Jollof rice is a classic West African dish that the entire world has developed an appreciation for. The vibrant color and taste has made it a cherished dish served at large parties and intimate family dinners alike. The combination of spices, tomatoes, onions, and peppers creates a mouthwatering experience in every bite. Add this favorite to your very own Digital Recipe Book today!
Everyone has their own way of making Jollof rice. This recipe depicts my preferred method of making Jollof. Jollof rice is an extremely customizable dish and I even change my own recipe depending on the desired taste profile. For instance, this particular recipe calls for three scent peppers; however, when making the Jollof for my children I often only use one scent pepper (and also omit the seeds). Various proteins can also be used for the dish but I prefer the ease of Jollof rice with chicken.
My recipe provides an easy step-by-step guide to making delicious Jollof rice. I focus on developing rich flavors while still emphasizing simplicity. You will savor each spoonful of this rice and smile at your final result. Others will not be able to resist the amazing aroma and will surely be able to taste the love, care, and warmth that went into its preparation.
Enjoy!
How to Cook Perfect Jollof Rice Every Time | Nigerian Party Jollof Rice
Cook Time: 90 min
Servings: 10+
Ingredients:
4 red bell peppers
1 ½ red onions
1-3 scent peppers
Chicken
14 drumsticks (3.2 lbs chicken)
½ red onion (finely chopped)
2 tbsp Mrs Dash Original
2 tsp Adobo
1 tsp Chicken Knorr
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp garlic powder
2 cup water (divided)
1 tsp dried thyme
3 Maggi beef cubes
1 tsp salt + additional salt to taste (I added extra ½ tsp salt in the end)
3-4 bay leaves
4 cups long grain parboiled rice
Instructions:
- Cut the 8 plum tomatoes into small pieces and add them to a blender. It is important that the tomatoes are placed first in the blender as they will generate water.
- Cut the bell peppers and add to the blender. Be sure not to add any seeds.
- Cut 1 ½ onions and add to the blender.
- Add the scent pepper(s) to the blender. You can use 1-3 scent peppers depending on your desired spice level.
- Add a very small amount of water (ideally no more than ¼ cup of water).
- Add the blended mixture to a pot and cover. Cook until water has evaporated. This will take approximately 50 minutes. Remove the reduced blended mixture and set aside.
- Add the clean chicken drumsticks to a large pot.
- Dice the remaining ½ onion and add it to the chicken in the pot.
- Add the seasonings to the chicken (Mrs. Dash Original, Adobo, Chicken Knorr, ground ginger, and garlic powder).
- Add one cup of water and cover. Cook for 20 min then add an additional 1 cup water. Cover and cook chicken until tender. For me, this was approximately 45 minutes total cook time
- Remove the chicken from the pot. Be sure to reserve the chicken broth for later
- Heat a generous amount of vegetable oil in a separate pan. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken to the pan for a quick fry. Pat chicken dry and set aside
- Place 1 ½ cups of vegetable oil in a clean large pot
- Once the oil is hot, add the 6 oz can of tomato paste. Stir frequently so it does not burn
- Add the reduced blended mixture to the pot. Place a splatter guard over the pot. This splatter guard will reduce splatter but still allow steam to exit. Do not cover with a lid because the goal is to fry the stew
- Stir the stew frequently so it does not burn. After about 12-15 minutes, add about 1 cup of the concentrated chicken broth that was set aside
- Add the curry powder, dried thyme, Maggi beef cubes, salt, and bay leaves. Stir and allow to cook for an additional 5-10 minutes on medium heat
- Taste the stew and add any additional salt according to your preference (I added an additional ½ tsp salt). Then turn the heat source to the lowest setting
- Wash the rice repeatedly until the water turns clear. This is important to do because it removes the starch from the rice. This will also speed up cooking time and prevent the rice from having a gummy texture
- Add the washed rice to the pot and stir. There should be enough stew to cover the rice completely. If the rice is not completely covered add a small amount of water (no more than ½ cup of water)
- Place parchment paper over the pot and cover with a lid. Make sure the lid does NOT have any vent holes. Make sure the stove is on the lowest heat setting
- Cook the rice for 20 minutes and then uncover to stir the rice. It is normal for some rice to have burned. Cover again with parchment paper and the lid
- Cook for an additional 20 minutes and then uncover to stir the rice. Add an additional ½ tsp salt to taste. Cover again with parchment paper and the lid
- Cook for an additional 15 minutes. Uncover and taste the rice. It should be perfect
- Add the jollof rice to a plate with the fried chicken. Enjoy!