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
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
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.
Lincoln says
Would this work with a chicken breast? Maybe if I just didn’t brown it first?
Sandra says
Hello. Can I use jasmine rice instead of basmati or parboiled?
ImmaculateBites says
Parboiled rice would work best here.
Shauna O. says
The flavors were amazing, but I cooked it with brown rice and the rice didn’t cook all the way so I kept adding water and the texture was off & the flavors were dulled 🙁 It’s my fault tho for changing up the rice I think. But if I were to use the same rice you used how long are you supposed to let the rice boil on the stove before putting it in the oven? is the rice supposed to fully cook on the stove first before going into the oven?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Shauna! Sorry to hear about that. You bring the recipe to a boil, the place it in the oven. Hope this helps
Felicia Thayer says
I was wondering if the vegetables used in this were fresh or frozen?
Shelly in VA says
Absolutely love it! I made this for dinner and fell in love with the wonderful flavors. Another knock out! Thank you for sharing your recipes with the world.
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome ! Glad to hear it worked out well.
Michael says
Hi Imma,
My partner is Ghanaian and I made this for him! He truly loved it and was so happy. As I plan on making this in the future, is it possible to add beef stew meat instead of chicken? Please Advise.
Thank you.
ImmaculateBites says
Hello, Yes it is . However , you will have use tender beef like sirloin. Or cook the beef before adding to the rice.
Stoney says
Why not,,,use anything or meat,,,could even use shrimp and smoked sausage,,would almost be like a gumbo
Elle says
OMG! This was delicious! Thank you for this recipe!
Chantal says
No this is wrong this is all wrong – it does not have ANY paprika and it never cooked with carrots In an iron skillet ??? Nah I’m offended
Amber says
What cooking vessel is the dish traditionally cooked on? I would sincerely like to know because Of appreciate African cusine and I would like to prepare it correctly.
Sharlot says
Gonna be making this for a guy I’m dating once the scotch bonnet is in do I leave it in until serving? Or do I need to remove it at some point?
Thank you
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Sharlot!
You may leave it until serving or serve along with rice and chicken- some folks love the heat . So the smash the pepper with the rice for more heat and spice.
Pat says
Simply Delish!!!! After 2 years of thinking Jellof rice was hard to make! Shalom and thanks for the easiest way I’ve seen to make this dish!!
Maame says
Chanced on your website in 2018, my whole cooking is transformed my children love my food better and baking fantastic, you are a great person, thank you for all the lovely recipes, I can have effortless stress free cooking and still come out very well.
Thank you
ImmaculateBites says
Happy to hear . Thank you so much!!!
Karen says
I have now made this a few times for an African French girl who lives with me. I don’t eat meat but I followed the recipe and she tells me it’s the best she has had. I must make a vegetarian one for myself
Arnab says
Sorry for my ignorance. But for how long should I pre heat the oven and in what temperature should I cook them. Thanks in advance Imma.
imma africanbites says
Hi Arnab. Preheat the oven at 350 degrees F and cook in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes then throw in the vegetables, cook until cooked another 10-15 minutes.
Danni Eldred says
I made this recipe tonight, and it was delicious! So intensely flavorful and savory. I will definitely make it again. I wanted to thank you for sharing this–much appreciated.
I don’t know if I was supposed to or not, but I covered my big skillet with heavy duty foil and a lid before putting the whole thing in the oven, and it came out perfectly. Blessings to you and yours.
imma africanbites says
Yaaay! Glad it turned out great for you Danni, although, I don’t cover it when I put it in the oven. Thanks for sharing, too, your results. 🙂
Lucy says
Hi,
I am planning on cooking this for a family event but i would like to use a whole chicken instead is this method still appropriate
imma africanbites says
Hi Lucy, I haven’t tried this recipe with whole chicken. But I guess it won’t be appropriate as whole chicken cooks longer than the rice. You might end up having dried or burnt rice.