Jollof Rice With Chicken, Cooked in One Pot From a Blended Tomato Base

It is 6:45 on a Sunday, the kitchen smells like onions and tomatoes meeting in a hot pot, and somebody has already asked when dinner is. This jollof rice recipe takes fifty-one minutes, most of them hands-off, and ends with orange-red rice that has soaked up every drop of its own sauce. It is a one-pot dinner with a famously strong fan base, so you may find yourself defending it.

Brown the chicken, add the blend, then trust the lid.

Jollof is a West African rice dish built on a smooth blend of tomatoes, onion and bell pepper. The blend simmers with the chicken, the rice goes in, and the pot is covered and left alone. The rice cooks in the sauce rather than next to it, which is how it takes on that deep color and flavor.

It is also a dish people love to argue about. Which country does it best is a debate with very real feelings behind it, and you are allowed to pick a side at your own table.

How to make it

1. Dice the 1 large onion and 1 whole bell pepper, then roughly chop the 4 whole tomatoes, which takes about 6 minutes.
2. Blend the chopped tomatoes, onion, and bell pepper in a blender for about 2 minutes until smooth.
3. Heat the 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat and brown the 1 lb chicken thighs for 8 minutes, turning once.
4. Pour the blended tomato mixture into the pot with the chicken and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Add the 2 cups long-grain rice, 2 cups water, salt to taste, and black pepper to taste, then stir to combine.
6. Cover the pot and simmer over low heat for 25 minutes until the rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
7. Fluff the rice with a fork and let it rest covered for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Cooked leftovers keep three to four days refrigerated, per USDA FSIS. This jollof rice recipe makes plenty of leftovers. Rice cools slowly in a deep pot, so spread it in a shallow container to get it into the fridge sooner.

It improves on day two. The rice has had time to settle into the sauce, and it tastes rounder cold or reheated. Add a splash of water and cover it when you reheat so the rice steams back to soft.

It freezes acceptably in portions, with the usual rice caveat that the texture is a little softer after thawing.

The order matters. Dice the onion and bell pepper and roughly chop the tomatoes, then blend them together for about two minutes until smooth. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and brown the chicken thighs for eight minutes, turning once. Pour in the blend and simmer for five minutes. Add the rice and two cups of water, season with salt and black pepper, and stir to combine. Then cover and simmer on low for twenty-five minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid is gone. Let it rest covered for five minutes, and fluff with a fork.

Do not lift the lid during the twenty-five minutes. Steam is what cooks the rice, and every peek lets some escape. It is the one relationship in your week that rewards you for keeping your distance.

The chicken is browned first and finishes under the rice. Check that it has reached 165°F in the thickest piece before you serve.

If you like a slightly toasted layer on the bottom, leave the pot on low for a minute or two after the rest, and scrape it up carefully. It is a matter of taste, and some cooks chase it. Taste the sauce before the rice goes in, if you like, and adjust the salt then. It is much harder to fix once the rice has absorbed everything.

Swaps that actually work

The blended tomato base and the long-grain rice are the point of any jollof rice recipe. Leave those alone. Short-grain rice turns sticky in this pot, and basmati can go soft, so stay with long-grain.

Chicken thighs can be swapped for drumsticks, which are cheap and flavorful but need more time. Bone-in pieces need to reach 165°F, so check before you cover the pot. Breast works but dries out, so slice it into thick pieces and stir it in near the end.

If you want more depth and heat, a spoonful of tomato paste, a pinch of curry powder, a bay leaf or a bit of thyme go into the blend. A scotch bonnet pepper, whole or blended, adds the traditional heat. None of these are in the recipe as written, so use them if you have them.

The bell pepper can be red, which tends to give a sweeter, redder sauce.

Canned tomatoes can stand in for fresh if the fresh ones look sad. Drain them well so the blend does not go watery.

The swap that costs you the dish is stirring the rice once the lid is on. It turns the pot gluey and breaks the grains.

SwipeCart angle: this is a dish you swipe in when a group is coming and you do not want to cook three things. One pot, four servings, and an opinion for every person at the table. Treat the debate like a first date: pick a side, be charming about it, and let the pot do the flirting while the lid stays on.

If it goes wrong

The rice is mushy. There was too much water or the heat was too high. Use exactly the two cups, keep the flame low, and do not stir after the lid goes on.

The rice is hard. It ran out of liquid before it finished cooking. Add a splash of hot water, cover, and give it five more minutes on low.

The bottom is burnt. The heat was too high after the cover went on. Spoon out the good rice from the top and leave the scorched layer behind, then do not mention it at the table. We won't tell.

It tastes flat. Most likely salt. Stir in salt and pepper, a pinch at a time, and taste.

What to serve with it

The default is the chicken and rice in a bowl. It is a full meal on its own.

The better version of the default is a cold side of sliced tomatoes and onion with a little salt, or a simple cabbage slaw. Something crisp cuts the richness.

The thing in the fridge that lifts it is fried plantain, a squeeze of lime, or a spoonful of hot sauce.

This jollof rice recipe works as lunch the next day. Heat it with a splash of water and it is as good as the night before.

Why this one earns its place

This jollof rice recipe rewards a little patience and demands very little attention. One pot, a blender and a lid cover the work, and the rice does the rest.

If you like rice dishes that cook in the pot, chicken biryani and chicken kabsa are the two to try next. AI grocery shopping app is how the agent builds the cart while you decide which country makes it best.

More like this: all African recipes in Crave Corner.