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African Peanut Stew

This African Peanut Stew is a comforting, creamy, satisfying, sweet-savory dream, rich with spices, chicken and veggies in a peanut-tomato broth.  It’s easy to make in one pot with whatever veggies you have on hand, including vegan and gluten free options  Tender bites of juicy, shredded chicken, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, cauliflower and greens are cooked in a ginger, cumin, paprika infused broth finished off with creamy peanut butter.  Serve your bowls of peanut butter soup with rice, cilantro, chopped peanuts and lime for a hypnotic meal-in-a-bowl your taste buds will treasure.  Read on for plenty of tips, tricks, recipe variations and ingredient substitutions or use the “jump to recipe button.”  Then go make this seriously delicious African Peanut Stew.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 6 -8 servings

Ingredients

ADD LATER

  • 1/2-1 cup smooth or crunchy peanut butter
  • 2 cups cauliflower, chopped into bite size pieces
  • 1 bunch collard greens, stem removed, cut into ½-inch strips (see prep in notes)
  • 2-4 teaspoons harissa (may sub ½ tsp + cayenne pepper)

For serving

  • cooked rice
  • cilantro
  • chopped peanuts
  • fresh lime

Instructions

  • Lightly drizzle chicken thighs with some olive oil, then season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Heat 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven/soup pot. Sear the chicken until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Remove chicken to a plate but leave the drippings; set aside.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon oil with the drippings over medium-high heat. Add the onions and bell pepper and sauté until the onions are softened, about 8 minutes
  • Add the garlic, ginger, and all seasonings (cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, nutmeg and cinnamon) and sauté for 1 minute.
  • Add the chicken back to the pot along with sweet potatoes, tomatoes, broth, bouillon, beans add bay leaf.
  • Cover the soup to bring to a simmer, then displace the lid so it’s partially covering the pot, with about a one-inch opening. Simmer the soup for 12-15 minutes or until chicken is tender enough to shred.
  • Once chicken is tender, remove it to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Meanwhile continue to simmer the soup IF the potatoes aren’t tender yet. (We want them barely tender because they will continue to simmer with the shredded chicken).
  • Once the potatoes are just tender, stir in the peanut butter (more or less depending on how thick you want it) and harissa or cayenne pepper to taste.
  • Add the shredded chicken, collard greens and cauliflower and cook another 3-5 minutes, until the leaves are tender.
  • Season to taste with additional salt, pepper and harissa/cayenne pepper. I add about ½ teaspoon salt. Add additional broth if you’d like a less chunky stew.
  • Serve bowls of stew with cooked rice, cilantro, crushed peanuts and lime juice.

Video

Notes

cooking Tips and tricks

  • Prep ahead: see prep ahead tips in post.
  • Chicken breasts: you can still use chicken breasts but note that because chicken breasts are leaner than chicken thighs, they will not be as juicy or as flavorful.  If using chicken breasts, I suggest bone-in chicken breasts but boneless will also work. And make sure not to overcook!
  • Rotisserie chicken:  swap the chicken thighs for about 3 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken. Add the chicken to the soup when the recipe calls for adding the shredded chicken back to the pot.
  • Chicken bouillon: you can use granulated chicken bouillonchicken bouillon cubes or better than bouillon.   If using cubes, crush and add directly to the soup, don’t dissolve in water first.
  • Fire roasted diced tomatoes: are tomatoes that have been roasted which gives them a complex smokiness and removes the acidic bite. Fire roasted tomatoes are located next to the traditional diced tomatoes – just make sure you purchase the ones without any added seasonings. You can use plain diced tomatoes if you can’t locate fire roasted.
  • Collard greens: To prep the greens, cut along each side of the stem with a sharp knife to remove it. Next, stack the leaves and cut them into 1/2-inch wide strips. Transfer the leaves to a colander and thoroughly rinse.  You can swap the collard greens for any hearty green such as kale, mustard greens or Swiss chard.
  • Swap vegetables. add any of your favorite veggies such as butternut squash, green beans, carrots, corn, mushrooms, zucchini etc.  Shorter cooking vegetables such as zucchini should be added with the cauliflower.
  • Harissa:  a chili sauce made of red chiles, garlic, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and spices such as cumincoriander and caraway seeds. This is the exact one I used for this recipe (from Amazon). I also use it in my amazing harissa chicken so it will not go to waste!
  • Customize consistency: this stew is supposed to be on the thick and chunky side, more like a curry. If you prefer it more brothy, simply add additional chicken broth.
  • Make it vegetarian: omit the chicken and add extra vegetables in its place, extra beans, chickpeas, tofu or unripe jackfruit.  If using jackfruit, add it with the sweet potatoes then lightly shred at the end of cooking.
  • Make it vegan:  same as above and omit the chicken bouillon and swap the chicken broth for vegan broth. Make sure to season with additional salt to taste.

How to Store and Reheat

  • To store: African Peanut Stew tastes even better the next day!  It will last up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer. 
  • To reheat on the stove: reheat large batches on the stove over medium low heat, stirring occasionally – about 5-8 minutes.
  • To reheat in the microwave: transfer individual servings to a microwave-safe dish, and microwave for 90 seconds, stir, then continue to microwave for 20-second intervals, as needed.