Start by heating the coconut oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until it's shimmering.

Add the chopped garlic, whole black peppercorns, ground black pepper, and red-pepper flakes to the pot. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for about 5 minutes, until the garlic is golden and the mix smells amazing.

Place the chicken in the pot, skin-side down, without moving it, and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes to start rendering the fat.

Pour in the coconut milk, coconut vinegar, and soy sauce. Add the bay leaves and a cup of water, then bring everything to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer. The chicken should be tender enough to almost fall off the bone after about 1 hour of simmering. Remember to give it a gentle stir halfway through.

Turn up the heat to medium-high and keep cooking, stirring now and then, until the sauce thickens into a smooth gravy, which should take around 15 minutes. Serve this luscious chicken and its sauce over a bed of warm rice.