Paleo Jerk Chicken Bowls with Pineapple-Jalapeño Salsa and Cauliflower Rice
Bold Caribbean spice meets clean, whole-food ingredients in this vibrant bowl that serves four and delivers serious flavor without any grains, legumes, or processed shortcuts. The jerk marinade leans on coconut aminos instead of soy sauce and layers allspice, smoked paprika, cinnamon, and cayenne for that signature smoky-sweet heat — no bottled jerk sauce with mystery additives required. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs get seared in a hot skillet until the skin turns deep golden-brown and impossibly crispy, then cook through low and slow so the meat stays juicy all the way to the bone. The cauliflower rice is the real surprise here — cooked in coconut oil and finished with full-fat coconut milk, it turns out creamy and subtly rich rather than the bland, watery version you might be dreading. Piled on top is a bright pineapple-jalapeño salsa with red bell pepper, cilantro, and fresh lime juice that cuts right through the richness and keeps every bite lively. Everything comes together from scratch using ingredients you can actually recognize, which is exactly the kind of cooking this way of eating is built around. Squeeze a lime wedge over the whole bowl before digging in — it ties every layer together beautifully.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the jerk chicken
- 1 ½ lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 4 thighs)
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 green onions (scallions), green tops only, roughly chopped
For the pineapple-jalapeño salsa
- 1 ½ cups fresh pineapple, cut into ¼-inch dice
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
- ¼ cup red bell pepper, finely diced
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- ¼ tsp salt
For the cauliflower rice
- 1 large head cauliflower (about 2 lb), cut into florets
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- ½ cup full-fat coconut milk
- ½ tsp salt
For serving
- lime wedges, for serving (optional)
- sliced green onion tops, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos, avocado oil, lime juice, honey, allspice, smoked paprika, dried thyme, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne, black pepper, salt, and chopped scallion greens until combined. Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat thoroughly. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 8 hours.
- 2
While the chicken marinates, make the salsa. In a small bowl, combine the diced pineapple, jalapeño, red bell pepper, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Stir to combine, then set aside at room temperature to let the flavors come together.
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