Servings: 6 | Preparation time: 25 minutes | Cooking time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2‑inch pieces
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 orange bell pepper, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 2 tsp dried thyme)
- 1 tbsp Cool Runnings ground turmeric
- 1 tsp Cool Runnings curry powder (optional)
- 2 cups short‑grain or medium‑grain rice (paella style)
- 4 cups low‑sodium chicken broth
- 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 (14 oz) can Cool Runnings pigeon peas, rinsed and drained
- 1/3–1/2 cup Cool Runnings jerk seasoning (hot)
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Lime wedges for serving
Directions
1. Pat the bone‑in chicken pieces dry. Season with salt and black pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large high‑sided skillet or paella pan over medium heat. Add the chicken, skin side down, and brown for about 5–7 minutes per side, until golden. Transfer chicken to a plate.
2. In the same pan, add the diced onion and minced garlic. Sauté for 3–5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
3. Stir in the orange and red bell peppers, thyme, turmeric and curry powder (if using). Cook for 2–3 minutes until the peppers begin to soften.
4. Add the rice to the pan and stir it with the vegetables so each grain is coated in the fragrant oil. Cook for about 2–3 minutes.
5. Nestle the browned chicken pieces back into the rice mixture. Pour in the jerk seasoning sauce and stir gently so the sauce distributes around the chicken.
6. Pour in the chicken broth, drained tomatoes and pigeon peas. Stir just once to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil.
7. Reduce heat to medium‑low and cover. Let cook without stirring for 25–30 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed, the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through. Avoid stirring so you get a nice textured layer on the bottom.
8. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with sliced green onions and chopped cilantro. Serve warm with lime wedges for squeezing over the top.