One‑Pot Nigerian Jollof Rice with Chicken
A classic West African one‑pot meal: seasoned, browned chicken simmered with tomato‑pepper sauce and parboiled rice until the grains are fragrant and reddish-orange. Minimal washing up and big on flavor — great for family dinners or a casual gathering.
1 hr 5 min
start to finish
20 min
hands on
Some skill
difficulty
6
servings
Ingredients
For the chicken
Method
Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and rub all over with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp curry powder, 1/2 tsp dried thyme and 1 minced clove of garlic.
Blend the tomatoes, red bell pepper, the scotch bonnet (if using) and the chopped half of the onion until fairly smooth; set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large heavy‑bottomed pot (4–5 qt / 4–5 L) over medium‑high until shimmering.
Working in batches if needed, add the chicken pieces skin‑side down and sear without moving until the skin is deep golden brown, about 6–8 minutes; turn and brown the other side 3–4 minutes. Transfer browned chicken to a plate.
Lower heat to medium and add remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add the sliced half of the onion and sauté, stirring, until soft and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
Add the remaining minced garlic, the blended tomato‑pepper mixture and the tomato paste to the pot. Stir to combine and fry the sauce, scraping up browned bits from the bottom, until it reduces and oil starts to separate from the tomato, about 8–10 minutes.
Stir in 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp curry powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika (if using), 2 bay leaves and 1.5 tsp salt; cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices.
Add the rinsed rice to the pot and stir thoroughly so every grain is coated in the tomato sauce; toast the rice in the sauce for 2 minutes.
Pour in 3 cups hot chicken stock, taste and adjust seasoning if needed, and bring to a boil.
Nestle the browned chicken pieces into the rice in a single layer if possible. Lower the heat to the lowest setting, cover tightly and simmer gently until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 25–30 minutes (do not lift the lid repeatedly).
Turn off the heat and let the pot rest, still covered, for 10 minutes to finish steaming.
Remove the lid, fluff the rice gently with a fork, stir in frozen peas and carrots and the butter (if using); let sit 2 minutes for the vegetables to warm through, then serve.
Worth knowing
- Use parboiled/converted long‑grain rice for firmer, separate grains; if you use regular long‑grain white rice, keep the same liquid but check doneness 5–10 minutes earlier.
- If using bone‑in chicken slows cooking, cut a few small slits in thicker pieces so heat penetrates faster; boneless thighs cook a little faster but brown just the same.
- To test doneness: tilt the pot — if there’s a small amount of glossy oil pooling but no runny liquid, the rice is done.
- Avoid stirring rice while it cooks; stirring breaks grains and can make the jollof gummy.
- Make it vegetarian: substitute 2 cups mushrooms and 300–400 g firm tofu or extra vegetables plus vegetable stock; brown mushrooms in place of chicken.
- For more authentic smokiness, finish by briefly placing the lid on a low charcoal heat source or carefully add a teaspoon of hot oil over a piece of foil with a small pinch of smoked paprika (do this with caution).
Make it yours
Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.
One pan
More Nigerian cooking
An original Restaurant Pro recipe — our own composition in the idiom of Nigerian cooking, not any restaurant's recipe.