African Chicken Peanut Stew

Recipe source: Hank Shaw / Simply Recipes. The historical TastyMaza posting byline is not a claim of original recipe authorship. The ingredient quantities are retained from the historical post. The functional instructions and editorial notes below were written for this update on 2 November 2026; they are not recovered historical prose. TastyMaza has not independently kitchen-tested this editorial version.

This preparation uses bone-in chicken, sweet potato and peanut butter. The title is historical; the source credit identifies Hank Shaw’s particular version rather than attributing one recipe to an entire region.

Historical ingredient list

  • 2-3 pounds chicken legs, thighs and/or wings
  • 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 large yellow or white onion, sliced
  • A 3-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
  • 6-8 garlic cloves, chopped roughly
  • 2-3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 15-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
  • 1 quart chicken stock
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1 cup roasted peanuts
  • 1 Tbsp ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste (Lal Mirch)
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro

Preparation — current editorial instructions

  1. Brown seasoned chicken in batches in the oil, then set it aside briefly while continuing the recipe.
  2. Soften onion for 3–4 minutes; add ginger and garlic for 1–2 minutes. Stir in sweet potato.
  3. Return chicken; add stock, tomatoes, peanut butter, peanuts, coriander and cayenne. Simmer covered, checking from about an hour, until meat and sweet potato are tender. Chicken must reach 74°C (165°F).
  4. Lift out chicken, remove bones and any unwanted skin, and return the meat to the pot. Adjust seasoning and finish with cilantro.

Handling and ingredient notes

Remove bones carefully before serving shredded meat. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers; reheat leftovers to 74°C (165°F). Do not leave a large pot cooling on the counter for hours.

Allergen and dietary check: Peanuts; check stock and peanut-butter labels. Do not serve to someone with a peanut allergy.

Use the FoodSafety.gov temperature chart, cold-storage chart and handling guidance for current safety checks.

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