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There is nothing I love more than a quick weeknight dinner full of flavour.
My mom is from Trinidad and so growing up with a West Indian mom meant eating a lot of Trinidadian and Guyense food.
One of my favourite dishes has always been chicken pelau.
It was easy to make and also smelt so delicious.
How to Make It
Heat the oil in a big, heavy pot (one that has a lid – you’ll need it later) over medium heat.
Add in the white sugar and let it melt.
You want it to get a good colour so that it comes out the right colour.
This means leaving it alone completely and letting it get the colour it needs.
It also means leaving it longer than you think you should.
Once, it starts getting to this colour, then you are working with some real flavour.
It will almost look burnt, but it is flavour.
You do not want to touch it or stir it at all, or it will not work properly.
Once it’s that perfect burnt color, add the chicken.
Stir it around so that every piece gets coated in that sweet, sticky goodness.
Let it cook for 5-6 minutes until the chicken gets a little colour – we’re not fully cooking it yet, just building flavour.
Then, dump in the rinsed rice and give it a good stir, letting it soak up all those delicious flavours in the pot for about a minute.
The rice and the chicken will pick up on all of that flavour!
Once your rice is in the pot, you will have to stir it more frequently, otherwise, the rice and chicken will stick to the bottom of the pot.
It will be done once all of the liquid is gone in the pot.
Then, I top it off with some homemade pepper sauce to add a little spice to the chicken pelau.
History
My mom makes this recipe often, but growing up, my grandma was usually the one who made this on weeknights.
We were very lucky growing up because we lived with our grandmother, who showed us many Trinidadian recipes.
It is what made me want to start cooking.
That is how it started in my house, but I wanted to look into the history of pelau itself because the West Indies have always been fascinating to me because of the diverse populations that all live throughout the Caribbean.
Alright, so let me break down the story of chicken pelau in Trinidad.
Pelau is the ultimate Trini one-pot wonder.
It’s rice, meat (usually chicken), and just the right amount of burnt sugar (that’s the browning) to give it that deep, rich color and flavour.
But where did it come from?
Well, like most things in Trinidad, it’s a mix of cultures throwing a big, delicious party in a pot.
Pelau’s origins tie back to West Africa, where one-pot rice dishes were (and still are) a big deal.
Enslaved Africans brought their cooking techniques to the Caribbean, including the art of slow-cooking rice with whatever meat and veggies were around.
But here’s the thing, Trinidad added its own spin.
Then came the French in the late 1700s, fleeing Haiti after the revolution.
They brought their love for pilaf.
But in true Trinidadian fashion, they didn’t just copy it; they seasoned it up.
When laborers from India came in the 1800s, they brought dhal, rice, and spices.
That’s why Trinidadian pelau often has pigeon peas (or sometimes chickpeas).
We don’t make it with the peas in my house because my mom doesn’t like them.
Other than that, it is a pretty true Trinidadian recipe that we all love in my house!
Chicken Pelau
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts cubed
- 1 packet Sazon seasoning or 1 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, paprika
- 2 tbsp Adobo seasoning or 1 tbsp salt + 1 tsp black pepper, garlic powder, oregano
- ½ yellow onion chopped
- 3 green onions scallions, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp white sugar for caramelizing
- 2 cups long-grain rice rinsed well
- 2 cups chicken stock plus extra if needed
- 1 tbsp cooking oil neutral like canola or vegetable
- 1 tsp butter optional, for richness
- Fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized cubes. Toss with Adobo, Sazon, chopped onions, and green onions. Let sit 15 mins (or up to 2 hours if time allows).
- Heat oil in a large, heavy pot (with a lid) over medium heat.Add white sugar and let it melt. Once it turns a burnt colour (about 4-5 mins), add chicken. Stir well to coat the chicken in the caramelized sugar. Cook for 5-6 mins until lightly browned.
- Add rinsed rice, stirring to toast it slightly in the flavors. Pour in chicken stock, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat, cover, and simmer for 20-25 mins (until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed).
- Turn off heat, fluff rice gently, and let sit covered for 5-10 mins.