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.
1bunch collard greens,stem removed, cut into ½-inch strips (see prep in notes)
2-4teaspoonsharissa(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.
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.
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.