African Chicken Peanut Stew

African Chicken Peanut Stew

African Chicken Peanut Stew

A rich, comforting West African–inspired stew made with chicken, sweet potatoes, peanuts, tomatoes and warm spices. Hearty, aromatic and deeply flavourful!

Yield: 6–8 servings

Prep time: 20 minutes  Cook time: 115 minutes

Total time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2–3 lbs (1–1.4 kg) chicken legs, thighs and/or wings
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 large yellow or white onion, sliced
  • 3-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
  • 6–8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 2–3 lbs (1–1.4 kg) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 × 15 oz (425 g) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 quart (1 litre) chicken stock
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1 cup roasted peanuts
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1/4–1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Method

  1. Brown the chicken: Heat the vegetable oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Salt the chicken pieces well, pat them dry and brown them in batches so as not to overcrowd the pot. Set aside as they finish browning.
  2. Sauté the vegetables: In the same pot, sauté the onions for 3–4 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Add the ginger and garlic and cook 1–2 minutes more, then add the sweet potatoes and stir to combine.
  3. Cook the stew: Add the chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, peanut butter, peanuts, coriander and cayenne. Stir well. Return the chicken to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer, tasting and adjusting salt as needed. Cover and cook for about 90 minutes (check after 60 minutes) until the chicken is tender and the sweet potatoes are soft.
  4. Remove bones and shred the chicken: Transfer the chicken to a bowl to cool slightly. Remove and discard the skin if desired. Shred the meat from the bones and return the meat to the stew.
  5. Adjust seasoning and finish: Add more salt or cayenne if needed. Add a generous amount of black pepper—the stew should be peppery. Stir in the chopped cilantro and serve on its own or with steamed rice.

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