Trinidadian Chicken Pelau (Chicken, Rice & Pigeon Peas)

Name: Trinidadian Chicken Pelau (Chicken, Rice & Pigeon Peas)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Trinidadian
Ingredients: 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs; 3 clove garlic; 4 stalk scallions; 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp fresh lime juice; 1 tsp salt; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 tbsp packed brown sugar; 1 medium onion; 1 medium carrot; 1 medium red bell pepper; 2 cup long-grain white rice; 1 can pigeon peas; 0.5 cup coconut milk; 2.5 cup low-sodium chicken broth; 1 bay leaf; 1 tsp paprika; 0.25 cup fresh cilantro; 1 piece lime; 0.5 tsp black pepper

A one-pot Trinidadian pelau: caramelized sugar, seared chicken, pigeon peas and rice simmered in coconut-scented broth. Hearty and protein-forward for training meals and easy to pack for leftovers.

AI image

1 hr 15 min

start to finish

25 min

hands on

Some skill

difficulty

servings

4 servings

Ingredients

For the chicken and marinade

1½ lb boneless skinless chicken thighsabout 680 g, trimmed
3 clove garlicminced
4 stalk scallionschopped (white and green parts)
1 tbsp fresh thyme leavesor 1 tsp dried thyme, chopped
2 tbsp soy sauceuse tamari (gluten-free) if needed
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp saltdivided

To finish

¼ cup fresh cilantrochopped (or chadon beni)
1 piece limecut into wedges for serving
½ tsp black pepperor to taste

Contains soy, tree-nut. Cooking for an allergy? Check the label on every packet you use — brands differ, and we can only tell you what the recipe calls for.

Roughly, per serving

760 kcal55g protein80g carbs22g fat

An estimate, not a lab analysis.

Method

Put chicken thighs in a bowl.
Mix minced garlic, chopped scallions, thyme, 2 tbsp soy sauce, lime juice and 1 tsp salt in a small bowl to make the marinade; pour over chicken and rub to coat.
Cover and chill the chicken to marinate.
Marinate at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours for more flavor.
Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil.
Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the hot oil and let it melt until it becomes a deep amber caramel, watching carefully so it doesn't burn.
If the sugar smokes, lower the heat immediately to avoid bitterness.
Add the marinated chicken pieces in a single layer and brown on both sides, about 8–10 minutes total.
Transfer the browned chicken to a plate and set aside.
Add the chopped onion, carrot and red pepper to the pot and sauté until softened, about 4–5 minutes.
Stir in a pinch of black pepper and the paprika, then add the remaining minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Pour in 1 tablespoon soy sauce and the chicken broth to deglaze the pot, scraping up browned bits from the bottom.
Bring the liquid to a simmer.
Stir in the rinsed rice, drained pigeon peas and coconut milk, distributing them evenly.
Nestle the browned chicken back into the pot on top of the rice mixture and add the bay leaf.
Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently until the rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20–25 minutes.
Avoid lifting the lid while it cooks; steam cooks the rice evenly.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit, covered, for 10 minutes to steam.
Fluff the rice gently with a fork, remove the bay leaf, stir to distribute chicken and peas, adjust salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.
Serve hot with lime wedges.

Worth knowing

For deeper flavor, use bone-in chicken thighs and add 5 extra minutes to the browning and 5–10 extra minutes to simmering.
Swap regular soy sauce for tamari to make the dish gluten-free; note tamari still contains soy.
Leftovers store well and make excellent high-protein meal-prep portions; reheat gently with a splash of water or broth to loosen the rice.
If you prefer less fat, use light coconut milk or reduce the oil to 1 tablespoon and increase broth by 1/4 cup.

Make it yours

Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.

Dairy-freeHigh proteinMeal prep

More Trinidadian cooking

An original Restaurant Pro recipe — our own composition in the idiom of Trinidadian cooking, not any restaurant's recipe. Written to be dairy-free as listed.