Smoked Fish Jollof Rice with Scotch Bonnet

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-23 · Updated 2026-04-23

A vibrant rice dish cooked with smoked fish and fiery Scotch bonnet peppers, featuring deep flavors from tomato and palm oil. This African recipe, ready in about 45 minutes, pairs long-grain rice, smoked fish fillets, palm oil for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 520 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
• 8 oz smoked fish fillets
• 3 tbsp palm oil
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 large, finely chopped onion
• 2, seeded and minced scotch bonnet peppers
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

The pan we’d use for this → Best Nonstick Cookware for 2026: Top 5 Skillet Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Pat the smoked fish dry with paper towels, then cut into 1-inch pieces. Heat 1 tbsp palm oil in a deep pot over medium heat, add the fish pieces, and cook for 2 minutes per side until slightly crisp — do not overcook.
2. Step 2: Add the chopped onion to the pot and sauté for 3 minutes until translucent, then stir in tomato paste and minced Scotch bonnet peppers. Cook for 1 minute until the oil separates from the mixture.
3. Step 3: Add the rice, chicken broth, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper. Stir once to combine, then bring to a simmer. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and reduce heat to low. Cook for 25 minutes without lifting the lid.
4. Step 4: Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Discard the bay leaves, then serve immediately while hot.