Description
A vibrant and hearty Spicy African Chicken Stew featuring tender chicken pieces simmered in a rich peanut butter and tomato sauce with a blend of aromatic spices. This comforting stew combines sweet potatoes and red peppers for a balanced, flavorful dish perfect served with rice and lime wedges.
Ingredients
Scale
Broth and Peanut Sauce
- 500ml chicken stock, heated
- 340g jar smooth peanut butter
Vegetables and Herbs
- 2 onions, halved and thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
- 3 tbsp finely chopped ginger
- ½–1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 3 tsp ground coriander
- 3 tsp ground cumin
- 1–2 scotch bonnet chillies, deseeded and chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 3 sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
- 2 red peppers, deseeded and cut into chunks
- Good handful coriander, chopped, a little reserved for sprinkling
Meat
- 2 x 800g pack chicken thighs and drumsticks, skinned
To Serve (Optional)
- Rice
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Prepare Peanut Stock: Pour the hot chicken stock over the smooth peanut butter in a large bowl or jug and stir well until the peanut butter is fully dissolved, forming a creamy peanut stock mixture.
- Cook Onions and Spices: Heat a very large pan over medium heat and add the sunflower oil. Fry the sliced onions for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the finely chopped ginger, cayenne pepper if using, black pepper (½ tsp), ground coriander, ground cumin, chopped scotch bonnet chillies, and bay leaves. Cook while stirring continuously for 2 minutes to release the spices’ aromas.
- Add Tomatoes, Peanut Stock, and Chicken: Tip the chopped tomatoes and the prepared peanut stock into the pan. Stir in the chicken thighs and drumsticks, fully coating them in the sauce mixture.
- Simmer the Chicken: Cover the pan with a lid and leave the stew to simmer gently for 30 minutes. Stir frequently during this time to prevent the peanut butter from sticking to the bottom of the pan, ensuring even cooking.
- Add Vegetables and Coriander: After 30 minutes, stir in the chunks of sweet potatoes, red peppers, and most of the chopped coriander, reserving some for garnish.
- Continue Cooking: Cook the stew uncovered for another 30 minutes to allow the vegetables to become tender and the flavors to fully develop.
- Serve: Serve the spicy African chicken stew hot, sprinkled with the reserved coriander. Accompany it with cooked rice and lime wedges for squeezing over to add a fresh citrus balance if desired.
Notes
- Freezing in batches: Once the stew has cooled, freeze in portions for up to 3 months. When reheating, thaw in the fridge or gently reheat from frozen in a large pan with a splash of water to prevent sticking. Cover with a lid until thawed, then remove the lid and heat until bubbling to evaporate excess moisture.
- Adjust heat level according to taste by varying the amount of cayenne pepper and scotch bonnet chillies used.
- Skinned chicken thighs and drumsticks are preferred for tenderness and to reduce excess fat.
- This stew can be served with alternative sides like couscous or crusty bread if rice is unavailable.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: African
Keywords: African chicken stew, spicy peanut chicken, African cuisine, chicken thigh recipe, peanut butter stew, one-pot chicken stew, hearty chicken recipes
