African Chicken Stew

An African chicken dinner with a delicious tomato-based sauce, fried plantains, and coconut rice.

Smothered in a savory aromatic tomato sauce, and served with coconut rice for a no-fuss, quick, and easy weeknight meal! No African party would be the same without some sort of stew.

Course Main

Cuisine African

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Servings

Calories 377kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

The Tomato Base

4-5 Roma tomatoes (any tomato works, but Romas have less liquid)
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
4-5 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon (5g) chopped ginger
½ red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
¼ cup (6-7g) fresh parsley
2-3 large leaves basil

The Chicken Stew

3½-4 3½-4 pounds (1.5-2kg) chicken, cut into pieces
salt and pepper to taste (4-5 grams salt per pound)
additional optional seasonings (2 cloves minced garlic, a teaspoon minced ginger, and a tablespoon of Creole seasoning)
1-2 tablespoons (15-30g) oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 teaspoon (2g) smoked paprika
1½ teaspoons (2-3g) dried thyme
½ teaspoon (2g) white pepper
2 cups (475ml) chicken broth or 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder in 2 cups of water
1 small bell pepper, sliced
6 cups (1,200g) cooked coconut rice (recipe in notes)
2 green onions, chopped (whites and green parts)

Instructions

Puree the tomatoes, an onion, garlic, ginger, parsley, and basil in a blender, and set it aside.
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Optionally, add more garlic, ginger, and Creole seasoning.
Heat a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add oil. When it's hot, sear the chicken, stirring frequently. Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot and keep stirring until the chicken browns.
Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.
Add the diced onion to the oil and chicken drippings in the pan and saute until translucent.
Pour the pureed tomato mixture into the pan, then add the tomato paste, paprika, thyme, white pepper, and any other spices with about 2 cups of chicken stock. Bring the stew base to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, for 20-30 minutes.
Return the chicken to the pot, and add the bell pepper. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Adjust seasoning and consistency to taste with salt, pepper, and chicken stock.
Remove from heat, serve over coconut rice, and garnish with chopped green onions. Enjoy!

Notes

Coconut Rice

Ingredients

2 cups (390g) long-grain rice
2 cups (475ml) coconut milk (homemade or a 14-ounce can)
2 cups (475ml) chicken stock or water
2 bay leaves
1-1½ teaspoon (5-8g) salt

Instructions

Rinse and drain the rice. Add it to a saucepan.
Pour in the coconut milk, broth, bay leaves, and salt, and bring it to a boil over high heat. Stir, lower the heat to a simmer, and then cover the saucepan tightly with the lid. Continue cooking for 15-18 minutes.
Take the saucepan off the heat and let it rest for about 10 minutes, covered. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.

A good African stew has a noticeable tomato presence without the sharp acidity.
If your stew is too acidic, add ½ a teaspoon of curry powder or baking soda to help mask or reduce the acidity.
Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition