Trinidad Pelau Chicken and Pigeon Peas

By
Cynthia Nelson
Cynthia Nelson
Cynthia Nelson
Food columnist and blogger Cynthia Nelson is the author of "Tastes Like Home: My Caribbean Cookbook." Living in Barbados, Cynthia shares her love of the diverse food of the islands.
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Updated on 01/16/24
Trinidad pelau chicken with rice and pigeon peas in a serving bowl and individual bowls

The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Prep: 35 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Marinate chicken: 60 mins
Total: 2 hrs 35 mins
Servings: 6 servings

Trini pelau is an iconic recipe from the island of Trinidad that is often made on weekends and when family and friends get together for a lime (Caribbean slang word for get-together). This one-dish meal originating in the French West Indies combines pigeon peas, meat or chicken, and rice along with fresh herbs and coconut milk. The entire dish is then flavored and colored with burnt sugar.

In this recipe, chicken thighs gain that signature Caribbean flavor from the marinade that includes green seasoning, a typical spicy herb mixture similar to sofrito. Pigeon peas are legumes that have a nutty flavor and are frequently paired with rice and other grains. They are available dried, canned, or ground into a flour. Canned pigeon peas can be used in this recipe and are found in most large grocery stores or specialty Indian and Latin food shops.

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Ingredients

  • 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces

  • 2 tablespoons green seasoning

  • 2 teaspoons grated garlic

  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

  • 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, or canola oil

  • 3 tablespoons cane sugar, or brown sugar

  • 2 cups parboiled rice, washed and drained

  • 3/4 cup coarsely chopped onion

  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped red bell pepper

  • 2 cups canned pigeon peas

  • 1 cup diced carrots, optional

  • 2 cups fresh coconut milk

  • 2 cups chicken stock, or water

  • 1 whole Scotch bonnet pepper

  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions, white and green parts

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for chicken and pigeon peas recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  2. In a large bowl, place the chicken, green seasoning, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and ketchup, along with salt and pepper to taste.

    Chicken and seasonings in a large glass bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  3. Toss to mix and coat the chicken with the seasonings. Set aside and let marinate for at least 1 hour.

    Chicken evenly coated with seasonings in a glass bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  4. Pour the oil into a large pot and place over medium-high heat. Let it heat until hot but not smoking.

    Oil in a Dutch oven on a burner

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  5. Make the burnt sugar by sprinkling the cane sugar into the hot oil in an even layer.

    Burnt sugar being stirred with a wooden spoon in a Dutch oven

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  6. Let the sugar melt until it starts to froth and bubble.

    Bubbling melted burnt sugar being stirred with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  7. As soon as the edges of the froth/bubbles start to turn a slight shade darker, immediately add the seasoned chicken. Stir to mix and coat with the burnt sugar.

    Chicken added to Dutch oven with the burnt sugar

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  8. Let cook for 7 to 10 minutes.

    Chicken in burnt sugar liquid in a Dutch oven

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  9. Add the rice and peas to the pot, stir to mix. Cook for 3 minutes.

    Rice stirred into the chicken mixture with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  10. Add the onion, red bell pepper, pigeon peas, and carrots (if using) and cook for 1 minute.

    Onion, red bell pepper, pigeon peas, and carrots stirred into the chicken and rice mixture

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  11. Pour in the coconut milk and the chicken stock or water. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

    Coconut milk covering the chicken mixture in the Dutch oven

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  12. Toss in the whole Scotch bonnet pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil and cover the pot.

    Whole Scotch bonnet pepper placed on top of mixture in the Dutch oven

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  13. Once it reaches a boil, partially remove the lid and continue to boil for an additional 7 to 8 minutes.

    Dutch oven partially covered with a lid

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  14. Cover the pot fully, reduce the heat to low, and let cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed.

    Dutch oven fully covered with a lid

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  15. Sprinkle the green onions on top and fold into the pelau. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper if necessary.

    Chicken mixture with all the liquid absorbed and sprinkled with green onion rings

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  16. Serve hot or at room temperature and enjoy.

    Chicken, rice, and pigeon peas garnished with green onion rings in a serving bowl and individual bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Tips

  • Although called burnt sugar, it should not reach the point of becoming bitter. Make sure to add the chicken as soon as the butter-sugar mixture begins to bubble.
  • Canned pigeon peas will work fine, but the recipe will be even better with fresh.
  • If you don't have fresh coconut milk, you can use canned, but since it is somewhat thick, it is best to dilute it with water before adding it to the dish.

Recipe Variation

Instead of boneless chicken, you can use pieces of chicken on the bone. Just increase the cooking time to make sure the chicken is cooked through.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
705 Calories
31g Fat
43g Carbs
63g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 705
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 31g 40%
Saturated Fat 13g 66%
Cholesterol 278mg 93%
Sodium 783mg 34%
Total Carbohydrate 43g 16%
Dietary Fiber 5g 17%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 63g
Vitamin C 20mg 101%
Calcium 81mg 6%
Iron 5mg 27%
Potassium 1107mg 24%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)