Sierra Leonean Chicken and Jollof Rice-ish

Ingredients

For the chicken
Bone-in chicken – 1.5 lbs.
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Curry powder – 1 tbsp
Cayenne powder – 1 tsp
Thyme – 1 tsp
Salt – to taste (about 1 tbsp)
Olive oil – 4 tbsp

For the Jollof Rice
Onions – 1 large, cubed
Red Bell Pepper – 1 large, cubed
Green Bell Pepper – 1 large, cubed
Scotch bonnet or Habanero pepper – per heat preference, use ½ or 1 small
Tomatoes – 1 large, cubed
1 head of garlic
Tomato paste – 2 tbsp
Cabbage – ½ head, thinly shredded
Scallions – 1 bunch, diced
Salt – to taste
Olive oil – 3 tbsp
Rice, Basmati – 2.5 cups
Maggi (or other brand) bouillon – 1 cube
Water – 2 cups


Directions

Equipment
Dutch oven or pot with lid
Baking tray
Oven
Blender

 

Method

For Chicken

  1. Marinate the chicken with the ginger garlic paste, curry powder, cayenne powder, thyme, and salt and set it aside for an hour.
  2. Heat the olive oil in the pot and when hot, add the chicken pieces and cook until seared and golden brown and cooked most of the way through
  3. Set the chicken aside

 

For the Rice

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F
  2. Place the cubed onion, red pepper (not green pepper), head of garlic (skin on its top, trimmed), cubed tomato, and habanero pepper on a baking tray
  3. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt to taste
  4. Bake at 375F for 30 minutes until they are roasted and lightly browned
  5. In a blender add the roasted vegetables (squeeze the garlic cloves out of the skin) until it is a sauce like consistency
  6. In the same pot that you sauteed chicken (or a new pan if you are skipping that step) add the oil
  7. Rinse and drain the rice and when the pot is hot, add rice and stir to coat
  8. Add the onion-tomato-peppers sauce and sauté until fully mixed
  9. Add the water and bouillon cube and mix
  10. Cover the pot and let cook for 15 minutes
  11. Uncover (slowly and carefully lest the contents are bubbling) and stir making sure to scrape up bits stuck to the base
  12. Add the cubed green pepper, shredded cabbage and scallions and mix thoroughly
  13. Add the chicken, if using, and stir to combine and let cook for 5 minutes
  14. Turn off the stove, cover pot with lid and allow it to stay 10 more minutes.
  15. Serve hot!

Country:
Sierra Leone


Notes and Instructions

Recipe and photo credit: Vinola V. Munyon