Chicken Jollof-Style Rice

Ingredients

• 1 large red bell pepper (Diced)
• 1 large tomato (Diced)
• 1 onion (Diced for the spice paste)
• 6 garlic cloves (Whole, for the spice paste)
• 4 dried red chillies (Soak in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain)
• salt (A pinch for cooking the vegetables)
• oil (A few sprays, plus additional sprays for cooking)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp peri peri seasoning (Optional)
• 0.25 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 0.5 tsp black pepper powder
• 1 no-salt chicken stock cube (For the blended spice paste)
• water (As needed for blending and cooking the vegetables)
• 500 g boneless chicken thighs (Cut into large pieces)
• 1 onion (Chopped for the rice)
• 4 garlic cloves (Chopped for the rice; use up to 5 cloves)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste (Alternatively use 2 tbsp tomato puree)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cup hot water (Approximate amount; check the rice as it cooks)
• 1 cup basmati rice (Soak for 20–30 minutes, then drain)
• coriander leaves (Chopped, for sprinkling)
• salt (To taste)
• 1 zero-salt chicken stock cube (Optional, added with the water)

Steps

1. 1

   Soak the basmati rice in water for 20–30 minutes, then drain it thoroughly. Separately, soak the dried red chillies in warm water for 10 minutes and drain them.

2. 2

   Heat a few sprays of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the diced bell pepper, diced tomato, diced onion, whole garlic cloves, and drained chillies. Add a pinch of salt and a little water, then cook until the vegetables are soft, browned, and somewhat charred.

3. 3

   Allow the cooked vegetables to cool slightly. Transfer them to a blender and add the lemon juice, honey, chilli flakes, oregano, peri peri seasoning if using, turmeric, coriander powder, pepper powder, and the no-salt chicken stock cube. Add some water and blend until smooth, adding only enough water to create a pourable puree.

4. 4

   Return about one-third of the blended spice paste to the pan. Add the boneless chicken thighs, a few sprays of oil, and some salt. Cook over medium heat for 12–15 minutes, turning the chicken occasionally, until the pieces are cooked through, browned, glossy, sticky, and well coated.

5. 5

   Remove the browned chicken from the pan and set it aside. Keep the pan and its flavorful browned residue for cooking the rice.

6. 6

   Spray a little more oil into the same pan. Add the chopped onion and chopped garlic, then sauté for about 2 minutes until softened and lightly golden.

7. 7

   Add the tomato paste, or the tomato puree alternative, and cook for 1 minute, stirring so it does not scorch.

8. 8

   Add the remaining blended spice paste and a little water. Cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, to deepen the flavor and cook the mixture down.

9. 9

   Add the bay leaf, hot water, a little salt, and the optional zero-salt chicken stock cube. Stir to combine and bring the liquid to a simmer.

10. 10

    Stir in the soaked, drained basmati rice. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Check during cooking and add a little more water if needed.

11. 11

    Arrange the cooked chicken pieces over the rice. Sprinkle with chopped coriander leaves, cover the pan again, and cook for 2 minutes so the chicken heats through and the flavors settle.

12. 12

    Serve the chicken jollof-style rice hot.

Notes

The recipe states approximately 405 calories, 29 g protein, 53 g carbohydrates, and 9 g fat per serving. The video transcript suggests serving with garlicky yam and yogurt sauce, but no quantities or preparation method are provided for either accompaniment.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• one-pot meal
• chicken
• rice
• West African-inspired
• high-protein
• spicy
• meal-prep