Jollof Rice with Chicken
A single portion of Nigerian cooking, ready in 37 minutes. There's a kick to it.
Per portion
Calories from protein 20%, carbs 41%, fat 39%. Estimated from the ingredients.
Roughly £1.90 a portion.
Method
- 1
Fry the onion and red pepper in a splash of oil with a pinch of salt over medium heat for 8 minutes until soft.
- 2
Push the onion and pepper to the side, add the chicken thigh with ½ tsp salt and brown for 3 minutes each side, adding the garlic and ginger for the last minute. Cooking for three or more? Do this in batches so the pan stays hot and everything browns, then put it all back.
- 3
Stir in the tomato purée, paprika, thyme and chilli flakes for 1 minute until the purée darkens, then add the chopped tomatoes, rice and 150ml water.
- 4
Sit the chicken on top of the rice, cover and simmer for 15–16 minutes, stirring the rice once around it, until the rice is tender, the liquid absorbed and the chicken cooked through with no pink inside (75°C in the thickest part). If the pan looks dry before the rice is tender, add a splash of water. Take off the heat and leave covered for 5 minutes. Cooking for more? Once it boils, let it bubble uncovered for 2–3 minutes before you cover it, and allow a few minutes longer: keep it covered until the rice is tender and the liquid absorbed.
- 5
Lift out the chicken and fluff up the rice with a fork. Taste and season with salt and black pepper, then serve the rice with the chicken alongside.
Cook's notes
- Sizes. Vegetables, fruit and eggs are medium unless the recipe says otherwise. A tin is a standard 400g tin.
- Dairy. Salted or unsalted butter both work; with salted, go easy on any extra salt. Use full-fat soured cream, crème fraîche and yoghurt in anything hot, as low-fat versions split.
- Stock. A cube or pot made up as the packet says. Cubes are salty, so taste before adding more salt.
- Heat. Medium means a gentle sizzle, not spitting. High means the oil shimmers before the food goes in. A simmer is a few lazy bubbles, not a rolling boil. Leave the lid off unless the recipe says to cover.
- Pans. A small saucepan is about 16cm and a frying pan about 24cm. Sauces reduce faster in a wider pan, so go by how it looks rather than the clock.
- Doneness. Chicken and turkey should reach 75°C in the thickest part, pork 65 to 70°C, and beef steak 55°C for medium-rare. Rest steaks and chops for a few minutes before slicing.
- Finishing. Taste before serving. Most dishes want a pinch more salt, and a squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar lifts anything rich.
- Leftovers. Cool quickly, cover and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days, then reheat until piping hot. Cooked rice keeps for 1 day and should only be reheated once.
solosupper.co.uk/recipes/jollof-rice-with-chicken/
