This JOLLOF RICE and CHICKEN is an easy yet tasty one-pan meal enjoyed in West African countries. It’s bursting with flavors from the tomato sauce, paprika, scotch bonnet, and the juices coming off from the well-seasoned chicken thighs. Serve it over regular nights or as a main course during the holidays!
This recipe was inspired by my mini chef’s desire for chicken thighs and rice. It’s a one-pan meal spin-off of the ever-popular Jollof Rice (recipe HERE).
And since we always love Jollof Rice with chicken, why not make them both in one pot? It saves so much time, and also lesser clean up. Not to mention that it’s family-approved!
In just a single pan, you’ll get an entire meal – chicken, rice, and veggies. What more would you ask for?
Jollof Rice and Chicken Ingredients
I have made this recipe a couple of times before it had its approval. The chicken must come out tender, and the rice light and fluffy. And because everything cooks together in just one pan, the rice is incredibly flavorful. The juices of the chicken enhance the rice dish, making it really quite tasty.
Now to make this remarkable chicken and rice recipe, you’ll need:
- onion and garlic
- dried thyme
- uncooked rice (I use basmati for this recipe)
- canned puree tomato sauce
- chicken stock or water
- white pepper
- scotch bonnet or hot pepper
- vegetables (carrots, peas, and green beans)
And we don’t just go with salt and pepper for our chicken. I make sure that it’s well-seasoned so its juice flavor is enhanced. We’ll be needing the following to create a spice blend for our chicken.
- salt and white pepper
- onion powder and garlic powder
- dried thyme or oregano
- smoked paprika
- cayenne pepper
- chicken bouillon (or you may replace with salt)
It’s a bit of a long ingredient list, but nothing unusual or hard to find. The chicken thighs are seasoned and then browned. Then the rice is made with the browned bits of the chicken. Brought to a boil and finished off in the oven.
The best part of this is that it doesn’t overcook nor stick to the bottom of the pan!
Recipe Variations
This one-pan recipe always works great all the time. Now, if you want to go a little adventurous with this recipe, you can check out these suggested variations below.
- You may swap chicken with beef stew meat, HOWEVER, you’ll have to use the tender ones like beef sirloin. And cook the meat first before adding to the rice.
- Don’t have chicken thighs on hand? You may use drumsticks, but just make sure they’re of the same quantity as stated in the recipe.
- You can also use fresh chopped tomatoes and just blend them until it is pureed.
- Aside from those veggies mentioned above, you may also add some corn kernels, bell pepper, and even shredded cabbage.
- If you don’t have basmati rice on hand, you may replace it with white long-grain rice with the same ratio of rice and water.
- This recipe isn’t that spicy. But if you have low-heat tolerance, you may omit the scotch bonnet or adjust the cayenne pepper in the chicken.
Storing and Making Ahead Instructions
For any leftovers, simply store cooled Jollof Rice and Chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days. And when read to serve it again, just transfer them to a microwave-safe plate and heat up in the microwave until they’re piping hot.
More One-Pot Chicken and Rice Recipes
Love more easy family recipes like this? Check these other one-pan chicken and rice recipes below.
- Cilantro Lime Chicken and Rice
- Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice
- Chicken Rice Broccoli
- Caribbean Jerk Chicken and Rice
How To Make Jollof Rice and Chicken
Wash chicken thighs, wipe with a paper towel. Combine spices and mix well. Sprinkle both sides with a generous amount of the spice blend. Or you may use salt and pepper or your favorite spice mix. Add about 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet or Dutch oven or oven-safe pot/pan. Brown chicken on both sides for about 3 minutes each. Be very careful with the chicken, it shouldn’t burn.
Pre-heat oven 350 degrees F (176C). Put the rice into a large bowl, cover with cold water, and use your hands to wash the grains. Tip the water out then repeat twice until the water runs clear. Remove from the pan and set aside. Remove excess oil from the pan and leave approximately about 2-3 tablespoons oil. Add onions, thyme, garlic, and sauté until soft but not golden, about 2-3 minutes. Then add rice and stir for another 2minutes.
Gently pour tomato sauce, and add all the remaining ingredients: chicken stock, paprika, white pepper, salt, and bouillon EXCEPT the vegetables. Add the chicken back and bring it to a boil. Place in a pre-heated oven and cook for about 20 minutes then throw in the vegetables and cook for another 10-15 minutes. Remove let it cool and serve.
Watch How To Make It
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This blog post was first published in March 2015 and has been updated with an additional write-up and a video.
Jollof Rice and Chicken
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Ingredients
Jollof Rice
- 2 tablespoons (28ml) oil
- 1 medium onion
- ½ teaspoons (0.46g) dried thyme
- 2 teaspoon (10g) minced garlic
- 2 cups (370g) uncooked rice (I used basmati rice)
- 8 ounce (224g) canned puree tomato sauce
- 3 cups (720ml) chicken stock or water
- 1 teaspoon (5g) salt
- 1 teaspoon (2g) paprika
- 1 teaspoon (2g) white pepper
- ½ -1 teaspoon (1g-2g) chicken bouillon
- ½ pound (226.8g) or more vegetables (carrots, peas, green beans)
- scotch bonnet pepper or hot pepper (optional)
Chicken Thighs
- 2 ½- 3 pound (1133.98g-1360.77g) chicken thighs , about 5-6
- 2 teaspoon (10g) salt
- 2 teaspoon (4g) onion powder
- ½ teaspoon (0.46g) dried thyme or oregano
- 1 teaspoon (3g) garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon (2g) smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon (1g) white pepper
- ½ teaspoon (1g) cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon (1g) chicken bouillon powder (you may replace with salt
Instructions
Chicken Thighs
- Wash chicken thighs, wipe with a paper towel. Combine spices and mix well.
