Smoky Jerk Chicken Thighs with Coconut Rice & Peas

⏱ 75 min · Serves 4

Charred, sticky, allspice-scented chicken with a proper kick of Scotch bonnet, served on pillowy coconut rice and kidney beans. It's the Kingston takeaway you wish was on your street — and the marinade does most of the work while you sleep.

Per serving: 842 kcal · 48.0g protein · 78.0g carbs · 38.0g fat

Ingredients

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1.2kg)
• 4 spring onions, roughly chopped
• 1-2 Scotch bonnet chillies, stalks removed
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 thumb fresh ginger, peeled
• 2 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 3 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• Juice of 2 limes, plus wedges to serve
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to season
• 300g long-grain rice, rinsed until water runs clear
• 1 x 400ml tin coconut milk
• 1 x 400g tin kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 spring onions, whole
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
• 1 whole Scotch bonnet (unpierced, optional)
• 250ml water
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice

Method

1. Blitz the spring onions, Scotch bonnet, garlic, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, thyme, brown sugar, soy sauce, oil, lime juice and salt to a coarse paste in a blender.
2. Slash each chicken thigh twice through the skin, then rub the marinade all over and under the skin. Cover and chill at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
3. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan. Sit the thighs skin-side up on a rack over a foil-lined tray and roast 35-40 minutes, basting once, until deeply browned and cooked through (75C internal).
4. Meanwhile, make the rice and peas: put the coconut milk, water, kidney beans, whole spring onions, thyme sprigs, crushed garlic, allspice, whole Scotch bonnet if using, and 1 tsp salt in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the rinsed rice, bring back to a bubble, then clamp on a lid and cook on the lowest heat for 18-20 minutes, undisturbed, until the liquid is absorbed.
6. Rest the rice off the heat 5 minutes, then fish out the aromatics and the whole chilli and fluff with a fork.
7. For serious char, finish the chicken under a hot grill for 3-4 minutes, or on a hot griddle pan. Rest 5 minutes.
8. Pile the rice onto plates, top with the jerk chicken, spoon over any tray juices and serve with lime wedges.