Togolese Chicken Peanut Stew
Poulet à l'Arachide
A rich and savory chicken stew made with a base of peanut butter, tomatoes, and aromatic spices, often served with rice or fufu. This dish highlights the importance of peanuts in Togolese cuisine.
🧂 Ingredients
- 8 bone-in, skin-on Chicken thighs(about 2-3 pounds total)
- 3 tablespoons Vegetable oil
- 1 sliced Large yellow onion
- 8 cloves Garlic(peeled and roughly chopped)
- 3 inch piece Ginger(peeled and minced)
- 2 pounds Sweet potatoes(peeled and cut into chunks)
- 1 quart Chicken stock
- 1 15-ounce can Crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup Peanut butter(smooth, unsweetened)
- 1 cup Roasted peanuts(for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon Ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper(or to taste)
- Salt(to taste)
- Black pepper(to taste)
- 0.5 cup Cilantro(chopped, for garnish)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Season the chicken pieces generously with salt and black pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces on all sides in batches, ensuring not to crowd the pot. Remove the browned chicken and set aside.
- 2
Add the sliced onion to the same pot and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring often and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add the minced ginger and garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- 3
Add the sweet potato chunks to the pot and stir well to combine with the aromatics. Cook for about 5 minutes.
- 4
Return the browned chicken to the pot. Pour in the chicken stock and crushed tomatoes. Stir in the peanut butter, ground coriander, and cayenne pepper. Stir well to combine, ensuring the peanut butter is fully incorporated and there are no clumps.
- 5
Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 40 minutes, or until the chicken is very tender and the sweet potatoes are cooked through. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- 6
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. If the stew is too thick, add a little more chicken stock or water. If it's too thin, let it simmer uncovered for a few more minutes to reduce.
- 7
Serve hot, garnished with chopped cilantro and roasted peanuts. This stew is excellent served with white rice or fufu.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓For a smoother sauce, you can blend the peanut butter, tomatoes, and stock together before adding to the pot.
- ✓Adjust the amount of cayenne pepper to your preferred level of heat.
- ✓If you can't find sweet potatoes, regular potatoes can be used as a substitute.
✨ Twist Ideas
Inspiration for your own version of this recipe
- Add other vegetables like bell peppers or spinach in the last 10 minutes of cooking.
- For a vegetarian version, replace chicken with firm tofu, squash, or extra sweet potatoes.