If you would have told me two years ago that I would have been busting out one pan recipes, I would have called you a liar. Not that I was against them or anything, it just wasn’t my style. But like most things in life, times change and so do preferences. So I whipped up a few one pan meals and became ridiculously obsessed.
Look, here’s the plan: Marinate if you’d like, throw the chicken and veggies in a skillet, toss a few dishes into the dishwasher and dance to Mariah while you wait. Next thing you know, people are calling you Wolfgang Puck. Or you’re beating Bobby Flay on one of his 10,000 Food Network shows. Honestly, how many shows does he have?
Forget Bobby, let’s get back to the business of one pan meals: I love meals that can be made in one pan or pot because they’re always easy, always delicious and full of FLAVOR. This one is no different. SO GOOD and the perfect recipe to transform your weeknight dinners into something creative.
The Caribbean chicken marinade is dressed with garlic, soy sauce, ginger, vinegar, lime juice, honey and tons of spices. You can marinate it before you go to work, or just dress it up right before you make the recipe.
I opted to add in crunchy bell pepper and green onion for some veggies, and also sweet pineapple for a unique take on the rice, which just so happens to be cooked in light coconut milk.
This recipe is going to be your new favorite because it makes delicious leftovers and is perfect for meal prep. If you make it, be sure to tag me on Instagram and use the hashtag #ambitiouskitchen. Don’t forget to rate the recipe below so others know how you liked it.
Here’s to happy, heathy eating… enjoy! xo.
Here are a few one pan meals you might like:
One Pan Thai Coconut Yellow Curry Chicken + Rice
Mama’s Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice (Arroz con Pollo)
One Pan Ginger Chicken Meatballs with Peanut Sauce
Sheet Pan Zucchini Chicken Meatballs with Coconut Curry Sauce
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
One Pan Caribbean Jerk Chicken with Pineapple-Coconut Rice
Ingredients
- For the chicken marinade:
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 1.25-1.5 pounds)
- 1/2 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 tablespoons gluten free soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1/2 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 tablespoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- For the veggies & rice:
- ½ tablespoon olive or avocado oil
- 1 bunch green onions, diced
- 1 large red bell pepper, cut into chunks
- 1 (15 ounce) can lite coconut milk
- 1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple chunks
- 1 cup basmati white rice (don’t use brown, it will take too long to cook)**
- To garnish:
- Green onions
- Fresh lime
Instructions
- Add chicken to a large bowl. Add in 1 tablespoon olive oil and your jerk seasoning: garlic, ginger, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, honey, allspice, cinnamon, dried thyme, cayenne, sea salt and black pepper. Use clean hands to toss the chicken in the mixture.
- Cover and allow chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 6 hours, or you can skip this completely and begin the cooking process.
- Next add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to a large deep 10 inch skillet and place over medium high heat. (If you do not have a skillet a large pot will also work very well!) Once oil is hot, add in chicken and season with a little more salt and pepper. Cook until browned 4-5 minutes, then flip and and cook an additional 4-5 minutes. Remove from pan and transfer to a plate.
- In the same skillet (it should be greased enough already for sauteing), add green onion, red bell pepper chunks; saute for 1-2 minutes. Then add in coconut milk and rice and stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer then fold in the pineapple, making sure it is evenly distributed. Add browned chicken on top.
- Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet immediately and cook for 20-25 minutes. After 20-25 minutes, most of the liquid should be absorbed and rice should be cooked. Serve immediately. Garnish with green onions and serve with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
- To meal prep: This meal serves four. Place rice in a meal prep containers and top with 1 chicken thigh. Garnish with green onion.
My whole family loved the Caribbean rice chicken. The only things I changed was using wings instead of thighs, and jasmine rice instead of basmati
Recipe was easy to follow
Love that! Perfect dinner!
I’ve made this too many times to count. It is so delicious and flavorful. Combination of spices, creamy, coconut milk, sweet pineapple, make for the perfect meal. Cannot recommend enough. A staple in my kitchen.
Such a great dinner! Glad you love it!
I personally love this recipe. My husband and daughter loved it too was family favorite.
So happy to hear that!
We absolutely love this recipe but have recently stopped eating meat aside from fish. Do you think this could work with fish, and if so, would you recommend making similar to the chicken or just baking on the side while you make the coconut rice?
Hmm I haven’t tested this with fish but I think the cook time will be different! I’d suggest baking on the side 🙂
This recipe is truly incredible. I put it in my virtual recipe keeper years ago and noted, “My New Fav!!”. My son first made this and the family loved it. We did feel the rice was a bit too soft (which may have been how he cooked it?). So, when I’ve personally made this again, after the green onion and bell pepper have cooked a minute or two, I saute first the rice until just beginning to turn a golden color before adding the coconut milk. Then I add the coconut milk and continue the recipe as written. So, I essentially am cooking the rice like I would a rice pilaf. We love the texture this way.
Tonight I am going to try this recipe with pork chops as that sounds like a yummy option too. Thanks for this recipe as it is a favorite of mine, and is Gluten, Dairy and Corn free which is perfect for me =}
Perfect! Such a great go-to dinner (and this will be delicious with pork chops!)
Simple and delicious in its simplicity. I will write a review for each of them, but your one pan meals are new favorites in our family dinner rotation. 10:10 would recommend!!
This was phenomenal! My husband said its one of the best Ambitious Kitchen recipes I made. I’m not a chicken thigh person, but had some on hand. The flavors popped from the dish, the chicken was moist and fall apart good. Followed directions to a T, The addition of pineapple give the dish that sweetness and cooking the rice in coconut milk give the finished dish a silky texture!
So glad you both enjoyed!
The best chicken ever.
Excellent! I followed the recipe exactly except I didn’t have all spice so I subbed 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1/4 tsp cloves for the allspice as suggested on another website. My boyfriend said it has to go on the regular rotation of our faves. Just make it and you’ll be impressed! Thanks for a great recipe that is easy and delicious.
Perfect! So glad it was a hit!
I can usually read over a recipe and know if it’s a winner. Ding1 Ding! Ding! It’s definitely a winner. And not just from reading it – I made it.
I was so impressed with the jerk chicken marinade I made sure to marinate the recommended time. The chicken turned out very flavorful and tender with just the right amount of subtle heat, and the coconut rice and slightly crunchy red bell pepper and pineapple were perfect.
Amazing! So glad you found this one – such a great weeknight dinner 🙂
Is the coconut milk sweetened or unsweetened
Hi! I’d recommend using unsweetened.
I have made this now 3 times in the past 2 months. Husband approved, love the flavors. I use hot honey instead of regular honey, and dice the pineapple into small pieces as a matter of preference- this recipe is FIRE. Thank you!! 😍
Perfect! Happy to hear this recipe is a hit for you both! LOVE the addition of hot honey, genius idea 🙂
There was too much liquid left at the end. Could possibly be because I washed the rice and/or because I used a dutch oven instead of a skillet. Recipe doesn’t call for it. Rice was left to dry a bit while I prep all the ingredients and cook the chicken.
Hi! I am not sure why that could have happened, could be the dutch oven, I haven’t make this recipe is anything but a skillet.
I’ve made this meal at least 10 times. It’s a HIT every single time.
I like to add a can of black beans for some extra protein.
I’ve made this meal at least 10 times. It’s a HIT every single time.
I like to add a can of black beans for some extra protein.
It’s so delicious 😋
This recipe is a family favorite and a regular in our rotation. I make it exactly as written, sometimes adding broccoli. It’s so flavorful and delicious!! When I make this for company it always receives rave reviews.
Oh I’m so glad everyone’s loving it!! Thanks, Dineen!
This was a very good recipe. I’ve had it bookmarked for a few years, but the first time I’ve done it.
I did have to switch out fresh or frozen pineapples for canned, because that’s what I had on hand. I did raise an eyebrow at 1T of allspice, because that seemed too much. But Caribbean food is not my forte so what do I know?
I read the past comments and I don’t like the naysayers. This is a perfect recipe. I homecook at least six times a week and not because I love it. Because that’s what my family expects. All my cooking comes from someone else’s recipe. Over the years, I’ve learned how to adjust things. So I think it’s mean when people say stuff like their rice was too soggy, etc. Get to know your stove.
Love your recipe.
I’m so happy you finally had the chance to try it and that you enjoyed it! And thanks for the love 😊
I have made this multiple times in the past, but my husband does not like coconut. Can I replace the coconut milk with almond milk?
I haven’t personally tried it but it should work just fine!
This was a really easy and delicious recipe! I only had bone-in with skin chicken thighs and they worked out great. I also used instant brown rice because it’s also what I had and that turned out great too! I just cooked everything a little longer on a higher temp to bring down the liquid that was in the pan. My husband loved this and told me to keep the recipe saved!
The dish had great flavour but the rice was mushy. Next time I’ll make the rush before and mix the cooked rice in with all of the other ingredients.
My wife made this a few times and has to change up the recipe every time.
It’s just not that flavorful. Almost bland.
She wants to know if you’re meant to drain the chicken after marinade. She does but maybe we’re losing flavor that way?
But what’s the alternative? Cooking the chicken with all the marinade?
Please help as your recipe isn’t clear as to what is supposed to happen after marinade.
Thanks for your help.
Hi, John. That’s strange! I wonder if the spices she used are old or not good quality? It should be really flavorful! Of course, feel free to add more salt if you’d like. I wouldn’t recommend adding the marinade to the pan with the chicken because you want the chicken to brown.
Hi there!
Is there a good replacement for honey? And any way to compensate for garlic (omitting for sensitivity!)? Thanks so much for this delicious-looking recipe!
