Groundnut (Peanut) Stew
Rich, comforting peanut butter stew with chicken and vegetables, served over rice.
MeatVegan-optional
⚠ Contains: Peanut. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
How this varies: Groundnut stew is made across West Africa with regional names and add-ins — Ghanaian nkatsenkwan often includes goat or smoked fish and is eaten with fufu or banku rather than rice in many households; Nigerian versions ("groundnut soup") sometimes add ground crayfish for umami.
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs (or chickpeas for vegan)
- 1 onion, chopped, plus extra for the blended base
- 3 tomatoes, 1 scotch bonnet pepper, 1 onion (blended into a smooth base)
- 3 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 1 cup natural, unsweetened peanut butter
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 sweet potato, chunked
- 2 tbsp oil
- Rice, to serve
Steps
- Heat oil, brown chicken pieces on all sides; set aside.
- Saute the chopped onion, garlic, and ginger until fragrant, then add the tomato paste and fry 3-4 minutes.
- Add the blended tomato-pepper-onion base and simmer 10-15 minutes, stirring, until reduced and darkened — this is the sauce foundation, not an optional step.
- Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Stir in the peanut butter a spoonful at a time, letting each addition dissolve before adding more, until fully incorporated.
- Return the chicken to the pot and simmer gently, uncovered, for 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally so the sauce doesn't catch on the bottom, until the peanut oil visibly rises and separates to the top — this is the traditional sign the stew is done, not a fault to prevent.
- Add the sweet potato in the last 20 minutes of cooking, until tender.
- Serve over rice.