African Food: Ghana Edition

Ghana: A beautiful country on the West Coast of Africa that is home to secluded beaches, colonial-era architecture and amazing food. 

My roommate Darrah and I were home one evening when she decided to make a dish that is very common in Ghana: jollof rice and spiced chicken. Darrah spent a year studying abroad in Ghana in high school, and to this day she still raves about the food. 

The dish was fantastic! The chicken had just the right amount of spice to it and the rice almost melted in my mouth. While I usually pride myself on trying new food, lately I had been in a rut. Ghanian food is a real treat, and I am excited to explore more traditional recipes. 

Jollof Rice and Chicken

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 15 minutesCook time: 45 minutesTotal time:1 hour Servings:6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic divided
• 1 tablespoon finely minced or grated ginger root divided
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
• 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 5 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 red bell pepper trimmed ribs and seeds chopped 1 1/2 cups
• 4-5 carrots scraped and sliced into thin rounds 1 1/2 cups
• 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped 1 cup
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 6-oz can tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• 3-4 cups low-salt chicken broth divided
• 2 cups long grain raw long-grain white rice rinsed
• 2 cups tomato puree I use San Marzano plum tomatoes and puree them in a blender
• 1 cup frozen peas defrosted

Instructions

1.  Preheat Oven to 350

2. Marinate Chicken — In a bowl, toss chicken with measured amounts of garlic, ginger, salt, Aleppo or crushed red pepper and black pepper. Let sit for 10 mins.

3. Add bell pepper, carrot and onion. Cook until softened. Add curry powder, tomato paste, chicken broth and bay leaf. Add rice and stir. Add more broth and bring to a boil. Put in casserole pan and baked covered for 20 mins. If dry, add more broth and cook for additional 15-20 mins. 

4. Serve hot and enjoy! I recommend adding some sort of bread or salad. 

Expanding your horizons is awesome. Being able to celebrate other cultures and please your palate at the same time is also a huge bonus. Hope you try this and love it!

**I do not claim ownership of this recipe, photo and information from ‘Panning the Globe’ food blog.**

WANT MORE? CHECK OUT:

https://www.thespruceeats.com/african-food-4162459

• Dinner