West African Jollof Chicken Skillet
Tender chicken and fluffy rice cooked together in one pan with tomato, onion, and warm spices. A vibrant, one-pot meal ready in under 30 minutes.
- Total time
- 28 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 485
- Protein
- 38g
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1.5 cups long-grain white rice
- 1 can (14.5 oz) canned diced tomatoes
- 1 large onion, yellow
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
Instructions
- 1
Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels, then cut each one crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips so they cook quickly and evenly.
- 2
Slice the onion lengthwise from root to tip, then cut those slices crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips.
- 3
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and moves quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.
- 4
Add the chicken strips in a single layer and cook without stirring for 3 minutes until the bottom turns golden, then flip each piece and cook 2 more minutes until both sides are light golden—they don't need to be cooked through yet.
- 5
Push the chicken to the edges of the skillet, then add the onion strips to the center and stir once every 20 seconds for 2 minutes until they soften and become slightly translucent.
- 6
Stir the tomato paste into the onions for 30 seconds until the paste turns a deeper red and smells strongly fragrant, which blooms the flavors.
- 7
Pour in the canned tomatoes with their juice, then add the chicken broth and stir to combine everything, scraping up any stuck-on brown bits from the pan bottom.
- 8
Sprinkle the rice evenly over the liquid, then stir gently until all the rice is submerged and the chicken is distributed throughout.
- 9
Reduce heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 18 minutes without lifting the lid, which allows the rice to absorb the liquid and cook through.
- 10
Remove from heat and let sit covered for 2 minutes, then fluff with a fork to separate the rice grains.
- 11
Add salt and pepper to taste, then divide among serving bowls.
Tools you’ll need
- large skillet (12-inch or larger) with a lid
- cutting board
- knife
- paper towels
- wooden spoon or spatula
- fork
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