Nigerian Jollof Rice
A vibrant Nigerian rice dish cooked in a tomato-pepper sauce with warm spices, served with chicken and plantains.
Equipment
- Blender
- Large heavy pot with lid
- Wooden spoon
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Sheet pan or grill pan
Ingredients
Rice and Tomato-Pepper Sauce
- 2 cups long-grain parboiled rice rinsed until the water runs mostly clear
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 medium yellow onion half sliced, half for blending
- 1 large red bell pepper roughly chopped
- 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or to taste
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 2 cups chicken stock plus a splash more if needed
- 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
Chicken and Serving
- 1 1/2 lb bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil for the chicken
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt for the chicken
- 2 large ripe plantains sliced and fried or roasted, for serving
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley or scallions chopped, for serving
Instructions
Prepare the sauce and chicken:
- Blend the red bell pepper, crushed tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and half of the onion until mostly smooth.
- Season the chicken with the oil, paprika, and salt.
- Roast, grill, or pan-sear the chicken until cooked through and browned, then keep it warm for serving.
Cook the jollof base:
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat.
- Add the sliced onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, letting it darken slightly.
- Pour in the blended tomato-pepper mixture and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until thick and reduced.
- Add the curry powder, thyme, smoked paprika, cayenne, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper.
Steam the rice:
- Stir the rinsed rice into the thick sauce until the grains are evenly coated.
- Add the chicken stock, bring to a gentle simmer, then cover the pot tightly.
- Cook over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
- If the rice is still firm, add a small splash of stock or water, cover, and steam for a few more minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let the rice rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Fluff gently, discard the bay leaves, and serve with chicken, plantains, and parsley or scallions.
Notes
- A heavy pot helps prevent scorching while still allowing a little toasted flavor at the bottom.
- Keep the heat low once the rice is covered so the grains steam instead of boiling hard.
- Leftovers keep well for up to 4 days and reheat best with a splash of water in a covered pan.
Nutrition
Calories: 610kcalCarbohydrates: 72gProtein: 28gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 820mgFiber: 5gSugar: 13g