Chicken riz au gras — Nigerien-style

Fragrant rice cooked in a tomato and onion base with browned chicken, served together with vegetables.

Ingredients

• 350 g long-grain rice, rinsed and drained
• 700 g chicken pieces, bone-in or boneless
• 3 ripe tomatoes (about 400 g), chopped
• 40 g tomato paste
• 2 onions (about 250 g), sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed, and 15 g fresh grated ginger
• 1 carrot (about 120 g) and 1 bell pepper, cut into pieces
• 30 ml vegetable oil
• 600 ml light stock or hot water, plus a little extra
• 1 bay leaf, black pepper and optional thyme
• 4 g salt to start, adjust to taste
• Optional chili, lemon and parsley to serve

Preparation

Rinse and drain the rice. Pat the chicken dry and keep a separate board for the vegetables.

Heat the oil in a pot. Brown the chicken in batches without crowding the pieces. Remove and set aside on a clean plate.

In the same pot, cook the onions for 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and tomato paste; reduce for 8–10 minutes.

Return the chicken to the sauce with bay leaf, pepper and 250 ml stock. Cover and simmer for 20–25 minutes until nearly cooked and tender. Check the center and continue if needed.

Remove the chicken again and cover it. Measure the sauce liquid and add hot stock to reach about 600 ml total. Add the rice and carrot; stir once.

Bring to a simmer, cover and cook over very low heat for 18–22 minutes without stirring. Add a little hot liquid if the rice remains firm before the pot dries.

Place the chicken and bell pepper over the rice for the final 5 minutes, cover and finish cooking. Chicken must be fully cooked through; its juices should run clear.

Turn off the heat and rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice without breaking the chicken, check the salt and serve hot.