A one-pot coconut rice bake with seared chicken, reflecting the coconut-forward cooking common along Nigeria's southern coast.
Coconut milk shows up regularly in the cooking of Nigeria's coastal regions, lending rice dishes a rich, slightly sweet backbone that pairs naturally with chicken, fish or vegetables. This traybake takes that coconut rice base and builds a full one-pot dinner around it, searing the chicken first before nestling it into the rice to bake together. The technique that carries the dish is searing the chicken before it goes anywhere near the rice — that browned crust leaves behind flavorful fond in the pot that seasons the rice as everything bakes together, and it keeps the chicken skin from turning flabby under a lid. Keeping the pot tightly covered throughout the bake is equally important, trapping the steam that fully cooks the rice. It's an easy, mostly hands-off dinner that brings a coastal Nigerian flavor combination into a format built for a busy weeknight.
Serves 4
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss the drumsticks with half the curry powder, thyme, salt and 1 tbsp oil.
Heat remaining oil in an oven-safe pot or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on all sides, about 8 minutes, then remove.
In the same pot, add onion, garlic and scotch bonnet, cooking 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the rice, remaining curry powder and salt, toasting 1 minute.
Pour in the coconut milk and stock, stir well, then nestle the chicken pieces on top along with the mixed vegetables.
Cover tightly with a lid or foil and bake 35-40 minutes, until the rice is tender, the liquid is absorbed, and the chicken reaches 165°F internally.
Check the rice at 35 minutes — if it's still a bit firm, add a splash of hot water, re-cover, and bake 5-10 more minutes.
Sear the chicken before baking — this builds flavor in the fond that seasons the rice underneath as it bakes.
Use full-fat coconut milk for the richest result; light coconut milk makes the rice noticeably thinner.
Keep the pot tightly covered throughout baking so the rice steams properly instead of drying out.
Add chunks of sweet potato or plantain to the pot for a heartier one-pot meal.
Swap chicken for firm white fish, added only in the last 15 minutes of baking so it doesn't overcook.
Increase the scotch bonnet for more heat, or omit it entirely for a milder version suitable for kids.
Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat covered with a splash of water in a 350°F oven or on the stovetop.
Coconut rice appears across West African coastal cuisines, and in Nigeria it's commonly paired with chicken or fish, reflecting the widespread use of coconut in cooking along the country's southern coastal regions.
Yes, after searing the chicken and building the rice base, cover and simmer on low heat for about 30-35 minutes instead of baking.
Sear the chicken and build the rice base in a regular pot on the stovetop, then transfer everything to a baking dish before covering and baking.
Add a splash more hot liquid, cover tightly again, and continue baking in 5-minute increments until the rice is fully tender.
Per serving (420g / 14.8 oz) · 4 servings total
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