2 qt. sauce pan add 2 tsp of coconut oil and heat over medium high. Add the rice, tossing in the oil to coat. Toast for 2 minutes, stiring constantly. Add the coconut milk, sugar, salt and water. Bring to a boil, stir, cover and drop the heat to a simmer for 20 minutes.
- While the chicken and rice are cooking, prep your plantains by trimming off the ends and slicing through the peel from one end to the other. Gently peel back the peel with your fingers and slice the plantains into 1/2 inch disks.
- In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tsp of coconut oil over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, fry the plantains for 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove to a paper towel to drain.
- Once the water has fully fully cooked, remove from the heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
- Once the chicken has fully cooked, remove from the oven and let cook for 5 minutes. Slice the chicken and sqeeze a half of a lime over the top.
- Serve a scoop of rice, cooked plantains, and chicken in a bowl with additional lime slices.
Notes
- When looking for plantains, look for ones with a deep yellow color and several brown spots. This indicates that they are sweet and ripe.
- Planning for leftovers? The chicken can be a little rubbery due to the fat content when reheated in the microwave. For the best reheat, I would suggest a skillet over medium heat or wrapping the chicken in foil and heating in the oven on 350 for 5-8 minutes.
- Want a short cut? Swap the spice mix for a pre-made jerk spice mix. No hard feelings :)