- Sprinkle both sides with a generous amount of the spice blend. Or you may use salt and pepper or your favorite spice mix.
- Add about 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet or Dutch oven or oven-safe pot/pan.
- Brown chicken on both sides for about 3 minutes each. Be very careful with the chicken, it shouldn’t burn.
Jollof Rice
- Pre-heat oven 350 degrees F (176C).
- Put the rice into a large bowl, cover with cold water, and use your hands to wash the grains. Tip the water out then repeat twice until the water runs clear.
- Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Remove excess oil from the pan and leave approximately about 2-3 tablespoons oil.
- Add onions, thyme, garlic, and sauté until soft but not golden, about 2-3 minutes. Then add rice and stir for another 2minutes.
- Gently pour tomato sauce, and add all the remaining ingredients: chicken stock, paprika, white pepper, salt, and bouillon EXCEPT the vegetables. Add the chicken back and bring to a boil.
- Place in a pre-heated oven and cook for about 20 minutes then throw in the vegetables and cook for another 10-15 minutes.
- Remove let it cool and serve.
Renate Friason says
Do you cover the rice when u put it in the oven?
ImmaculateBites says
No, I don’t cover.
Bethany says
We LOVE this recipe. I make it every couple weeks. I make it with just 4 thighs, set aside the leftover rice, and then put poached eggs over the rice for lunch the next day. So, so good.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Bethany! So happy to hear it is a hit in your household.And thanks for the feedback!
Cinderella says
I am so on this one tomorrow… I have visitors and i hope it will come out well. I had plans of cooking chicken and rice, i was still figuring out how. Wondering if you have a recipe of East African Pilau rice? I miss it and i don’t know the perfect way to cook it, i used to eat it back home. I really like your blog #LoveFromBelgium
ImmaculateBites says
Hi! I am working on that, will have it up in a week or two. This rice is absolutely delicious do try it while waiting for the rice pilau
Ophelie says
Hi! I love your rice and actually I’m cooking it.
Sorry for my writhing I’m French, is it possible
for me to have your blog or website cooking?
I love cooking and so far I like your rice, thanks much for sharing
ImmaculateBites says
Salut Ophelle! Je parle français. Tu peux écrit en français?
Chuck Diesel says
Totally sexy for you to reply in French!
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks deejay, I APPRECIATE YOU!!!
teejay says
Meant to put 5 stars
teejay says
Tried this recipe and it was awesome. Came out exactly same as picture and tasted real yummy
Akua says
Looks soooo good!
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks Akua
Kristin says
Somehow it didn’t post my whole comment…I tried several recipes up till now and all worked out pretty well….thanks and I am looking forward for more
Kristin says
Hello from Germany!
I love your Blog. African recipes are so hard to find cause every Family or Tribe has their own way of cooking the same dish but ain’t write it down, just give the skill and what ingredients to use from mother to child…I am married to a Camer and now I am able to cook some of his favorite dishes without asking him or call his mum
ImmaculateBites says
Hey Kristin, I totally agree with you.Some great African recipes have been buried away. Hopefully now with the explosion of the internet, we can start documenting some of these recipes so it can be accessible to anyone. Thanks for taking the time to comment. So happy to hear you keep hubby satisfied with these recipes.
Angela says
This looks so delicious! I cannot wait to cook this wonderful recipe!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Angela, it taste even better. Please let me know how you like it. Thanks
Lakeya says
You want us to place it in the oven for 20 mins but it doesn’t mention the degrees
ImmaculateBites says
Cook at 350 Degrees F.
Tamkara says
Hi,
Great recipe! i am definitely making this for lunch today!
Quick question though, when did you add the browned chicken? step 5 or 6?
Thanks!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Tamkara, after you add the stock.
Mama Conrad says
please what sort of tomatoes sauce did you use. It’s not clear. Did you make the tomatoe sauce separately or was it from a jar? Thanks
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Mama Conrad, I used canned tomato sauce. Please let me know how it works for you . Thanks
lili says
I was wondering how the rice was being cooked but I see in the directions that you used chicken stock. I re-read because I didn’t see the stock in the ingredient list.
lili says
Is the rice already cooked or is it raw rice?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi, It is raw rice, I updated the recipe to be more explicit. Thanks for taking the time to comment.Let me know if you do make it
Nagi@RecipeTin Eats says
This is sooo funny. As soon as I saw this, I jumped on it – totally “my type” of midweek meal. Then I saw your reference to mine. Now you know I’m going to have to make this and reference back to YOU. We’re just going to bouncing back and forth between each others blogs!!
Oh, and OMG, I have been making your Jerk Chicken (oven version) repeatedly. I’m going to blog it on Monday!! I’m so excited, I am addicted! AND your Rice with Beans!! I did make it a bit differently though, I found drumsticks here in Aus aren’t juicy enough so they don’t drop much liquid. So I never had enough to make a sauce. So I found the best way was to use up all the marinade on the chicken, basting it on thickly. It doesn’t come out crunchy doing it that way, but instead you end up with a thick sticky coating. Am obsessed with it! Can’t wait for you to see it and tell me whether you approve or whether you scold me for toying with your recipe!!
ImmaculateBites says
I know what you mean Nagi. We keep bouncing from each other’s blog.I have cooked quite a few of your recipes and I am SUPER happy with them. Don’t think am stopping there. Can’t wait to see your Jerk Chicken and rice- I know it is going to be Drool Worthy !!!!
Keisha says
57 7
I love it!!!!!
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome!