Today I will show you how to make the best oven-baked jollof rice recipe with chicken skewers. This makes the ultimate versatile hearty meal. Not only is it extremely healthy, but it’s also the perfect meal to make for many different occasions.
Give it a try, and let me know what you think! And don’t forget to check out my website for the many other delicious dinners, snacks, and dessert recipes I have!
Oven-Baked Jollof Rice
This oven-baked jollof rice with grilled chicken skewers recipe is one of my all-time favorites. It is definitely not a dish that is quick to make, but one worth every second.
And, if you can multitask a little bit, you can easily whip out this incredible dish in about 1 1/2 hours.
This is a West African rice dish made from rice and tomatoes. It is seasoned with a bunch of aromatics and is generally a very versatile recipe.
The one we are making today also has some added veggies. They will add much-needed color, but also nutrients and some texture.
Why I Love this Recipe
1. Flavorful Aromatics
This dish is loaded with flavorful aromatics such as onion, garlic white pepper, ginger, and habanero peppers which make it incredibly delicious.
2. Nutritious Veggies
The added veggies also provide a lot of nutrients in this dish while adding color and texture to the recipe.
3. Oven Baked
This rice recipe is oven-baked, which means you don’t have to be hovering over the stove for an hour and a half. All you have to do is mix everything together, put it in the oven, and let it bake!
4. Perfect for Meal Prep
This jollof rice recipe is perfect for meal prep. Just prepare a big batch and you’ll have lunch or dinner throughout the week!
5. Rich Flavor
The oven-baked method of cooking brings out an incredibly rich flavor while maintaining the tenderness of each grain of rice. Plus, it’s more flavorful than traditional jollof cooked on a stovetop!
What To Eat With Oven-Baked Jollof Rice
This rice dish is very easy to make but has some steps. I hate it when people just toss together ingredients to save time.
Ultimately, it compromises the flavor and texture of the entire dish. If you follow my steps exactly, it will allow you to slowly develop specific flavors and consistencies.
Then, we also have some chicken skewers. These are very simple and mainly function as a meaty accompaniment for the rice dish. You can also make any of my other skewer recipes like these Grilled Shrimp Skewers or these Grilled Salmon Skewers.
I even have a different chicken skewer recipe that is easy to make but arguably more savory and meaty.
All in all, this combination of chicken and rice makes an incredibly filling, nutrient-packed, and absolutely mouth-watering dinner. And it’s perfect for any occasion and season!
Tips And Tricks For Oven-Baked Jollof Rice
- If you see the rice is busy drying out inside the oven, add more chicken broth. Make sure that you check the progress of the rice at least at the halfway mark.
- You can use a different kind of long grain rice. But personally, basmati works the best. If you do choose a substitute, any long grain white rice will work. The only change might be the baking time of the rice.
Recipe Variations
- If you don’t have chicken on hand, you can use other proteins. Beef, pork, or even seafood like shrimp will work well in this recipe. You could also follow the same steps but sub the protein for extra vegetables like mushrooms, eggplant, bell peppers, zucchini, etc.
- For a vegan version, you can omit the chicken and use vegetable broth in place of chicken stock or broth.
- You can also add extra cooked chickpeas or lentils to provide a protein boost.
- For an even crunchier topping, you could add some oven-baked panko breadcrumbs or crushed crackers on top before baking it in the oven for an extra crunch.
- For a healthier version, you can use brown basmati rice instead of white and reduce the amount of oil used in the recipe.
How to Store and Reheat
Fridge: o keep your leftovers fresh, it’s best to store them in an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for no more than 4 days.
Freezer: To properly freeze your leftovers, ensure they have cooled down completely before storing them in an airtight container or freezer bag. It should last safely in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Jollof rice can be reheated in the oven or the microwave. For best results, place your cooling leftovers into an oven-safe dish and heat for 10 minutes at 350°F (175°C). To reheat your leftovers in the microwave, transfer them to a dish that is safe for microwaving. Heat for 1-2 minutes, pausing halfway to stir.
FAQs
The foil covering helps trap the moisture inside the baking dish. This will help slowly cook the dish without it drying out and becoming crispy. This dish should have a fluffy texture. For this reason, you can also cook the rice in a Dutch oven with a lid.
This is a common problem people run into. The rice will usually come out flavorless if you didn’t use enough seasoning ingredients or used too much liquid (which dilutes the flavor). And it also helps (as I’ve mentioned) to develop the flavors slowly.
You can, but it’s best to use uncooked, rinsed rice. The technique we use today (cooking than baking it inside the oven) is what develops the very fluffy, tender texture. Using previously cooked rice may result in an overcooked rice dish.
More Delicious Recipes
Oven-Baked Jollof Rice Recipe With Easy Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
Oven-baked jollof rice
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, pureed
- 1 tsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup tomato puree (crushed tomatoes)
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp curry powder
- Sea salt flakes, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 ½ cups basmati rice, washed (or any long grain rice)
- 1 cup chicken broth or chicken stock
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, deseed and sliced
- ½ cup frozen peas, thawed
- Fresh tri-colored bell peppers, chopped, for garnish
For the chicken skewers
- 3 chicken breasts, cubed into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 red bell pepper, cubed
- 1/2 green bell pepper, cubed
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper, cubed
- Olive oil, for pan frying
Instructions
Make the chicken skewers
- First, soak the wooden skewers (if you are using wooden ones) in water for about 10 minutes. This will help prevent them from burning while you cook the chicken.
- To start, toss the cubed chicken pieces in all of the spices. Make sure all the pieces are well-covered with the spice mix.
- Next, thread the chicken and bell pepper pieces onto a skewer. Alternate the bell pepper colors to make a colorful meaty skewer.
- Repeat until all of the chicken and bell pepper has been used.
Cook the chicken skewers
- Once all of your skewers are made, you can heat some olive oil in a griddle pan over medium heat.
- Add your chicken skewers and allow them to cook for about 3-4 minutes on the first side. Turn the skewers and let them cook on all sides.
- Don't remove them from the heat until the chicken is completely cooked. This will take between 8-12 minutes depending on the heat you use and the size of the chicken pieces.
- Once the chicken is cooked, you can remove the skewers and set them aside.
Make the oven-baked jollof rice
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Then, place a baking sheet filled with water inside the oven on the lowest rack. This will make steam for the rice.
- Add the olive oil to a large pot. Heat it over medium heat.
- Add the finely diced red onion. Allow it to saute for about 2-3 minutes or until it has become aromatic.
- Add the ginger paste, minced garlic, and minced Scotch bonnet pepper. Let them cook for a minute.
- Mix in the tomato paste, followed by the crushed tomatoes. Mix them in well, and again, leave them to cook for a minute.
- Stir in all of your seasoning ingredients.
- Cover the pot and leave the mixture to simmer for about 5 minutes. This will help the flavors blend together beautifully.
- Once you have a delicious tomato base, add the basmati rice. Stir the ingredients together well so you have uniformly seasoned rice. Then, leave it to cook for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the jollof rice to a baking dish.
- Add the chicken broth. Make sure it is mixed in very well.
- Stir in the peeled and sliced carrots and thawed peas.
- Cover the baking dish with foil. Bake the jollof rice for roughly 1 1/2 hours or until the rice is completely cooked and dry.
- Remove the rice from the oven and season it to taste.
- Serve with your grilled chicken skewers or another meaty dish. And don't forget to add your fresh bell pepper garnish to die the dishes together!
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