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Chicken Pelau

This one-pot chicken pelau stew is flavor-packed with coconut milk, fresh thyme, tender chicken, pigeon peas and rice. It’s the perfect stew for a quick and satisfying weeknight meal the entire family will love. 
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 -6 servings
Author natasha

Ingredients

  • 1 lb chicken drumsticks chopped into 2-3 pieces
  • 3 cloves of garlic minced
  • ½ a white onion chopped
  • 2 carrots chopped
  • 2 springs fresh green onion chopped
  • 1 cup parboiled rice
  • 1 cup of pigeon peas
  • 1 cup of coconut milk
  • 1 cup of water
  • 1 scotch bonnet pepper
  • 1 tbsp of butter
  • 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • For seasoning chicken
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp all purpose seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp all spice seasoning
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp green seasoning *optional
  • 4 pimento seeds *optional
  • For burnt sugar method if desired:
  • 2 tbsp of brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp of canola oil or any neutral cooking oil that can be cooked at a high heat

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 350 degrees
  • Prepare chicken by chopping drumsticks into 2-3 pieces (you can keep the skin on or remove) You can also choose to keep the drumsticks whole
  • Once the chicken is chopped, rinse chicken with water and pat dry with paper towel
  • In a bowl, season chicken with seasoning blend and mix well ensuring to get seasoning under the skin of the chicken as well
  • Set chicken aside and to a skillet on medium heat, add oil. Once the oil is hot, add brown sugar and stir until dissolved
  • Add chicken to the burnt sugar and allow it to sear on each side for 2-3 minutes until golden brown
  • Once the chicken is brown, remove any excess oil and add onions and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes
  • While onions cook down, rinse your rice and beans with fresh water 
  • Once rinsed, add your rice and beans to the chicken with the onions and garlic 
  • Stir to combine and then add your coconut milk and water
  • Add in your scotch bonnet pepper, fresh thyme and pimento seeds and taste the liquid for seasoning, you can add additional salt if needed at this point. Be sure to taste the liquid for seasoning as this is the last time you can adjust
  • Lastly, cover with a tight-fitting lid and put in the oven and cook for 30-25 minutes or until rice is cooked and chicken is tender and the liquid has evaporated
  • Chicken pelau is done when all the water has evaporated and the chicken is pulling apart from the bone, add butter at the end and fluff rice
  • Serve hot and enjoy