African Chicken Peanut Stew

Peanuts Are Called Groundnuts In Parts Of Africa

Peanuts are commonly known as “groundnuts” in some African countries. In Cameroon, Nigeria, and Ghana, what is referred to as “peanuts” is a snack consisting of groundnuts (peanuts) coated in dough and then deep fried.

Making Groundnut Soup

Making groundnut soup or peanut stew was quite a process while we were growing up.

We would typically start by roasting the peanuts, a step that helps to release their nuttiness, which in turn enhances the flavor of the stew.

We would then grind the roasted peanuts into a paste and then use the paste to make a satisfying stew with either beef, chicken or fish.

For this recipe, you won’t need to follow any of those processes. This is an easier version of African Peanut Stew as we use natural peanut butter instead of raw peanuts.

Using peanut butter cuts the process in half, making this Peanut Stew ready in 30 minutes from start to finish.

Worth cooking

You’ll love this West African Peanut Soup! It is:

• Hearty. Next time cold weather comes around, this is the perfect dish to make. It’s great for rainy days.
• Garlicky. The garlic flavor is incredibly savory and makes the stew so indulgent!
• So Creamy. You’ll love the creaminess of this flavorful stew. The natural peanut butter gives it such a luxurious texture.
• Incredibly Tasty. The combination of ingredients in this authentic African stew is to die for. We've also added some veggies, like the mushrooms and spinach, which add to the flavor.
• Nutrient-Packed. This is one of those healthy recipes you will want to make repeatedly. It is low carb at just 13g of carbs per serving. Who doesn’t love low-carb dinners that are also comfort food? It also has plenty of protein, vitamin A, iron, and potassium!

AND you can serve this African Peanut Stew with a variety of side dishes and garnishes. We love it with some white rice or even cauliflower rice. You can also serve it with fresh lime wedges and squeeze a bit of lime juice into the stew when enjoying it. Yum!

You can also serve it with healthier grains like couscous or quinoa. You could also add starchy root vegetables like potatoes or sweet potatoes to the stew and eat it by itself.

Ingredients For African Chicken Peanut Stew

You need the following simple ingredients for West African Chicken Peanut Stew. Be sure to check out the full recipe below for a detailed list of ingredients and their measurements. Below, you can find the nutrition information as well to easier track your daily values.

• Chicken. We use boneless skinless chicken thighs but you could use chicken breast as well. You can also throw in some leftover rotisserie chicken if you have it. To make this recipe vegan, replace the chicken with mushrooms.
• Garlic. For flavor. We use minced garlic cloves, but garlic powder would work as well.
• Ginger. For flavor. We use grated fresh ginger, but powdered ginger could be used as a substitute.
• Salt. Salt helps balance the flavors in the stew.
• Ground White Pepper. We love the flavor of white pepper with chicken, but black pepper would work too.
• Olive Oil. For sautéing. It will enhance the flavor of the mushrooms and prevent them from sticking, which is especially important if you’re using a large soup pot that isn’t cast iron or nonstick.
• Onions. For Flavor. You can use white or yellow onions here.
• Tomato Paste. For taste and color. Although you can use tomato sauce in a pinch, it is a different texture and has a slightly different taste, so we suggest sticking to tomato paste.
• Stock Cubes also know as Bouillon Cubes. Instead of using stock cubes you could replace the water used in this recipe for vegetable stock. If you have homemade chicken stock or chicken broth, that works too!
• Natural Peanut Butter. For this recipe it is important to use natural smooth peanut butter made from ground peanuts, and with no sugar or salt added. You can also use chunky peanut butter so long as it is natural.
• Mushrooms. For umami and more nutrients and texture.
• Spinach. For a pop of color and more nutrients. We used frozen spinach, but fresh spinach would work as well.

For the full list of ingredients with measurements, check out the recipe card below.

How it comes together

Here is a rundown of how to make African Chicken Peanut Stew. Be sure to check out the full recipe below for more detailed instructions.

