Caribbean Rice & Beans with Chicken

 

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

  ½ onion diced

  ½ red bell pepper diced ( you could add a jar of diced pimento if you don’t have a red pepper)

  1 or 2 cloves garlic minced

  2 cups cooked brown rice or rice of choice

  1 can black beans riced and drained

  ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

  ¼ teaspoon paprika

  ½ teaspoon jerk seasoning * (I made my own)

  ½ teaspoon cayenne, more or less depending on your tastes

  1-2 teaspoons hot sauce, again to taste

  1 teaspoon chicken base

  2 cups cooked chicken chopped (I had leftover baked boneless chicken breast, which had been baked with salt, pepper, paprika, and lemon pepper)

  1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

  2 tablespoons chopped parsley

   

  In a large skillet melt coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and red pepper and cook until very soft. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute more. Then add in the rice, black beans, all the seasonings, hot sauce, and chicken base and cook for 2 minutes.  Lastly, add the cooked chicken and stirring cook just until the chicken is hot. Stir in the fresh lime juice and parsley and serve.  This recipe serves 3.

   

  It was a cold wet night and the mixed green salad topped with leftover chicken just did not sound good. So, when I saw a can of black beans and some brown rice in the pantry, I don’t know why but I suddenly thought I will try to make up a type of Caribbean Rice but add the chicken for protein. After looking at a few recipes I just started pulling ingredients I thought would work for our tastes.  The cinnamon, cloves, and allspice gave this recipe that bit of Caribbean sweetness.  We loved this recipe; it was fun and different! Even though we added all the cayenne and hot sauce listed because of the rice and beans, this was not very spicy. For our tastes next time we will double the cayenne!

   

  *Jerk Seasoning

  1 tablespoon onion powder

  1 tablespoon garlic powder

  2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

  2 teaspoons salt

  2 teaspoons ground black pepper

  2 teaspoons dried thyme (or use 1 teaspoon ground thyme)

  2 teaspoons sugar

  1 teaspoon ground allspice

  1 teaspoon dried parsley

  1 teaspoon paprika

  1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes

  1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  ½ teaspoon ground clove

  1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

   

  Mix it all and store it in an airtight container. Use as needed.