Rice and Beans Chicken Pot Under a Lid

Prep Pat chicken dry and rub with 0.5 tsp salt, pepper, and half the smoked paprika. Dice onion. Mince garlic, ginger, and scotch bonnet. Dice tomato. Slice scallions on the bias. Pick fresh thyme leaves. Cut lime into wedges. Soak black-eyed peas in hot tap water 20 minutes while you prep the rest, then drain.

Sear Heat 2 tbsp neutral oil in a heavy oven-safe lidded pot over medium-high 90 seconds. Lay chicken skin-side down and sear 5 minutes without moving, until skin is deep mahogany and crackled. Flip and sear 2 minutes more. Lift chicken to a plate.

Build 1 Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to the same pot and cook 3 minutes until soft. Stir in garlic, ginger, scotch bonnet, remaining smoked paprika, cumin, dried thyme, bay leaf, nutmeg, and remaining 0.5 tsp salt 90 seconds until fragrant. Add tomato and tomato paste 60 seconds until tomato breaks down.

Build 2 Tear open the tea bag and tip leaves into the pot. Add drained black-eyed peas and rice. Pour in chicken stock and stir once to combine. Nest chicken thigh skin-side up into the rice.

Simmer Cover with a heavy lid or double layer of foil. Reduce heat to lowest setting and braise 35 minutes without lifting the lid, until chicken is tender, rice is just tender, and the pot smells smoky-spiced.

Build 3 Lift the lid and check the rice. If too wet, raise heat to medium 90 seconds uncovered to drive off excess liquid. Rest off the heat 5 minutes covered.

Plate Lift bay leaf out. Spoon waakye rice and beans into a wide shallow bowl, set chicken thigh on top, scatter scallions and fresh thyme generously, drizzle remaining 1 tbsp neutral oil for gloss, and serve with lime wedges for squeezing.