West African Maafe Peanut Chicken Stew

Serves 6 · 20 min prep · 55 min cook

Ingredients

• 2.5 lb bone-in chicken thighs
• 3/4 cup natural peanut butter
• 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 large diced yellow onion
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 large cubed sweet potato
• 2 sliced carrot
• 1 whole Scotch bonnet or habanero
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp peanut oil or neutral oil
• 4 cups cooked white rice
• 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. 1Pat the chicken thighs dry and season all over with salt, black pepper, cumin, and smoked paprika. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. 2Brown the chicken in batches, skin-side down first, until deep golden, about 4 to 5 minutes per side; transfer to a plate. Do not wipe the pot.
3. 3Lower heat to medium, add the diced onion, and cook until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic, grated ginger, and tomato paste and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
4. 4Pour in the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Whisk in the peanut butter until the broth turns creamy and uniform.
5. 5Return the chicken to the pot along with the cubed sweet potato, sliced carrots, and the whole Scotch bonnet (leave it intact for aroma without full heat). Bring to a simmer.
6. 6Cover partially and cook on medium-low heat until the chicken is fall-apart tender and the sweet potato is soft, about 35 to 40 minutes. Stir occasionally so the peanut sauce does not stick.
7. 7Taste and adjust salt. Remove the whole chile. If the sauce is too thick, loosen with a splash of broth; if thin, simmer uncovered a few more minutes.
8. 8Serve the stew over cooked white rice, topped with chopped roasted peanuts and fresh cilantro. The sauce should be rich, nutty, and clinging to every piece of chicken.