Trinidad Pelau Recipe (One-Pot Chicken and Rice)
Pelau is Trinidad's beloved one-pot dish: chicken caramelized in burnt sugar, then cooked with rice, pigeon peas, and coconut milk until every grain is coated in a rich, savory glaze. It is the taste of beach limes and family gatherings across Trinidad and Tobago.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken, cut into pieces
- 3 tbsp Chief Green Seasoning
- 2 tbsp brown sugar (for the burnt sugar base — or 2 tbsp browning as a shortcut)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 can (13.5 oz) Grace Coconut Milk
- 2 cups parboiled or long-grain rice, rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) pigeon peas (gandules), drained — or black-eyed peas
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1/2 sweet pepper, chopped
- 1 whole hot pepper (Scotch bonnet or habanero), uncut
- Salt, black pepper, and a dash of Bertie's Pepper Sauce to finish
Preparation
1. Season the chicken. Rub with green seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Rest at least 1 hour.
2. Burn the sugar. Heat the oil in a heavy pot and sprinkle in the brown sugar. Let it melt and foam until it turns a deep amber — almost burnt, but not black. This caramel is the soul of pelau.
3. Sear the chicken. Add the chicken to the caramel and stir to coat every piece. Cook 8–10 minutes until the meat takes on the color.
4. Build the pot. Add onion, garlic, carrot, and sweet pepper; cook 2 minutes. Stir in the rice and peas to coat them in the oil and caramel.
5. Cook. Pour in the coconut milk plus about 1 1/2 cups water. Lay the whole pepper on top, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25–30 minutes. Rest 10 minutes, remove the pepper, and fluff.
Tips
- Watch the sugar: amber is flavor; black is bitter. Have the chicken ready before you start.
- Parboiled rice holds up best and keeps the grains separate.
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