Smoky Tomato Chicken Rice Pan — Jollof Paella with Chicken
A Spanish-West African one-pan fusion, the West African jollof technique of rice cooked directly in a smoky tomato and scotch bonnet base meeting the Spanish paella format so both the socarrat crust and the jollof depth are structurally present in one extraordinary pan.
Nutrition per Serving
Ingredients
For 2 servings
Instructions
Prep
Season 4 chicken thighs with 0.75 tsp salt, 0.25 tsp pepper, 1 tsp smoked paprika. Dice 1 medium onion and 1 large red pepper. Mince 3 garlic cloves and 0.5 scotch bonnet. Measure 180g paella rice and 500ml hot stock.
Sear
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a paella pan over medium-high. Sear chicken skin-side down 5–6 minutes until deep golden. Flip, cook 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Saute
Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and red pepper, cook 5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and scotch bonnet for 1 minute. Add 2 tbsp tomato paste, stir 2 minutes until darkened.
Build
Add canned tomatoes, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 0.5 tsp cumin, 0.5 tsp thyme, 0.25 tsp nutmeg. Stir to combine, cook 3 minutes. Add rice, stir to coat completely in tomato base.
Simmer
Pour in hot stock, season with 0.5 tsp salt. Stir once to distribute, then do not stir again. Nestle chicken thighs skin-side up into the rice. Simmer uncovered over medium-low 20–25 minutes until stock absorbs and a crackling socarrat crust forms on the base.
Rest and plate
Remove from heat, cover with foil, rest 5 minutes. Scatter 10g fresh parsley over the top. Serve directly from the pan with lemon wedges and fried plantain alongside.
Recipes use AI and Edamam. Always check for allergens before cooking. Spotted something wrong—email us at hello@grubplanit.com.