Ghanaian Jollof Rice with Grilled Chicken
Smoky tomato and scotch bonnet rice with crisp roast chicken thighs, the party dish West Africa argues about.
- Time1 hr 20
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £1.49 a head
- Oven220°C (200°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Rub the chicken with the curry powder, half the thyme, the paprika, half the salt and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Leave it for 15 minutes while you make the sauce.
15 min - 2
Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Roast the chicken on a tray for 35 minutes, until the skin is crisp and the juices run clear.
35 min - 3
Blitz the onion, red pepper, tomatoes, scotch bonnet, garlic and ginger in a blender until smooth.
- 4
Heat the remaining oil in a large heavy pan. Fry the tomato purée for 3 minutes until dark and sweet smelling, then add the blended sauce. Simmer hard for 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick and the oil rises to the top.
20 min - 5
Rinse the rice until the water runs nearly clear. Add it to the sauce with the crumbled stock cube, bay leaves, remaining thyme, remaining salt and the water. Stir once.
- 6
Cover with foil and a tight lid, turn the heat to its lowest and cook for 25 minutes without lifting the lid. Rest for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. The rice should be orange red with a slightly smoky base.
25 min - 7
Serve the rice with the chicken on top and a little sliced tomato and onion on the side if you like.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.