Jollof rice with chicken

africa african basmati rice bbc good food beginners chicken chicken thigh chicken thighs chilli ghana indulgent jollof okra one pan one-pot plum tomato plum tomatoes red pepper red peppers rice scotch bonnet tomato purée yellow pepper yellow peppers

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Source

Ingredients

8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into large pieces

3 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil

1 large onion, halved and sliced

3 tbsp tomato purée

1 chicken stock cube

400g basmati rice

1 red pepper, deseeded and thickly sliced

1 yellow pepper, deseeded and thickly sliced

100g okra, halved

bunch coriander, roughly chopped, to serve

2 garlic cloves

2 x 400g cans plum tomatoes

thumb-size piece fresh root ginger

1 scotch bonnet chilli, deseeded

Method

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large deep frying pan over a high heat then add the meat and fry for about 5 mins till golden all over. Lift out of the pan onto a plate.

Add the rest of the oil to the pan and fry the onions until soft but not golden, about 5 mins. While the onions cook, make the ginger and chilli base. Put the garlic, tomatoes, ginger and chilli into a food processor or blender and whizz till smooth.

Add the tomato purée to the onions, fry for another 2 mins then add the ginger and chilli mix. Crumble in the stock cube, stir then pour in 600ml boiling water. Add the chicken, bring to the boil then simmer for 15 mins.

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. Add the rice to the pan, turn the heat down to a simmer then cover with foil and a lid (so no steam can escape) and cook for 20 mins.

Take the lid off (the rice won’t be cooked yet) then scatter the peppers and okra over the rice. Re-cover and cook for 10 mins until the veg is softened and the rice tender. Just before serving, mix the veg through and scatter over coriander.