A juicy jerk chicken rice and beans recipe that will soon become a weeknight staple! This gluten-free chicken dinner is both creamy and hearty and can be prepped ahead of time for busy nights.
A spicy combination of chicken, rice, and beans swirled in a creamy coconut milk sauce and squirted with refreshing lime juice. The best recipe to feed a large family.
Need more go-to weeknight dinners in your pocket? This jerk chicken rice and beans is a tasty way to feed a large family!
Chicken thighs seared in delicious jerk spice seasoning and then mixed into a creamy rice and bean blend, this weeknight dinner gives your taste buds a boost.
As a Certified Nutrition Coach, my favorite points about this healthy jerk chicken rice dish are that it’s:
- Dairy-free and gluten-free
- A great meal prep recipe
- Just as delicious the next day
Ingredients You’ll Need
Bone in, skin on chicken thighs: you want the skin on the chicken thighs so that the seasoning sticks to it. And though boneless thighs would work, they tend to become a bit too juicy for this dish (though they're great in something like air fryer chicken thighs and potatoes).
Jerk Seasoning: you can use store-bought, gluten-free jerk seasoning. However, you’ll find a much better flavor by whipping up a homemade jerk spice instead!
Seasonings: if using a store-bought jerk marinade, you’ll need to add in some cinnamon, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
Oil: I prefer to use avocado oil as it has a higher heat point. However, coconut oil will work as well.
Onion & Garlic: make sure to chop them finely so that the flavors infuse best.
White rice: the kind of rice you choose is up to you but all of them should work with the one pot jerk chicken.
Kidney beans: make sure to use canned beans and rinse them fully before using them.
Coconut milk: the solution to all things creamy on a dairy-free diet. Try to grab a can that’s not too watered down. You want the really thick, coconut cream part.
Chicken stock: I use bone broth powder for this just because it’s easier. But a pre-made chicken stock would work as well (learn more about powdered bone broth).
How To Make One Pot Jerk Chicken
- Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
- Add the chicken, jerk seasoning, and all other spices (except the bay leaf) to the bowl and toss.
- Heat oil over medium to high heat until simmering and cook the chicken thighs skin side down until crispy. Flip and repeat on the other side. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook for one minute. Add in the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
- Add the chicken on top of the rice and bake in the oven for 25 minutes before serving.
Step By Step Photos
Important Teaching Tips
Any jerk marinade will work for the recipe but I like to use a homemade jerk spice as I find the flavors more powerful.
Thighs with the bone in work best for this recipe as boneless thighs tend to overcook and get too juicy (though they're great for these Traeger smoked chicken thighs).
Serve the one pot jerk chicken as is or with a side of roasted veggies, tomato salad, or even candied brussels sprouts.
Though you can marinate the chicken thighs for a few hours, it's totally optional. The Jamaican jerk chicken tastes just as delicious if the jerk marinade is just rubbed on.
How To Meal Prep It
There are two ways to meal prep this delicious jerk chicken, rice, and beans:
You can make the entire dish ahead of time and simply reheat it. Know that your chicken will be delicious but you may lose a tiny bit of the crisp on the skin.
You can also just prep the base of the recipe (beans and rice) and pop it into the fridge at the same time you marinate the chicken.
Then, after work just cook up the chicken, add it on top of the rice, and bake in the oven until the rice and beans are cooked through. Make sure to let the dish you have the rice in come to room temperature first though before popping it into the oven.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Jamaican Jerk Chicken
Yes! Jerk chicken is a flavorful-protein packed dish that makes a wicked meal prep recipe. It can be eaten as a complete meal like with this skillet dinner or as a meal prep recipe to add a flavor pop to salads or pasta.
It depends on your definition of healthy. Jer seasoning contains a lot of amazing spices and herbs. However, many store-bought brands contain a ton of salt or additives. This is why I find it better to use homemade jerk seasoning instead.
Juicy Gluten-Free Jerk Chicken
Equipment
- 1 Large cast iron pan
Ingredients
- 4-6 chicken thighs bone in, skin on
- 3 tbsp. jerk seasoning
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. kosher salt plus more for seasoning
- ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper plus more for seasoning
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- ½ yellow medium onion chopped
- 2 tbsp. minced garlic
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 15 oz red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup coconut milk unsweetened
- 1 cup bone broth
- 2-3 bay leaf
Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl and jerk seasoning, cinnamon, in a large bowl.
- Toss until the chicken is well-coated.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
- Add the oil in a 10-inch oven-safe skillet.
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it is simmering.
- Add your seasoned chicken skin-side down and cook for 6-7 minutes till the skin is golden brown and crispy.
- Flip the chicken and cook for 3 minutes.
- Remove the chicken to a plate; and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Scrape the bottom of the pan to mix the flavors of the chicken fat and oil.
- Add the diced onion to the pan.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and stir to combine, 1 minute more.
- Add the rice, beans.
- Stir to combine.
- Add the coconut milk, chicken broth, and bay leaves.
- Bring to a boil, and keep the boil rolling for five minutes while stirring to combine. The sauce will thicken a bit.
- Add the chicken skin-side up on top of the rice.
- Top each chicken with a thyme sprig.
- Place the pan with the chicken and rice in the oven 20 to 25 minutes.
- Discard the bay leaf and serve the rice with the chicken.
Video
Notes
- Any jerk marinade will work for the recipe but I like to use a homemade jerk spice as I find the flavors more powerful.
- Thighs with the bone in work best for this recipe as boneless thighs tend to overcook and get too juicy.
- Serve the one pot jerk chicken as is or with a side of roasted veggies, tomato salad, or even candied brussels sprouts.
- The recipe makes 4-6 servings depending on size. Nutrition is based on 5 servings.
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
Shelby aka Mama Bear
Jane
This meal was abslutely delicious! I love that it was a complete meal and the flavors were incredible. I also loved that it used coconut milk instead of dairy. Delicious!
fitasamamabear
Happy to hear you loved it!
Wendy
I love that this is a whole meal all in one skillet! Makes dinner so easy and jerk seasoning is really just the best when it comes to flavor. The chicken was super juicy and tender and the rice and beans just perfectly cooked.
fitasamamabear
One skillet dinners are sanity savers lol
holly
My family loved this one-pot meal! We used a prmade jerk seasoning and it turned out great, but I am going to try your homemade seasoning next time. Thanks for the great recipe.
fitasamamabear
I love homemade seasoning but store-bought is great when you're missing ingredients lol
Jennifer
As someone who's new to gluten-free cooking, I was a bit intimidated, but this recipe was easy to follow. The end result was a delicious, satisfying meal that I'll be making again and again.
fitasamamabear
This makes my heart happy! If you ever have GF questions don't hesitate to ask!
Tia
I decided to give this recipe a try because you said it was great as leftovers and you're totally right! It was just as good the second day when I took it for my lunch. Thanks for the great recipe idea!
fitasamamabear
I personally love it more the next day lol