caribbean jerk chicken rice bean bowls

Wouldn’t it be super neat if you could eat a certain food and it would transport you to the place of its origin? Like if this Caribbean jerk chicken transported me right to a sunny Caribbean beach. That would be just super neat. Just so super duper neat. Just so very — but OH HAI REAL LIFE and your lack of sunny Caribbean beaches.

Real life may not be so super neat, but at least it still includes these tasty, filling and healthy chicken, bean and rice bowls. And I suppose that will suffice (for now).

mixing ingredients to make jerk seasoning

What is also real life, however, is that I actually am going on a trip! It may not be to a sunny beach, but it is to a place where I hear the beer and the chicken and waffles situations can’t be beat. The husband and I are headed to Asheville, North Carolina this week for our first baby-free vacation since, well, baby. And while we are THISEXCITED to go, we are also a little bit nervous/anxious/sad about leaving the little one behind for a few days. So I’ll probably be drowning my sorrows in beer/maple syrup on my chicken and waffles.

close up caribbean jerk chicken

And because I’m expecting to eat and drink as many chicken and waffles and beers as one can possibly handle (you’d be surprised how much that is for me), I’m bookending each side of the trip with this healthful bowlful of chicken, bean and rice goodness. The chicken is marinated in a sweet-spicy Caribbean jerk rub, then baked and shredded. You add it to a bowl along with warm, fluffy rice and tender, flavorful Bob’s Red Mill Orca beans (named as such because of their beautiful black-and-white speckled appearance). Add a quick mango-bell pepper-scallion medley and drizzle on a lime vinaigrette and BAM — your bowl and your belly are ready.

caribbean jerk chicken bean rice bowls

Though there are a few components to the bowls, they’re really easy to make and with a little prep, they can become your new favorite weeknight dinner. Serve them with extra lime juice and chopped scallions, warm or at room temperature, in your home or on a sunny Caribbean beach — whatever works for you. And if you have any extra Orca beans leftover to use up, I recommend adding them into a soup or a salad or eating them on their own tossed with a little extra lime vinaigrette. If you have any extra jerk chicken, you can do the same with it.

And while it’s important to note that there are a myriad of options to use up the leftovers, don’t be surprised if you end up with none. One bite of this filling and flavorful dinner and you might find yourself consuming as much of this meal as I will be chicken/waffles/beer in a day out east.

caribbean jerk chicken bean rice bowls

But seriously, if we can figure out a way to get this to transport us all to the beach, let’s make that happen, too.

P.S. Do you have any recommendations for what we should do out in Asheville? Places to eat, things to do, etc. etc.? We are definitely hitting up the Biltmore Estate (duh) and probably this brewery, too, but any more ideas are most welcome! Kthanksbyyyyyye.

Caribbean Jerk Chicken, Bean and Rice Bowls

An easy recipe for Caribbean jerk chicken with beans and rice and a lime vinaigrette. A heart, healthy dinner or lunch!
Servings: 4 servings
caribbean jerk chicken bowl
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Marinating Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 50 minutes
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Ingredients 

For the chicken:

  • 3 scallions, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon allspice
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon white vinegar
  • 2 pounds chicken breasts, boneless, skinless

For the bowls:

  • 1 cup Orca beans, rinsed and cooked according to package directions
  • 1 cup white rice, cooked according to package directions
  • ½ cup fresh mango, chopped
  • ½ cup red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 to 3 scallions, chopped
  • Lime wedges, for serving

For the lime vinaigrette:

Instructions 

  • Prepare the chicken: In a food processor, puree scallions, garlic, brown sugar, allspice, thyme, salt, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, pepper, oil and vinegar until smooth. Place chicken breasts in a shallow dish and pour marinade evenly on top. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
  • Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Transfer chicken to prepared baking sheet and bake 20 minutes until cooked through. Use two forks to shred chicken.
  • Prepare bowls: Divide beans, rice and chicken among 4 bowls. In a small, bowl, toss mango and bell pepper to combine. Divide evenly among bowls. Top bowls with chopped scallions.
  • In a resealable jar, combine ingredients for lime vinaigrette and shake vigorously. Pour vinaigrette over bowls. Serve with lime wedges.

Nutrition

Calories: 790kcal, Carbohydrates: 63g, Protein: 57g, Fat: 34g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 22g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 145mg, Sodium: 1160mg, Potassium: 1260mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 1283IU, Vitamin C: 40mg, Calcium: 102mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Disclosure: I received compensation from Bob’s Red Mill for recipe development purposes. All opinions are my own.

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Stephanie Wise

Stephanie Wise is the founder and creator of Girl Versus Dough. She started sharing her bread baking adventures and recipes in 2009. Her love of bread only deepened as her skills and knowledge expanded. What began as a place to try others recipes quickly became a collection of her own creations!

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20 Comments

  1. Stephanie says:

    Audra — We LOVE Asheville! Can’t wait to go back! And how cool that you’re a PA, too! 🙂

  2. Audra says:

    We just got back from Asheville (stayed in lake toxaway but went to Asheville for a few days). New Belgium brewery is AWESOME! So awesome we went twice lol! Also we loved Rhubarb for dinner. White duck taco shop is also fantastic. Have a wonderful time! Love your recipes! Also shout out to your PA hubby! I’m a hematology/oncology PA ????

  3. verena says:

    Looks awesome! I never had caribbean jerk chicken, bean + rice bowls… but the way you put all the ingredients together makes me try it! Thanks!

  4. Rami @ Tasteaholics says:

    Wowow! That jerk chicken looks amazing and your pictures are simply beautiful. Thanks for the recipe! Pinned 🙂

  5. JULIE says:

    Wow this looks SO SO good! I just started back to work this week and I can see this being a great and healthy mid day pick me up for lunch! TY TY again Stefanie! Have oodles of fun in Asheville!

  6. Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie says:

    I am completely on board with the things in bowls trend. This looks lovely.

  7. Jennie @onesweetmess says:

    To travel the world bite by bite; too bad that isn’t a real thing. I saw this in my Pinterest feed and knew I had to stop by. Those spices! Girl, this looks delicious.

  8. Lauren @ Climbing Grier Mountain says:

    You guys are going to have a blast!! I’m a little jelly:) But I think making this jerk chicken will cure my wanderlust!

  9. Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction says:

    Love Asheville! So many great places to eat! I hope you have a great trip!

  10. Erica says:

    This is right up my alley! Yum! I’m guessing the chicken can be cooked in a slow cooker too?