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Spicy Chicken Jollof Rice

Recipe from Seema Pankhania, from their Instagram reelWritten down by ReelsMeals from the caption and voiceover. Added 23 October 2026.

20 minutes to prep, 40 to cook. A comforting, fiery chicken jollof rice that brings warmth on cold days. The dish combines seared chicken thighs, aromatic onions, tomato paste, and the bright heat of scotch bonnet peppers, all cooked together with rice for a flavorful one‑pot meal. Crispy rice bits at the bottom add a delightful crunch.

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Spicy Chicken Jollof Rice by Seema Pankhania, a frame from the Instagram video

Method

  1. Heat the rendered chicken fat in a large pot and sear the chicken thighs until browned, then set aside.

  2. In the same pot, sauté the diced onion in the remaining fat until translucent.

  3. Stir in the tomato paste and cook briefly to develop flavor.

  4. Add the blended scotch bonnet peppers and blended tomatoes, simmering to create a rich, spicy sauce.

  5. Return the seared chicken thighs to the pot, coating them with the sauce.

  6. Add the rice, stirring to coat each grain with the sauce, then add enough water or broth to cook the rice.

  7. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.

  8. Observe that the rice is fully cooked, coated in a reddish‑orange sauce, and no excess liquid remains.

  9. Fluff the rice with a perforated spoon to avoid breaking grains, specifically targeting the crispy rice bits at the bottom of the pot.

  10. Allow the pot to rest off the heat for a few minutes, then gently fluff the rice, making sure to keep the crispy rice bits that form at the bottom.

Tips while you cook

Set aside seared chicken before sautéing onions
After browning the chicken thighs, remove them and keep the pot hot for the onion sauté.
Coat rice grains before adding liquid
Stir the rice until each grain is coated with the sauce prior to pouring in water or broth.
Rest the pot briefly before final fluff
Allow the pot to sit off the heat for a few minutes, then gently fluff to preserve crispy rice bits.

Notes from ReelsMeals, based on this recipe's ingredients, times and method. They are not the creator's instructions.

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Seema Pankhania made this.

The recipe comes from Seema Pankhania’s Instagram reel. ReelsMeals wrote it down from the caption and the voiceover. Check the original if something looks off, and for anything about allergens.

Are you Seema Pankhania and want this changed? Email [email protected].

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