Chicken Jollof-Style Rice
Chicken Jollof-Style Rice
Ingredients
For the Spice Paste
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- 1 large tomato, diced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 6-8 garlic cloves, whole
- 4 dried red chillies, soaked in warm water 10 minutes 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 water, for cooking vegetables and blending paste
For the Main Dish
- 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, approximately, check as it cooks
- 1 cup basmati rice, soaked 20–30 minutes then drained
- as needed coriander leaves, chopped
- to taste salt
- 1 zero salt chicken cube, optional
- a few sprays oil, as needed
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 the drained dried chillies along with a pinch of salt. Cook these ingredients until they are brown and soft, adding some water as needed to aid in cooking and softening. Once cooked, let the mixture cool.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
Transfer the cooled vegetable mixture to a blender and add the remaining spice paste ingredients: 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoons honey, 1 teaspoon chilli flakes, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon peri peri seasoning (if using), 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1/2 teaspoon pepper powder, 1 no-salt chicken stock cube, and some water. Blend until the paste is smooth.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Take one-third of the prepared spice paste. In the same pan, add a few sprays of oil and then add this portion of the paste along with the 500 grams boneless chicken thighs. Cook for 12–15 minutes, turning the chicken occasionally, until the chicken pieces are glossy, sticky, and browned. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.
⏱️ 15 min
- 4
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 1 tablespoon tomato paste or 2 tablespoons tomato puree and cook for 1 minute. Next, add the remaining two-thirds of the spice paste to the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes to deepen the flavor.
⏱️ 8 min
- 5
Add 1 bay leaf, approximately 2 cups of hot water (adjust as needed during cooking), a little salt, and the 1 zero salt chicken cube (if using) to the pan. Stir in the 1 cup of basmati rice, which should have been soaked for 20–30 minutes and then drained. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Once simmering, cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes until the rice is done.
⏱️ 15 min
- 6
Once the rice is cooked, place the previously cooked chicken pieces back over the rice in the pan. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves over the chicken and rice. Cover the pan again and cook for an additional 2 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve the Chicken Jollof-Style Rice 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 large onion, diced
- 6-8 garlic cloves, whole
- 4 dried red chillies, soaked in warm water 10 minutes 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 water, for cooking vegetables and blending paste
For the Main Dish
- 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, approximately, check as it cooks
- 1 cup basmati rice, soaked 20–30 minutes then drained
- as needed coriander leaves, chopped
- to taste salt
- 1 zero salt chicken cube, optional
- a few sprays oil, as needed
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 the drained dried chillies along with a pinch of salt. Cook these ingredients until they are brown and soft, adding some water as needed to aid in cooking and softening. Once cooked, let the mixture cool.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
Transfer the cooled vegetable mixture to a blender and add the remaining spice paste ingredients: 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoons honey, 1 teaspoon chilli flakes, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon peri peri seasoning (if using), 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1/2 teaspoon pepper powder, 1 no-salt chicken stock cube, and some water. Blend until the paste is smooth.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Take one-third of the prepared spice paste. In the same pan, add a few sprays of oil and then add this portion of the paste along with the 500 grams boneless chicken thighs. Cook for 12–15 minutes, turning the chicken occasionally, until the chicken pieces are glossy, sticky, and browned. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.
⏱️ 15 min - 4
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 1 tablespoon tomato paste or 2 tablespoons tomato puree and cook for 1 minute. Next, add the remaining two-thirds of the spice paste to the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes to deepen the flavor.
⏱️ 8 min - 5
Add 1 bay leaf, approximately 2 cups of hot water (adjust as needed during cooking), a little salt, and the 1 zero salt chicken cube (if using) to the pan. Stir in the 1 cup of basmati rice, which should have been soaked for 20–30 minutes and then drained. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Once simmering, cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes until the rice is done.
⏱️ 15 min - 6
Once the rice is cooked, place the previously cooked chicken pieces back over the rice in the pan. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves over the chicken and rice. Cover the pan again and cook for an additional 2 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve the Chicken Jollof-Style Rice hot.
⏱️ 2 min