How to make really tasty Jollof Rice With Chicken. This recipe combines rice, seasoned chicken and vegetables into a single, satisfying meal that’s perfect for weeknight dinners or entertaining.
Rich, tomato-forward and fragrant, this Jollof rice has bold flavor without unusual ingredients, so it’s easy to prepare and widely appealing.
Everyone needs a reliable chicken-and-rice recipe, and this Jollof Rice With Chicken is one to keep. The rice is deeply flavorful from a well-seasoned tomato base and spices, and the addition of vegetables makes it a balanced one-pot meal. If you prefer, skip the vegetables and serve the rice with a simple salad on the side.
What Is Jollof Rice?
Jollof Rice is a beloved West and Central African dish in which rice is cooked in a savory, tomato-based liquid. Regional variations exist, but the core idea is fragrant, tomato-forward rice cooked to fluffy perfection. Jollof can be made with chicken, beef, fish or made vegetarian — it’s versatile and always a crowd-pleaser.
In Cameroon, where I’m from, Jollof rice is a staple at celebrations; many gatherings aren’t complete without it.
Why You’ll Love This Jollof Rice Recipe
- Very flavorful and satisfying.
- Made with easy-to-find ingredients.
- No unnecessary or unfamiliar components.
- One pot for the rice—minimal cleanup.
- Chicken is richly seasoned and can be fried or baked.
- Impressive enough for guests and simple enough for a weeknight.
Easy Jollof Rice With Chicken
This easy version of Jollof Rice With Chicken delivers authentic flavor and a reliably great texture. If you haven’t tried making Jollof before, follow this recipe and you’ll get fluffy, well-seasoned rice and golden, flavorful chicken.
An Authentic Jollof Rice Recipe
This recipe follows traditional steps and avoids ingredients that don’t belong in classic Jollof. The rice should come out cooked and fluffy — not soggy — with each grain separate and flavorful.
Key Ingredients For Jollof Rice
1. Long-Grain Rice: Jasmine, basmati or parboiled rice are all good choices for one-pot Jollof.
2. Tomatoes: A mix of fresh tomatoes and tomato sauce or paste creates the right tomato base. Roma tomatoes work well because they’re not overly acidic.
3. Onions: White, yellow or red onions add savory depth.
4. Oil: A neutral oil—vegetable, canola, peanut or light olive oil—works for sautéing and frying.
5. Chicken or Beef Stock: Use homemade stock from the meat you cook with the rice when possible; it adds concentrated flavor.
6. Stock Cubes: Bouillon or Maggi adds quick, savory seasoning.
7. Garlic and Ginger: Blended together they give the Jollof a bright, aromatic backbone—don’t skip them.
Optional flavor boosters: white pepper, bay leaves, dried or fresh thyme, curry powder, smoked or regular paprika, scotch bonnet or habanero for heat, and herbs like basil, parsley or rosemary. Use what you prefer; this recipe uses the essential ingredients plus a few added herbs for balance.
For ingredient measurements and the complete recipe, see the recipe card below.
How To Cook Jollof Rice With Chicken
Summary of the method:
- Blend garlic and ginger into a paste and use it to season the chicken along with some diced onion, salt, white pepper and bouillon. Simmer the chicken in water to create a flavorful stock.
- Remove the chicken from the stock, drain and either fry or broil it until golden and crisp. Reserve stock for the rice.
- Blend fresh tomatoes into a paste and cook them down until they reduce and concentrate.
- Sauté the remaining onions in oil, add the cooked-down tomatoes and tomato sauce, then cook until the mixture shrinks and begins to stick to the pot. Add thyme, remaining garlic-ginger paste and seasoning.
- Wash the rice thoroughly to remove excess starch. Add the rice to the sauce, then stir in reserved chicken stock, additional water, bouillon, salt, pepper and bay leaves. Cover tightly and cook on low until the rice is fluffy.
- Stir in diced carrots and green beans near the end of cooking so they retain some texture. Fluff the rice, remove bay leaves and serve with the fried chicken.
Other Jollof Rice Recipes You Might Love
- Jollof Rice With Beef
- Nigerian Jollof Rice
- Baked Jollof Rice
Watch How To Make Jollof Rice With Chicken
There is also a step-by-step video demonstrating the full process if you prefer visual instructions.
If you make this recipe please leave a star rating below — your feedback helps others find the recipe and I love hearing from you. Thank you!
Jollof Rice With Chicken
Ingredients
- 15-20 garlic cloves peeled
- 3 inch ginger root peeled and sliced into chunks
- 4 pounds chicken drumsticks and thighs about 2kg
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 ½ teaspoons salt
- 4 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 6 large roma tomatoes
- 16-17 oz tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 cups jasmine rice or other long grain rice
- 1/2 cup diced/sliced carrots
- 1/2 cup diced/sliced green beans
Instructions
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Blend the spices. Place garlic and ginger in a blender with about 1/4 cup water and puree to a paste.
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Season the chicken. Put the chicken in a pot with a portion of the diced onion, two tablespoons of the garlic-ginger paste, 1/2 tsp white pepper, 1 1/2 tsp salt and 2 tsp bouillon powder. Toss to combine.
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Cook the chicken. Add 3 cups water, bring to a boil, then simmer for about 18 minutes to produce a flavorful stock. Reserve the stock when you remove the chicken.
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Cook the tomatoes. Blend the fresh tomatoes into a paste (no extra water). Cook the blended tomatoes in a saucepan over medium heat for about 20 minutes until reduced and slightly thickened.
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Fry or broil the chicken. Drain the cooked chicken and fry in hot oil until golden brown, or broil in the oven until crisp. Drain excess oil on paper towels and reserve about 1 cup of the frying oil for the rice.
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Make the rice sauce. Heat 1 cup of reserved oil in a heavy-bottom pot, sauté the remaining onions until fragrant, add the cooked-down tomatoes and tomato sauce, and cook until the sauce shrinks and begins to stick. Stir in dried thyme and the remaining garlic-ginger paste and cook briefly.
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Prepare the rice. Wash the rice 3–4 times to remove starch, then add it to the pot with the sauce. Stir to coat.
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Add the reserved 2 cups of chicken stock, remaining 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp bouillon powder, 1/2 tsp white pepper and 2 bay leaves. Stir, then add 2 cups water. Cover tightly (aluminum foil under the lid helps trap steam) and cook on low for 20 minutes.
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Gently stir the rice, cover again and cook on low for another 20 minutes. Add diced carrots and green beans, cover and cook 5 more minutes until the vegetables are tender.
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Fluff and serve. Remove bay leaves, fluff rice with a fork and serve alongside the fried or broiled chicken. Optionally serve with a fresh salad.
Notes
- Use any long-grain rice you prefer; jasmine works well in this recipe.
- If you’d rather not fry, broil the chicken in the oven until golden.
Nutrition
Additional Info
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