1. Season chicken with garlic, ginger, salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate.

2. Sauté mushrooms in olive oil with a little salt and pepper over medium-high heat.

3. Cook seasoned chicken in a little olive oil for a nice golden brown exterior.

4. Sauté onions.

5. Add water or stock to the heavy pot, then add the peanut butter.

6. Add chicken back into the large pot, then add desired vegetables.

7. Bring to a simmer and adjust the seasoning and thickness of the stew as needed.

Also, check out this Beef Stew Without Wine and this Beef Peanut Stew.

Cook notes

• If you have a peanut allergy and can’t consume peanut sauce or butter, you can make this soup nutty by including cashew butter or almond butter, which will still taste satisfying!
• This recipe is also fantastic for making in a large Dutch oven, slow cooker, or instant pot. With a Dutch oven, you can follow the recipe exactly, but for the other appliances, you can see how to adjust the recipe for your slow cooker or how to adjust it for a pressure cooker.
• If you have leftovers, make sure to transfer them to an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator once they cool.
• Keep the salt levels in mind. If you have to use peanut butter containing salt or if you’re using chicken stock or cubes that have a lot of sodium, you might not need any more salt. You can always refrain from adding it to the mushrooms and taste-test the stew towards the end of cooking to determine if you need more salt.
• If adding your own veggies, be mindful of the order you add them in. Heartier vegetables like sweet potatoes will need to be cooked in the liquid much longer than soft vegetables. You don’t want to accidentally make the veggies soggy or, worse, undercook them.

Love chicken thighs? Also check out this recipe for Pan Seared Boneless Chicken Thighs.

A Healthier Peanut Stew

This version of peanut stew is also on the healthier side with less oil and some added veggies for extra nutrients. If you don’t wish to use olive oil, you can try peanut oil or 1-2 tbsp. coconut oil, but keep in mind it will slightly alter the flavor.

In this recipe, we added sautéed mushrooms (yum!) and spinach to our stew, but feel free to add any veggies you like. Other veggies you could add include potatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, or carrots. You can also add a diced hot pepper, cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes to create a spicy stew.

Also, make the stew as thin or as light as you want. Mine is on the thicker side so feel free to thin it out if you want yours lighter.

• Yield: 6 servings
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook: 20 minutes
• Total: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 inch ginger root, peeled and grated, or 2 teaspoons ginger paste
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion, from about 1 medium onion
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 3 cups water, divided
• 2 stock cubes (Maggi), About 4g per cube
• 3/4 cup natural peanut butter
• 4 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4-1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove excess water

Method

1. Season chicken. Add 1 teaspoon of the minced garlic and 1 teaspoon of ginger to the chicken. Add a quarter teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of ground white pepper. Toss to combine. Set chicken aside.
2. Sauté Mushrooms. Pour 1 tablespoon of oil into a pot, preferably a cast iron pot on high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms. Sprinkle on a pinch of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of white pepper. Let it cook on one side for about 2 minutes then flip to the other side and let it cook for another 2 minutes. Remove mushrooms from pan.
3. Cook Chicken. Add the remaining one tablespoon of oil into the same pan in which you cooked the mushrooms. Spread using a wooden spoon to ensure the oil completely coats the bottom of the pot. Add the chicken to the pot in a single layer. Let it cook on one side for about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken to the other side and let it cook for another 4-5 minutes. Remove chicken from pot. Some oil should be left in the pot.
4. Sauté Onions. Add the onions to the pot and sauté for about 2 minutes until translucent. Add the remaining garlic and ginger to the pot and stir for about 1 minute until translucent. Add the tomato paste and stir for about a minute.
5. Add Water and Stock Cubes. Add 2 cups of water then stir. Add the stock cubes, remaining salt and stir to combine well. Bring to a simmer.
6. Add Peanut Butter. Add the peanut butter to the pot and stir well until well combined. Add in the remaining 1 cup of water and stir to combine.
7. Add Back Chicken. Add the cooked chicken back into the pot and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Taste to ensure seasoning is perfect. If you like the stew a little lighter, add more water (note that it thickens as it cools).
8. Add Veggies. Add the mushrooms back into the pot, stir to combine then add the spinach into the pot and stir. Let it simmer for 1 minute then turn off the heat.