Opening the recipe box…
Greatest plates · Main
Jamaican Curry Chicken with Rice and Peas
Tender chicken thighs braised in fragrant Jamaican curry powder and Scotch bonnet heat, served with coconut rice and kidney beans — the classic 'rice and peas'. A hearty, high-protein dinner for four.
Serves 6Prep 20 minCook 45 minChicken
Containscoconut
Protein 20%Carbs 38%Fat 42%
About 745 kcal a serve — 38 g protein, 72 g carbs, 35 g fat. Each segment is that macro's share of the calories, within about 10%.
Ingredients
Serves 6
Method
Season the chicken
prepIn a large bowl, toss the chicken chunks with 2 tablespoons of the curry powder, the salt and ground allspice. Leave to marinate while you prepare the aromatics.
In the bowlMarinade →
marinate 15 min
Bloom the spices
cookHeat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon curry powder and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the onion, garlic, ginger, spring onions and thyme. Cook 4–5 minutes until softened.
In the potAromatics →
medium, 5 min
Brown the chicken
cookTurn heat to medium-high and add the marinated chicken. Brown for 5–6 minutes, stirring, until sealed all over.
In the potSear →
medium-high, 6 min
Braise the curry
cookAdd the potatoes, whole Scotch bonnet and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 25–30 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened. Remove the chilli before serving.
In the potBraise →
low, 30 min
Start the rice and peas
prepIn a separate saucepan combine the rinsed rice, coconut milk, water, kidney beans, crushed garlic, thyme and salt. Stir well.
In the saucepanRice base →
combine
Cook the rice
cookBring to a boil, then reduce to the lowest heat, cover tightly and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it steam, covered, for another 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
low, 20 min
Serve
serveSpoon the rice and peas onto plates and top with the curry chicken and plenty of sauce.
Cook's noteFor less heat, keep the Scotch bonnet whole and lift it out early — piercing it releases more fire. Soaked dried kidney beans are traditional if you have time.
Estimated per serve
745 kcal · 38 g protein · 72 g carbs · 35 g fatestimates, within ~10%
Every recipe in KalaPlate reads like this.
A whole library of them — plus a weekly plan built around your household's rules, a shopping list that writes itself, and a plate guide for anyone tracking. Allergies are enforced, never filtered.
More recipes like this
Browse every recipeGrilled Jerk Chicken with Mango Avocado Salsa
Jamaican · Main
Provençal Ratatouille with White Beans & Crusty Bread
French · Main
Chickpea and spinach curry with fluffy rice
Indian · Main
Crispy Buttermilk Chicken Burger with Slaw
Australian / modern · Main