Ingredients
— The Chicken —
6–8 chicken thighs or drumsticks (bone-in, skin-on)
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup vegetable oil (for frying)
— The Pepper Blend (Obe Ata) —
2 large red bell peppers, roughly chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1–2 Scotch Bonnet peppers (or Habanero) – adjust for heat
— The Rice Base —
1 medium onion, sliced (for frying)
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 ½ cups Long Grain Parboiled Rice (e.g., Uncle Ben’s)
3 cups chicken broth (or water + bouillon)
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder (Maggi or Knorr)
1 teaspoon ginger powder (or fresh grated)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
1. **Blend the Peppers:** In a blender, combine the red bell peppers, tomatoes, chopped onion, and scotch bonnet peppers. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
2. **Prep Chicken:** Season the chicken pieces generously with 1 tsp curry powder, 1 tsp thyme, and salt.
3. **Fry Chicken:** Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken for 5–8 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy (it doesn’t need to be fully cooked inside yet). Remove chicken and set aside.
4. **Make the Stew:** Remove half of the oil from the pot (leave about ¼ cup). Add the sliced onions and fry for 3 minutes until soft. Stir in the tomato paste and fry for 2–3 minutes (this removes the sour taste).
5. Pour in the blended pepper mixture. Add the thyme, curry powder, bouillon powder, ginger, garlic, and bay leaves. Cook on medium heat for 10–15 minutes until the water evaporates and the oil starts to float on top.
6. **Combine:** Wash the rice thoroughly until the water runs clear. Add the drained rice to the pot and stir well to coat every grain in the tomato stew.
7. **Simmer:** Pour in the chicken broth. Stir once. Arrange the fried chicken pieces on top of the rice.
8. **Steam:** Cover the pot tightly with a sheet of aluminum foil, then place the lid on top (this traps the steam). Reduce heat to the **lowest setting**.
9. Simmer for 30–40 minutes. **Do not open the lid.** The steam is cooking the rice.
10. **Finish:** After 30 minutes, check if the rice is tender. If it’s still hard but dry, add ¼ cup water around the edges and steam for another 10 minutes.
11. **Serve:** Remove the bay leaves. Fluff the rice gently. Serve hot, optionally with fried plantains and coleslaw.
Notes
Rice Choice: Long Grain Parboiled Rice (converted rice) is the most forgiving for one-pot Jollof as it holds its shape and doesn’t turn mushy easily. If using Basmati, reduce liquid slightly and cook for less time.
The ‘Party’ Flavor: Authentic Jollof often has a smoky taste. To achieve this at home, allow the bottom layer of rice to burn slightly (‘bottom pot’)—this infuses the rest of the rice with a smoky aroma.
Heat Level: Scotch bonnets are very spicy. For a mild version, remove the seeds or omit them entirely and use a pinch of cayenne pepper instead.
Tomato Paste: Frying the tomato paste in the oil is a crucial step. It caramelizes the sugars and removes the metallic, raw acidic taste.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 45
- Category: Dinner
- Method: One Pot
- Cuisine: West African