West African Rice Dish Recipe

Make the marinade

In a large bowl combine lemon juice, minced garlic (4 cloves), grated ginger, cayenne, smoked paprika, ground coriander, vegetable oil, salt and black pepper. Whisk until smooth.

Add chicken thighs to the marinade and toss to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight for best flavor.

Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high (about 400°F / 200°C). Remove chicken from fridge 20 minutes before grilling to come toward room temperature.

Grill chicken, skin-side down first, 6–8 minutes per side depending on thickness, turning once, until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and skin is nicely charred. Transfer to a plate, tent with foil and rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing.

Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. In a bowl mix minced garlic (2 cloves), lemon juice, palm or vegetable oil, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.

Add shrimp, toss to coat, and let sit 10–15 minutes while preparing rice. If using skewers, thread shrimp onto skewers to make grilling easier.

Grill or sauté shrimp in a hot skillet 1–2 minutes per side until opaque and just cooked through. Remove from heat and keep warm. Do not overcook.

Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear to remove excess starch; drain well and set aside.

In a blender or food processor, combine chopped red bell pepper, canned tomatoes and half of the chopped onion; pulse until fairly smooth (this is your fresh pepper-tomato purée).

Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add remaining chopped onion and sauté 4–5 minutes until translucent.

Stir in tomato paste and cook 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly to remove raw tomato taste and slightly caramelize. Add the fresh pepper-tomato purée and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, about 8–10 minutes until mixture reduces and deepens in color.

Add bay leaves, dried thyme and seasoning cube (crushed) and stir. Pour in chicken stock (4.5 cups) and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Taste and add salt and black pepper as needed.

Add the drained rice in an even layer over the simmering sauce; do not stir. Gently pour any remaining liquid over the rice (not directly stirring) so rice is submerged by about 1/4 inch. Reduce heat to low, cover tightly with a lid, and cook undisturbed 18–22 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.

Five minutes before rice finishes, gently scatter frozen peas over the rice, recover and allow steam to finish cooking the peas and warm them through.

Once cooked, remove pot from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff rice gently with a fork, removing bay leaves.

Slice rested grilled chicken thighs into serving pieces.

Plate the rice, top with sliced grilled chicken and arrange grilled shrimp around or on top. Sprinkle chopped cilantro or parsley and sliced green onions over the dish. Serve with lime or lemon wedges on the side.

Optional: drizzle a little reserved pan juices from the chicken or a bit of extra oil over the finished dish for shine and extra flavor. Serve hot.