These sticky chicken skewers are a single serve Caribbean-inspired dinner built around the best marinade I have ever tried: dark rum, light soy sauce, brown sugar and Dijon mustard, combined into something with extraordinary depth, balance and flavour. Diced chicken thighs, red pepper and tinned pineapple are marinated, threaded onto skewers and pan-fried until sticky, slightly charred and deeply caramelised, with the remaining marinade brushed over throughout cooking and reduced into a glossy glaze at the end. They are served alongside coconut rice and red beans which is fragrant, creamy basmati rice cooked with coconut milk, kidney beans, garlic and fresh thyme. This is a recipe that came straight from a cooking class in Antigua, and it tastes exactly like the evening I first ate it.

Why I Created This Recipe

This recipe does not really belong to me. I first ate this dish at Nicole's Table, a cooking class run by Nicole in Antigua, and one of my favourite experiences of my trip there. The whole class was about cooking with rum so while it's obviously integral to the marinade in this recipe, we also had it in a sweet potato soup and an angel food cake!

In this marinade it adds a warmth and a depth that is unique to anything I've tried before, and is something I'll return to again!

If you ever find yourself in Antigua, Nicole's Table is absolutely worth seeking out — it is one of the best cooking experiences I have had anywhere in the world. In the meantime, this recipe is my attempt to bring a little of that evening home.

A Note on Dark Rum in Savoury Cooking

Dark rum is the base of a rum punch, a daiquiri, a mojito, and the idea of cooking chicken in it might sound unusual if you have not tried it before. But rum has a long and well-established history in Caribbean cooking, and once you understand what it does in a savoury context, it makes complete sense.

Dark rum is made from molasses — the thick, dark byproduct of sugar refining — which gives it a natural depth of flavour that white rum does not have. It contains notes of caramel, vanilla, dried fruit and a gentle spice, all of which come from the ageing process in oak barrels. In a marinade, these qualities translate directly into the chicken: the caramel notes deepen and intensify during cooking, contributing to the sticky, slightly charred glaze that makes these skewers so distinctive; the vanilla and spice notes add a warmth and complexity to the background flavour that you cannot quite name but cannot stop eating.

The alcohol itself also plays a practical role — it helps the marinade penetrate the chicken more effectively, carrying the flavour of the soy sauce, sugar and mustard deeper into the meat rather than just coating the surface.

The quantity here — 25ml, just one and a half tablespoons — is enough to make a significant difference without the dish tasting of alcohol. The rum cooks off during the marinating process and the pan-frying, leaving only its flavour behind. You would not know it was there if nobody told you. You would just know the chicken tasted better than usual.

About Nicole's Table

Nicole's Table is a cooking class run by Nicole in Antigua, and it is one of the best things you can do on the island. Nicole cooks traditional Antiguan and Caribbean dishes using local ingredients and recipes passed down through generations, and the experience of cooking alongside her — learning the techniques, understanding the ingredients, eating the results — is the kind of thing that stays with you long after you have come home.

This recipe is directly inspired by what I learned at Nicole's Table, and the coconut rice and red beans is a dish that is deeply embedded in Caribbean cooking. If you are planning a trip to Antigua, I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Why You'll Want to Make This Recipe

The Best Marinade You Have Never Tried

Dark rum, soy sauce, brown sugar and Dijon mustard — four ingredients that combine into a marinade of remarkable depth and balance. Sweet, salty, umami, slightly spiced and with a warmth that comes entirely from the rum. It is unlike any chicken marinade you have made before, and once you try it you will want to use it on everything.

Single Serve

This recipe is portioned precisely for one — two chicken thighs, the right amount of rice, a single portion of coconut beans. No scaling, no leftovers, no half-used tins. Just one perfectly proportioned dinner. But, as always, feel free to scale up if you prefer!

Two Brilliant Dishes in One

The skewers and the coconut rice and red beans are both worth making independently — together they are exceptional. The fragrant, creamy rice with its garlic and thyme is the ideal partner for the sticky, caramelised chicken, and the two components come together in a way that feels genuinely considered rather than arbitrary.

