A Calculated Whisk

Creative paleo and gluten-free recipes

Mango Jerk Chicken + How to Cook Rice on the Grill

By 31 Comments

This post is sponsored by Cost Plus World Market.

Marinated Jerk Chicken + How to Cook Rice on the Grill

This mango jerk chicken is extra delicious thanks to mango juice in the marinade, and the whole meal is super simple because the rice is cooked on the grill, too!

While it technically won’t be summer for another month, it’s already felt like summer here in Chattanooga for several weeks. Ben and I got the grill set up at our new place, and I’m eager to cook as many meals as possible entirely outside. It’s so much easier to keep the kitchen clean and cool when you make your whole meal on the grill! For this dinner, we’re marinating chicken breasts in jerk seasoning and a generous glug of mango juice, and pairing them with rice cooked on the grill and then mixed with fresh mango, cilantro, and peas.

I always have so much fun shopping at Cost Plus World Market Hamilton Place–since there are so many gourmet food items, beautiful linens, kitchen essentials, and tableware all in one spot, it is pretty hard to get me out of there once I walk in. And of course, they have everything you need for grilling. They’re also often sampling something delicious to sip or nibble on while you shop. Thanks to the samples, I got to make sure this mango juice was super tasty before I bought it! You can find your local Cost Plus World Market store here.

Mango Jerk Chicken + How to Cook Rice on the Grill

For the mango jerk chicken, we’re whipping up a simple marinade with just the right balance of flavors. It gets spice and heat from the jerk marinade, richness from the olive oil, sweetness from the mango juice and honey, and a hint of tart from the Pickapeppa sauce. You’ll want to marinate the chicken for at least two hours, but longer is better so it can soak up more of that distinctive Jamaican jerk flavor. Once it’s done marinating, we’re grilling the chicken until just cooked through–I recommend a meat thermometer to make sure you don’t overdo it!

We’re making rice on the grill, too! Until I started researching this post, I had no idea how to make rice on the grill. However, I soon found that it works beautifully. Cast iron is ideal because it’s so sturdy that the grill won’t do any damage to it. It’s a good idea to cover your skillet with heavy duty foil to keep the air in. Other than that, it’s almost exactly the same as cooking rice on a stovetop! Just put the rice in the skillet with sea salt, a little ghee or butter if desired, and water. We’re using a little extra water compared to stovetop to make sure the rice is moist enough, and also because a little bit of it may slosh out during transfer. After 15-20 minutes on the grill, the rice will be fluffy and perfect! Stir some fresh cilantro and mango and defrosted peas right into the hot rice, and your side dish is ready to go.

You may have noticed in these photos that I cooked the rice and chicken one at a time–it’s because I have a very small tabletop grill! However, with an average-sized grill, you’d definitely be able to do both at once. I did the rice first and it stayed nice and hot under the foil while I grilled up the chicken.

Doesn’t this meal just scream summer? The spicy chicken is so good with the pops of sweet mango and fresh cilantro in the rice. I really hope you give this one a try!

Looking for more tips on outdoor entertaining for summer? Check out this video from Cost Plus World Market in partnership with Brandi Milloy.

Shop this post: World Market Extra Virgin Olive Oil | Walkerswood Jerk Marinade | Ceres Mango Fruit Juice | Pickapeppa Sauce | Dunya Harvest White Basmati Rice | Aqua Henley Salad Plates | Charcoal Element Plates | Orange Jali Diamond Napkins | Olivewood Salad Servers

Marinated Jerk Chicken + How to Cook Rice on the Grill

Mango Jerk Chicken + How to Cook Rice on the Grill

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

For the jerk chicken:

  • 1 tablespoon World Market Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for brushing the grill
  • 1/4 cup Walkerswood Spicy Jamaican Jerk Marinade
  • 1/2 cup Ceres Mango Juice
  • 1 tablespoon Pickapeppa Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 2 pounds)

For the rice:

  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon ghee or butter (optional)
  • 1 3/4 cup water
  • 3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
  • 1 medium mango, diced
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

  1. ***NOTE: Prep time listed is hands-on time and does not include time for the chicken to marinate (at least 2 hours).***
  2. Whisk together the olive oil, jerk marinade, mango juice, pickapeppa sauce, and honey in a large bowl. Add the chicken breasts and turn to coat them on all sides. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to a day.
  3. To make the rice, preheat the grill to medium-high (between 375°F and 400°F). Place the rice, sea salt, ghee, and water in a medium cast iron skillet and cover tightly with heavy duty foil. Put the skillet on the grill, close the lid, and cook for 15-20 minutes, until most of the water has been absorbed and the rice is cooked to your liking. After checking the rice for doneness, cover the skillet back up and let the rice rest for five minutes. Stir in the peas, mango, and cilantro and keep covered until ready to serve.
  4. When the rice has been cooking for about 5 minutes, brush the grates with a little olive oil and place the chicken breasts on the grill. Discard the marinade. Grill the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side, or until just cooked through (the thickest part of the breast should measure 165°F on a meat thermometer). Transfer to a plate and let rest for five minutes. Serve the chicken hot alongside the rice.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 585Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 118mgSodium: 1799mgCarbohydrates: 44gFiber: 3gSugar: 25gProtein: 43g

The nutrition label provided is an estimate for informational purposes only and may not be accurate. I am not a nutritionist or medical professional.

© Becky Winkler
Cuisine: Jamaican / Category: Gluten free, Dinner, Chicken, Grilling

This post is sponsored by Cost Plus World Market. Thank you so much for supporting the sponsors that keep A Calculated Whisk up and running!

Comments

  8. Michele Spring says

    You think you’ve heard of everything and then you hear of cooking rice on the grill – what a genius idea. Definitely going to have to try that out, and definitely going to be eating this gorgeous looking chicken soon!

    Reply

  14. Renee says

    Oh gosh why haven’t I ever thought to do the rice on the grill! Sheesh! That is so cool! Thanks for the great dinner idea!

    Reply

  16. Julia Mueller says

    I loooove me some jerk chicken and am so ready for grilling season! I never thought to make rice on a grill..this is such a great tutorial! Thanks for the summer grilling inspiration 🙂

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

my healthy aperture gallery
rodelle brand ambassador

Privacy Policy

All text and photographs (c) Rebecca Winkler 2013-2020 unless otherwise noted.

Skip to Recipe