Chicken Jollof-Style Rice
Chicken Jollof-Style Rice
Ingredients
For the Spice Paste
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- 1 large tomato, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 6-8 garlic cloves, whole
- 4 dried red chillies, soaked in warm water 10 min then drained
- 1 pinch salt
- a few sprays oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon peri peri seasoning, optional
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper powder
- 1 no-salt chicken stock cube
- as needed salt
- as needed water
For the Chicken
- 500 grams boneless chicken thighs
For the Rice
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4-5 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste, or 2 tablespoons tomato puree
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups hot water, approximate, check as it cooks
- 1 cup basmati rice, soaked 20–30 min then drained
- as needed coriander leaves, chopped
- to taste salt
- 1 zero salt chicken cube, optional
Instructions
- 1
Heat a few sprays of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the diced bell pepper, diced tomato, diced onion, whole garlic cloves, and drained dried chillies with a pinch of salt. Cook until the vegetables are brown and soft, adding some water as needed. Once cooked, cool the mixture. Then, blend it with the remaining spice paste ingredients (lemon juice, honey, chilli flakes, oregano, peri peri seasoning, turmeric powder, coriander powder, pepper powder, 1 no-salt chicken stock cube, and some water) until smooth.
⏱️ 15 min
- 2
Take one-third of the prepared spice paste. In the same pan, add a few sprays of oil. Add the boneless chicken thighs and the one-third portion of the paste. Cook for 12–15 minutes, turning the chicken occasionally, until it becomes glossy, sticky, and brown. Once cooked, remove the chicken and set it aside.
⏱️ 15 min
- 3
In the same pan, add a few more sprays of oil. Add the chopped onion and chopped garlic and sauté for 2 minutes until they are soft. Stir in the 1 tablespoon tomato paste (or 2 tablespoons tomato puree) and cook for 1 minute. Then, add the remaining two-thirds of the spice paste and cook for a further 5 minutes to deepen the flavor.
⏱️ 8 min
- 4
Add the bay leaf, 2 cups hot water (adjust as needed during cooking), and a little salt. If using, add the optional 1 zero salt chicken cube. Stir in the 1 cup of soaked and drained basmati rice. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover the pan and cook on low heat for 15 minutes until the rice is done.
⏱️ 15 min
- 5
Once the rice is cooked, place the reserved chicken pieces back over the rice. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves over the chicken and rice. Cover the pan again and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Serve hot.
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Chicken Jollof-Style Rice
For the Spice Paste
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- 1 large tomato, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 6-8 garlic cloves, whole
- 4 dried red chillies, soaked in warm water 10 min then drained
- 1 pinch salt
- a few sprays oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon peri peri seasoning, optional
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper powder
- 1 no-salt chicken stock cube
- as needed salt
- as needed water
For the Chicken
- 500 grams boneless chicken thighs
For the Rice
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4-5 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste, or 2 tablespoons tomato puree
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups hot water, approximate, check as it cooks
- 1 cup basmati rice, soaked 20–30 min then drained
- as needed coriander leaves, chopped
- to taste salt
- 1 zero salt chicken cube, optional
Instructions
- 1
Heat a few sprays of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the diced bell pepper, diced tomato, diced onion, whole garlic cloves, and drained dried chillies with a pinch of salt. Cook until the vegetables are brown and soft, adding some water as needed. Once cooked, cool the mixture. Then, blend it with the remaining spice paste ingredients (lemon juice, honey, chilli flakes, oregano, peri peri seasoning, turmeric powder, coriander powder, pepper powder, 1 no-salt chicken stock cube, and some water) until smooth.
⏱️ 15 min - 2
Take one-third of the prepared spice paste. In the same pan, add a few sprays of oil. Add the boneless chicken thighs and the one-third portion of the paste. Cook for 12–15 minutes, turning the chicken occasionally, until it becomes glossy, sticky, and brown. Once cooked, remove the chicken and set it aside.
⏱️ 15 min - 3
In the same pan, add a few more sprays of oil. Add the chopped onion and chopped garlic and sauté for 2 minutes until they are soft. Stir in the 1 tablespoon tomato paste (or 2 tablespoons tomato puree) and cook for 1 minute. Then, add the remaining two-thirds of the spice paste and cook for a further 5 minutes to deepen the flavor.
⏱️ 8 min - 4
Add the bay leaf, 2 cups hot water (adjust as needed during cooking), and a little salt. If using, add the optional 1 zero salt chicken cube. Stir in the 1 cup of soaked and drained basmati rice. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover the pan and cook on low heat for 15 minutes until the rice is done.
⏱️ 15 min - 5
Once the rice is cooked, place the reserved chicken pieces back over the rice. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves over the chicken and rice. Cover the pan again and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Serve hot.
⏱️ 2 min