This colorful one-pan dinner pairs crisp-edged Jamaican jerk chicken with coconut-fried quinoa that browns in the pan, sweet caramelized fried plantains, juicy pineapple, and crunchy roasted macadamia nuts for contrast.
It comes together on the stovetop in about 50 minutes, making it a great weeknight meal or meal-prep bowl—serve hot with chopped cilantro and green onions while the quinoa is nutty and the plantains are glossy and caramelized.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Bright Caribbean flavors meet fast stovetop technique: the coconut milk gives the quinoa a silky, subtle-sweet backbone while pan-fried plantains and toasted macadamias add sweet caramel and crunchy contrast. For a pineapple-forward accompaniment, try a fermented pineapple refresher like Guarapo de Piña (Fermented Pineapple Juice) alongside it.
This recipe balances sweet, spicy, and nutty textures in a single skillet—perfect for feeding a family or making ahead for lunches.
Ingredients You’ll Need
How to Make It
- Make the quinoa: in a medium pot combine the coconut milk and water and bring to a low boil. Add the quinoa, stir, cover, reduce heat to the lowest setting, and cook on low for 20-25 minutes. After 20 minutes remove the lid, fluff the quinoa with a fork, and set aside.
- Marinate the chicken: in a medium bowl add the chicken, curry powder, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, ketchup, and molasses. Toss well to coat and set aside so the flavors can meld while you cook other components.
- Heat oil for frying: in a heavy large skillet or wok melt 1/4 cup coconut oil over medium-high heat, ensuring the oil covers the pan; add more oil if the pan is not fully coated.
- Fry the plantains: when a drop of water sizzles in the oil, add the plantain slices and cook until the bottom is golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Carefully flip and brown the other side until beginning to caramelize, another 2-3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and set aside.
- Sear the vegetables and pineapple: if needed add 1 tablespoon more coconut oil to the skillet. Add the diced red bell peppers, chopped banana pepper, and diced pineapple; cook 3-5 minutes until peppers are seared and pineapple is slightly caramelized. Add the garlic and ginger and toss 30 seconds, then remove the vegetables and pineapple to a plate.
- Cook the chicken and eggs: add another tablespoon of oil and arrange the chicken in a single layer. Stir-fry 5-6 minutes until crisped and cooked through, then move the chicken to the plate with the vegetables. If needed add another tablespoon of oil, then add the beaten eggs, season with pepper, and stir constantly until almost set but still moist. Transfer the eggs to a bowl and break into pieces.
- Fry the quinoa: add 1 more tablespoon of oil to the pan and about half of the cooked quinoa, tossing to coat; add the remaining quinoa and toss again. Cook about 3 minutes, tossing often, until warmed through and beginning to brown.
- Finish and garnish: add the fresh orange juice, soy sauce, and lime juice to the quinoa and toss. Cook another 3 minutes until the quinoa browns slightly. Return the cooked vegetables, pineapple, and chicken to the pan and heat through. Remove from heat and toss in the toasted coconut (if using), roasted macadamia nuts, and chopped cilantro; garnish with chopped green onions before serving.
Caramelize the Plantains
Caramelized plantains add the sweet counterpoint to the savory, spiced chicken and nutty quinoa. Quick pan-frying in coconut oil gives them glossy, golden edges while keeping the centers tender.
Fry them first and set aside so the pan retains flavorful fond for the rest of the dish.
- Use ripe plantains (yellow with black spots) for sweetness and better caramelization.
- Maintain medium-high heat so the plantain slices brown quickly without absorbing excess oil.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan—work in batches if needed to keep good contact with the skillet.
Toast Coconut & Macadamia
Toasted coconut and roasted macadamias bring toasty aroma and crunch that make the finished bowl interesting and satisfying.
Toast the coconut just before you finish cooking so it stays crisp when folded into the warm quinoa.
- Toast unsweetened coconut in a dry skillet over medium until golden, stirring constantly, 1-3 minutes.
- If your macadamias aren’t roasted, toast them briefly in the same pan until fragrant, then roughly chop for easier eating.
Quick Coconut-Quinoa Technique
Cooking the quinoa in coconut milk then pan-frying it briefly gives it both creaminess and a nutty, slightly toasted finish that reads like fried rice.