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My Top Tips for the Perfect Sticky Chicken Skewers

• Marinate for as long as you can. Thirty minutes is the minimum and it works, but overnight in the fridge is transformative — the rum and soy sauce penetrate the chicken fully, the sugar begins to break down the surface of the meat, and the flavour is noticeably more intense. If you have the foresight to marinate the night before, do it.
• Dice the chicken, pepper and pineapple into similar-sized pieces. Even sizing means everything cooks at the same rate — if some pieces are significantly larger than others, the smaller ones will be overcooked by the time the larger ones are done. Aim for roughly 3cm cubes throughout.
• Use chicken thighs rather than breast. Thighs have a higher fat content, which means they stay juicy under the high heat needed to caramelise the marinade, and they are more forgiving if the pan gets very hot. Breast can dry out before the glaze has had time to develop.
• Get the pan properly hot before the skewers go in. You want an immediate, confident sizzle — this is what starts the caramelisation of the sugar in the marinade. A pan that is not hot enough will cause the chicken to steam rather than char, and you will lose the sticky, slightly blackened edges that make these skewers so good.
• Leave the skewers undisturbed for the first four to five minutes on each side. Resist the urge to move them — the marinade needs time to caramelise against the hot pan before the skewers will release cleanly. If they are sticking, they are not ready to be flipped yet.
• Brush with the marinade every time you flip. This layering of glaze is what builds up the sticky, lacquered coating on the outside of the chicken — each application caramelises in the heat and adds another layer of flavour. Do not skip brushings.
• Use any remaining marinade at the end. Pour it into the pan once the skewers are cooked through and let it reduce for a minute or two into a thick, sticky glaze. Spoon it over the skewers before serving — it is some of the best sauce you will ever taste.
• For the rice, do not lift the lid during the steaming stage. The tea towel (dish towel) under the lid absorbs excess steam and keeps the rice perfectly fluffy rather than wet — this is a technique common in Caribbean and Middle Eastern cooking and it makes a significant difference to the texture of the finished rice. Ten minutes with the heat off and the lid on is all it needs.
• Start the rice before the skewers. The rice takes around 20 minutes total (10 minutes simmering, 10 minutes steaming) and can sit happily while you cook the chicken — starting it first means everything is ready at the same time.

Ingredients and Tools You'll Need

For the Chicken Skewers

• Extra virgin olive oil – for the pan; a light drizzle is all you need
• 2 chicken thighs, diced into roughly 3cm cubes – thighs give a juicier, more flavourful result than breast; skin-on or skinless both work, though skinless is easier to thread onto skewers
• 25ml (1½ tbsp) dark rum – the secret ingredient; see the note above on why dark rum works so well in a savoury marinade
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce – the savoury, salty backbone of the marinade
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar – caramelises during cooking to give the sticky, slightly charred glaze
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard – adds depth and a gentle heat; helps emulsify the marinade
• ½ red bell pepper (red pepper), diced into roughly 3cm cubes – adds sweetness and colour between the chicken pieces on the skewer
• 70g tinned pineapple, in cubes – adds a tropical sweetness and a slight acidity that balances the richness of the marinade beautifully
• 2–3 wooden or metal skewers

For the Coconut Rice & Red Beans

• 70g basmati rice – rinse well before cooking to remove excess starch
• 60ml coconut milk – gives the rice its characteristic fragrant creaminess; use the rest of the tin in another recipe or freeze in an ice cube tray
• 100ml water – combined with the coconut milk as the cooking liquid
• 100g kidney beans, drained – from a tin; adds a creamy, earthy quality to the rice
• 1 clove of garlic, whole but crushed – perfumes the rice during cooking and is left in as a garnish or removed before serving
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme – essential to the flavour of the rice; do not substitute with dried
• Salt – season generously

Essential Tools

• 1 large frying pan – for the skewers; wide enough to hold 2–3 skewers flat
• 1 small saucepan with a lid – for the rice
• 1 mixing bowl – for the marinade
• Pastry brush or spoon – for brushing the marinade over the skewers during cooking
• Tea towel (dish towel) – for the steaming stage of the rice
• 2–3 wooden or metal skewers

Dietary Variations

Gluten-Free

Swap the light soy sauce for tamari — a Japanese soy sauce that is naturally gluten-free and virtually identical in flavour. All other ingredients in this recipe are naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-Free

This recipe contains no dairy as written — the coconut milk in the rice is entirely plant-based. No adaptations needed.

Alcohol-Free

If you would prefer not to use rum, replace the 25ml of dark rum with 1 tbsp of apple juice or pineapple juice plus ½ tsp of molasses or dark treacle. This approximates the caramel depth and sweetness of the rum without the alcohol. The result will be slightly less complex but still very good.

Using Different Proteins

The marinade works beautifully with other proteins. Diced pork shoulder or pork loin is an excellent substitute for chicken and holds up well on a skewer. King prawns (jumbo shrimp) marinated for just 15–20 minutes and cooked for two to three minutes per side are also outstanding. For a vegetarian version, firm tofu or halloumi cut into cubes and marinated for 30 minutes works very well — the caramelised rum glaze on pan-fried halloumi in particular is a revelation.

Different Beans

Kidney beans are traditional in Caribbean rice and peas (the dish that inspired this coconut rice), but black beans or black-eyed peas (black-eyed beans) also work beautifully. Cannellini beans give a milder, creamier result. Use the same quantity whichever you choose.

A Note on Caribbean Rice and Peas

The coconut rice and red beans in this recipe is inspired by rice and peas — one of the most beloved and widely eaten dishes across the Caribbean. Despite the name, rice and peas is traditionally made with kidney beans rather than peas, though the name reflects an older usage of the word "peas" that encompasses legumes more broadly. It is a staple across Jamaica, Antigua, Barbados and much of the Eastern Caribbean, typically cooked with coconut milk, garlic, thyme and scotch bonnet, and served alongside grilled or stewed meat or fish.

This version is a simplified single serve adaptation — the coconut milk, garlic and thyme are all present, giving the rice its characteristic fragrance and creaminess, but it is streamlined for one person cooking on a weeknight rather than a large batch made for a family gathering. It is not a definitive version of the dish — it is a deeply respectful nod to it, made with enormous affection for the flavours that inspired it and based off the recipe I learned at Nicole's Table.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cook these skewers on a barbecue instead of in a pan?

Yes — and they are outstanding on a barbecue. Cook over medium-high direct heat, turning and brushing with the marinade every couple of minutes, until cooked through with good char marks on all sides. The sugar in the marinade can catch quickly over very high heat, so keep the temperature at medium-high rather than maximum and watch them carefully. If using wooden skewers on a barbecue, soak them in water for 30 minutes first to prevent the exposed ends from burning.

Do I have to marinate for the full 30 minutes?

Thirty minutes is the minimum — it gives the marinade enough time to begin penetrating the chicken and the sugar enough time to start breaking down the surface of the meat. Longer is always better; overnight in the fridge is ideal. If you are genuinely short on time, even 15 minutes is better than no marinating at all, though the flavour will be noticeably less intense.

Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?

You can, but thighs are strongly recommended. They have a higher fat content, which means they stay juicy under the high heat needed to caramelise the marinade. Breast can dry out before the glaze has developed, particularly around the edges where the sugar catches first. If you do use breast, dice it slightly larger — around 4cm cubes — and reduce the cooking time slightly.

What is the tea towel trick for the rice?

Placing a tea towel (dish towel) under the lid during the steaming stage is a technique used across Caribbean, Persian and South Asian cooking to produce perfectly fluffy rice. The tea towel absorbs the excess steam that would otherwise condense on the lid and drip back onto the rice, keeping each grain separate and light rather than wet and clumped together. It is a simple step that makes a noticeable difference — and it works every time.

Can I prepare any of this ahead of time?

The marinade can be made and the chicken left to marinate in the fridge for up to 24 hours — in fact, this is the recommended approach for the best flavour. The rice is best made fresh, but it reheats well with a splash of water in a covered pan over a low heat. The skewers are best eaten immediately, but leftovers kept in the fridge and reheated in a hot pan the next day are still very good.

What can I do with the leftover coconut milk?

This recipe uses 60ml of coconut milk from a standard 400ml tin. Freeze the remainder in an ice cube tray, transfer to a sealed freezer bag once solid, and use from frozen in future soups, curries and sauces — it keeps for up to three months. Alternatively, use it in the Thai red curry meatball noodle soup or the roasted red pepper and mozzarella meatball orzo from the More Ways Than One meatball series.