Yana
Hi, Yana! I think it will still be flavorful without the garlic, and feel free to use maple syrup or brown sugar instead of the honey 🙂
One of our favourite weekday dinners! So flavourful and the recipe that got me eating chicken thighs!
Looks good would love to make this dish
So delicious and a great weeknight meal. My fam loved it!!
This is has been a staple in my house for years now. So so good and easy!
My FAVORITE ambitious kitchen recipe! The pineapple gives a beautiful burst of sweetness to balance everything out. This meal is great for leftovers for the week!
YAY!! So much flavor, right?! Glad you love it!
This is such a great dish!!! The different flavors combined make my mouth water just thinking about it. The only tweak I would do when making again, is add salt to the coconut rice… It was a little bland. I have leftovers individually packaged for mask prep for the rest of the week! Thank you for this recipe
So glad to hear you love this one! Good to know you thought it needed more salt–totally fine to add that in! 🙂
I’ve been making this recipe for over a year and it never disappoints. The chicken has the right amount of kick and is balanced with the coconut milk and pineapple. I like to add extra peppers, so I mix red and orange peppers for more vegetables. And the leftovers are amazing. My husband loves this recipe.
I’m SO happy you’re such a fan of this recipe, Karen! Thank you!
Made this tonight for dinner, followed recipe as written except used bone in-skin on thighs.. My husband asked me to add it to the rotation which is a big win in this house! More importantly, I thought it was soooo good. Thanks!
Yay!! I’m so glad to hear you guys loved it so much!
Une de nos recettes préférées. Vraiment wow le mélange des ingrédients avec l’ananas merveilleux
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Nancy! 🙂 (Sorry, can’t speak French!)
The marinade was easy to make, I have made this recipe a couple of times. The flavor profile is amazing. I do serve it with fried plantains for that wonderful homage to Caribbean cuisine. Thank you for an amazing recipe.
I’m so happy you’re loving this recipe, Jon. Love the idea of serving with fried plantains–YUM!
Hi, if I was to skip the marinating process (was short on time) would I just cook the chicken in the marinade ingredients? Thanks…
Hi, Lola! Feel free to skip the marinating and just cook the chicken and marinade ingredients right away after tossing them all together 🙂
This was amazing! I used 6 thighs instead of 4 to feed my larger appetite husband, I also used 3 bell peppers and 5 oz spinach to bulk it up, but kept everything else exactly as written. We loved the flavors of this dish so much, it was also so easy in one pan! Definitely a keeper.
So happy to hear you guys enjoyed it, Elizabeth!
This continues to be one of my favorite AK recipes! I have made it at least 10 times and its a crowdpleaser every time. I always use full-fat coconut milk and the rice cooks perfectly. I find this turns out best when I use my cast iron skillet over other skillets, and the cook time was much longer the few times I used a non-stick skillet.
I’m so glad! And noted on the cast iron skillet. One of our favs, too!
Love this! Easy peasy and didn’t change a thing. Not too spicy or sweet just a perfect balance of delicious yum!
Absolutely! So glad you enjoyed 🙂
Very delicious! I grilled chicken and cooked coconut rice in one pot cooker. Sauté veggies and added a little a the marinade. Then put cooked coconut rice and veggies together to stream together. Add grilled chicken to the pan. Green onions and lime squeeze on top to finish. Family loved it!!!
Perfect! Easy and delicious!
I love this website and use a recipe from here almost everyday! I especially love the kid-friendly ideas I’ve got from this website. My 1 year old is extremely picky but has yet to reject a meal from this site!:)
So happy to hear that!!
So flavorful and comforting. Baby and husband both loved this one!
Absolutely! Glad it was a hit!
This recipe was beautiful!! My husband and two boys (one of which is a little fussy with spicy food) absolutely loved it. It’s a bit fiddly to pull together with all of the different spices for the marinade but well worth the effort and now added to my weekly meal planner along with the Tandoori one pot recipe. Superb meal and thoroughly enjoyed it, thanks!
So happy to hear that! Perfect dinner.
This recipe is fantastic! It has become a staple in our house and is definitely husband approved! I often make the jerk sauce the night before or first thing in the morning and then it is so quick come 5pm! I use 6 or 7 thighs so there are leftovers and just add a bit extra of everything else. Thanks so much for such a yummy recipe!
Great prep tip! Perfect weeknight dinner.
WOW! This is PACKED with flavor. Couldn’t get enough of it and it was so easy. A winner in this house!
This was delicious ! Creamy full of flavour and easy to make . I added black beans to increase the fibre and protein …so yummy ! Will definetly be adding this into the weekly rotation menu !
This one is a hit when I make it. So easy and inexpensive to put together, I wouldn’t change a thing! Now a go-to one pan meal for us when we want some Caribbean flavors. Rice cooked in coconut milk = always amazing.