Jamaican Beans and Rice

Ingredients

• 2-4 chicken thighs, skin on and bone in are OK
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil or other cooking oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 1/2 cups long grain brown rice
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 cups chicken broth (or 2 cups chicken broth and water)
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans or dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• salt and black pepper

optional

• 1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed (optional) or 1 cup fresh spinach (optional) or 1/2 cup broccoli floret (optional) or green beans (optional) or frozen mixed vegetables (optional)

Directions

1. 1

   Heat the oil in a deep skillet or medium sized saucepan with a good lid to medium high.

2. 2

   Salt and pepper the chicken thighs and place them in the pan, skin side down.

3. 3

   Brown both sides of the chicken thighs and then remove from the pan and keep warm.

4. 4

   Adjust the fat in the pan by removing some or adding some and add onions to the fat in the pan.

5. 5

   Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme and curry powder and saute until they start to soften.

6. 6

   Add rice and stir to coat the rice with the oil and seasonings.

7. 7

   Add the liquid to the pan and raise heat to high.

8. 8

   Scrape the bottom of the pan to get up the crusty bits and incorporate everything together.

9. 9

   When the pot boils nestle the browned chicken into the rice and put the lid on the pan.

10. 10

    Turn heat down to low and let simmer for 45 minutes or until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through.

11. 11

    Remove chicken from the rice and remove skin and bones.

12. 12

    Shred meat and return to the rice.

13. 13

    Add beans and any vegetables, stir to combine and let sit over low heat to warm the beans and vegetables.

14. 14

    Serve with pineapple or mango chutney and a big green salad!