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African-Style Chicken Stew

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Makes 4 servings 1x

Time 45 minutes

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  • Pinch cayenne (optional)
  • 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock, or water
  • 4 cups chopped tomatoes (canned are fine; include their juice)
  • 1/2 pound sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and chopped
  • 1 pound collards or kale, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Put the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the chicken, sprinkle with half the salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat so they sizzle without burning, until the pieces are browned all over, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and the cayenne if you’re using it. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, 3 to 5 minutes.
  2. Add the stock, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes; bring to a boil; then turn the heat down so that the stew bubbles gently but steadily. Cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are just getting tender, 8 to 12 minutes.
  3. Add the collards and peanut butter and stir. Cover again and cook until the greens are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve, garnished with peanuts.

—Recipe from The VB6 Cookbook

Recipe variations

African Peanut Soup with Rice Thicker, especially if you let the rice cook until the kernels burst. Substitute 1/2 cup long-grain brown rice for the sweet potatoes and add an extra cup of stock. In Step 2, let the rice cook until it’s almost fully tender before proceeding, 25 to 30 minutes.

Beef Stew with Pistachios, Beets, and Greens Perfect for whenever you can get your hands on lots of beet greens, but any green will do. Substitute beef sirloin for the chicken, beets for the sweet potatoes, the beet greens for the collards, and pistachios for the peanuts.