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1
Brown the Chicken
10 Mins
Medium-high heat, about 190°C (375°F)
Heat 30 ml of the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces skin-side down for 4–5 minutes per side until golden, then lift them out onto a plate. They will finish cooking in the rice later.
Do not crowd the pot — brown in two batches so the skin crisps instead of steaming.
Done when: Skin is golden-brown on both sides; the meat is still pink inside.
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2
Fry the Tomato Base
10 Mins
Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)
Add the remaining oil to the same pot. Fry the chopped onion for 2 minutes, then add the blended tomato mixture, the tomato paste, curry powder and crushed bouillon cube. Cook, stirring often, for 8–10 minutes until the sauce darkens, thickens and the oil begins to separate at the edges.
Frying the tomato paste until it turns brick-red is what gives riz gras its colour — raw paste tastes tinny.
Done when: The sauce is thick, dark red, and smells sweet and savoury rather than raw.
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3
Add Stock and Vegetables
5 Mins
Boiling, 100°C (212°F)
Pour in the hot chicken stock and stir, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Return the chicken to the pot, tuck in the carrots, cabbage wedges, eggplant and pepper, add the bay leaves and the whole scotch bonnet, and bring everything to a boil.
Hot stock keeps the cooking on track; cold stock drops the temperature and the rice cooks unevenly.
Done when: The pot is at a rolling boil and the vegetables are submerged in sauce.
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4
Add the Rice
5 Mins
Boiling, 100°C (212°F)
Sprinkle the rinsed rice evenly over the pot and stir once, gently, so the grains sit in the sauce around the chicken and vegetables. Taste the liquid and adjust the salt — it should taste a touch saltier than you want, because the rice will absorb it.
Stir once only. Constant stirring breaks the grains and turns the pot to porridge.
Done when: The rice is evenly spread and just covered by liquid.
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5
Simmer, Lid On
25 Mins
Low simmer, about 95°C (200°F)
Cover tightly, lower the heat to the gentlest simmer and cook for 20–25 minutes without lifting the lid. The rice absorbs the sauce and steams through; the chicken finishes to 74°C (165°F) in the thickest part and the vegetables turn tender but keep their shape.
Resist peeking — every lift of the lid lets out the steam the rice needs.
Done when: The rice is tender, the liquid is absorbed, and the chicken reads 74°C (165°F).
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6
Rest and Serve
5 Mins
Resting, about 70°C (160°F)
Take the pot off the heat, fish out the bay leaves and the whole chilli, and rest, still covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice gently with a fork, arrange the chicken and vegetables on top, and serve straight from the pot or on a wide platter.
Resting lets the last steam finish the grains so they stay separate instead of clumping.
Done when: The grains are separate and fluffy, and the vegetables sit proudly on top.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve family-style from the pot, chicken and vegetables arranged on top of the rice, with lime wedges and the sliced onion on the side. Everyone takes from the same dish — that is the point of riz gras.
Burkina Faso
2h 5m
Italy
Thailand