1
Cook protein
Season chicken with salt and pepper, simmer until nearly tender, and reserve the stock. Add smoked turkey or fish later so it does not break apart.
Cook chicken
25:00
Liberia | Main dish
Liberian Jollof Rice
Liberian jollof rice with chicken, smoked turkey, tomato stew, bell pepper, stock, thyme, bay, and mixed vegetables.
Country
Liberia
Region
West Africa
Time
90 min
Serves
6
Level
medium
Recipe overview
What to know before you cook
Liberian jollof is generous. The rice should taste of tomato stew and meat stock, with vegetables folded through the pot.
What the dish tastes like
Liberian jollof rice with chicken, smoked turkey, tomato stew, bell pepper, stock, thyme, bay, and mixed vegetables.
When to cook it
Best for Family rice meals, with a medium cooking level and about 90 minutes total.
What to serve alongside it
Fried plantain, pepper sauce, boiled egg, or cabbage salad
Follow the collection
One-Pot Wonders is the easiest collection to explore after this dish. One-Pot Wonders
Regional lane
Liberia national table. A verified Liberia dish in the AfroKitchen archive.
Chef watch-outs
- Adding too much liquid after the rice goes in.
- Stirring too often once the grains should be steaming.
- Stopping the base before the pepper, onion, or spice edge has mellowed.
How you know it is ready
- The grains should be tender but still distinct, with steam carrying the seasoning upward.
- The sauce should coat the spoon and taste rounded, not watery or raw.
- The aroma should smell rounded rather than raw or sharp.
Recipe photos
See the dish before you cook
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Chef board
Build the table around Liberian Jollof Rice
Fried plantain, pepper sauce, boiled egg, or cabbage salad
Best route from here
Liberia national table
Collections to keep cooking
How to cook it
Step-by-step method
Keep the rhythm calm, watch the texture, and adjust seasoning at the end.
6 steps
90 min total
medium
2
Fry tomato base
Heat oil and cook onions and bell pepper until soft. Add garlic and tomato paste and fry until the paste darkens.
Fry base
10:00
3
Cook stew
Add tomatoes, thyme, bay leaves, chile if using, and some stock. Simmer until the sauce thickens.
Cook sauce
15:00
4
Add rice
Stir rice into the sauce, then add chicken, smoked protein, vegetables, and enough stock to cook the rice.
5
Steam rice
Cover tightly and cook on low until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
Steam jollof
35:00
6
Rest and serve
Rest covered, fluff gently, and serve with fried plantain and pepper sauce.
Rest
10:00
Proteins vary by home: chicken, smoked turkey, beef, shrimp, fish, or a meatless vegetable version.