Fluff the quinoa after 20 minutes of low simmering, then use small batches in the hot skillet so it browns evenly.
- Cook quinoa covered on the lowest setting for 20-25 minutes, then fluff with a fork and let it steam briefly before frying.
- Pan-fry quinoa in warmed oil in two stages (half, then the rest) so each grain gets exposed to the hot surface and browns.
Tips for Success
Plantain ripeness: Use ripe plantains (yellow with black spots) for the best caramelization and sweetness—green plantains won’t caramelize the same way.
Chicken → Shrimp swap: To swap to seafood, use 1 pound shelled shrimp (as noted in the recipe). Add shrimp after the vegetables and cook just until opaque to avoid overcooking.
Toast the coconut: Toast unsweetened coconut in a dry skillet over medium, stirring, until golden and fragrant—do this just before finishing the dish to keep it crisp.
Lower the sodium: Use reduced-sodium soy sauce to cut salt without losing the savory depth that seasons the quinoa.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Make-Ahead & Storage
Make components ahead: cook the quinoa and store it refrigerated for up to 4 days, and fry plantains the day of serving for best texture. Assemble and reheat the whole skillet later to combine flavors.
For freezer meals, cool completely before packaging; freeze up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating on the stovetop for best results.
Jamaican Jerk Chicken, Fried Plantain and Coconut Fried Quinoa with Macadamia Nuts.
Equipment
- medium pot
- medium bowl
- large skillet or wok
- fork
- spatula or wooden spoon
- paper towels
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- 2 plantains ripe, sliced into rounds
- 1/2 cup coconut oil divided
- 1 pound chicken breast cut into bite size chunks (or use 1 pound shelled shrimp)
- 2 teaspoons curry powder spicy
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 tablespoon ginger fresh, grated
- 2 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 2 red bell peppers diced (or 1 orange and 1 red pepper)
- 1 banana pepper chopped
- 1/2 cup pineapple fresh, diced
- 2 eggs slightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons orange juice fresh
- 1/4 cup soy sauce use reduced sodium for less salt
- 1 lime juiced
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut toasted (optional)
- 1/2 cup cilantro fresh, chopped
- 4 green onions chopped
- 1/2 cup macadamia nuts roasted
Instructions
- Make the quinoa: in a medium pot combine the coconut milk and water and bring to a low boil. Add the quinoa, stir, cover, reduce heat to the lowest setting, and cook on low for 20-25 minutes. After 20 minutes remove the lid, fluff the quinoa with a fork, and set aside.
- Marinate the chicken: in a medium bowl add the chicken, curry powder, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, ketchup, and molasses. Toss well to coat and set aside.
- Heat oil: in a heavy large skillet or wok melt 1/4 cup coconut oil over medium-high heat, making sure the oil covers the bottom of the pan; add more oil if needed.
- Fry the plantains: when a drop of water sizzles in the oil, add the plantain slices and cook until the bottom is golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and brown the other side until slightly caramelized, another 2-3 minutes. Remove to paper towels to drain and set aside.
- Sear the vegetables and pineapple: if needed, add 1 tablespoon more coconut oil to the skillet. Add the red bell peppers, banana pepper, and pineapple and cook 3-5 minutes until the red pepper is seared and the pineapple is slightly caramelized. Add the garlic and ginger and toss about 30 seconds, taking care not to burn. Remove the vegetables and pineapple to a plate.
- Cook the chicken and eggs: add another tablespoon of oil to the pan and add the chicken in a single layer. Stir-fry the chicken 5-6 minutes until crisped and cooked through, then remove to the plate with the vegetables. If needed add another tablespoon of coconut oil, then add the beaten eggs, season with pepper, and stir constantly until almost set but still moist. Transfer the eggs to a bowl and break up with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Fry the quinoa: add 1 more tablespoon of oil to the pan and add about half the quinoa, tossing to coat; then add the remaining quinoa and toss again. Cook about 3 minutes, tossing often, until warmed through.
- Finish and garnish: add the orange juice, soy sauce, and lime juice to the quinoa and toss. Cook another 3 minutes until the quinoa has browned slightly. Add the cooked vegetables, pineapple, and chicken back into the pan and cook until heated through. Remove from heat and toss in the toasted coconut (if using), roasted macadamia nuts, and chopped cilantro; garnish with chopped green onions.
