“Poor Whitney.”
“Poor Mike.”
That’s what my husband and I basically chanted throughout this entire meal. You’d see, when I planned this meal, I had chosen it to serve at a small dinner party with our best friends. But life, or the Las Vegas airport delays, got in the way and Mike and Whitney cancelled. And poor Mike and poor Whitney missed out on one of the best meals of the week. 
Next time I’m going to make this completely vegetarian, subbing out chicken for garbanzo beans and perhaps cauliflower. It was, of course, delicious with the chicken but I can’t help but think there’s tons of potential as a vegetarian feast here!
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African Chicken in Peanut Sauce
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
A flavorful African-inspired chicken dish featuring a rich and creamy peanut sauce with coconut milk, perfect for a cozy dinner.
Ingredients
for the Spice Rub
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp chopped garlic
- 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 3/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
for the Chicken
- 2 lb (900 grams) bone-in chicken pieces, skin removed
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
Peanut Sauce
- 2 cups (475 mL) chick peas
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
- 1 medium carrot, finely diced
- 1 clove(s) garlic, minced
- 4 cup(s) (950 mL) chicken broth
- 1/2 cup(s) (120 mL) smooth peanut butter
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 tomato, seeded and diced
- 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp. dried)
- 1/2 tsp peeled, grated fresh ginger
- 1/2 cup(s) (120 mL) well-mixed coconut milk
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp finely ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup(s) (60 mL) chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the salt, ground black pepper, chopped garlic, onion powder, and ground cayenne pepper to make the spice rub.
- Rub the spice blend onto the chicken pieces, ensuring they are well coated.
- Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken to the skillet in batches, cooking each side for about 5-7 minutes until browned and cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium and add coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar. Stir well to combine.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Return the chicken to the skillet, coating it with the sauce. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes to heat through.
- Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and serve with cooked couscous.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, substitute chicken with garbanzo beans and cauliflower.
- This dish can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat gently on the stove.
- Serve with couscous or rice to soak up the delicious sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: West African
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 6 grams
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 36 grams
- Carbohydrates: 22 grams
- Fiber: 4 grams
- Protein: 38 grams
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make a vegetarian version of this dish?
Yes — the author says she plans to make it completely vegetarian next time by substituting the 2 lb (900 g) of chicken with garbanzo beans and cauliflower. The peanut sauce already contains 2 cups chickpeas, so a fully plant-based version with cauliflower and extra chickpeas in place of the chicken pieces would work with the same spice rub and sauce.
What does the spice rub consist of, and why is it applied before browning?
The rub combines ¾ tsp salt, ¾ tsp black pepper, 1½ tsp chopped garlic, 1½ tsp onion powder, and ¾ tsp ground cayenne pepper. Coating the skin-removed bone-in chicken pieces with this blend before browning them for 5–7 minutes per side builds a seasoned crust that carries flavor into the finished peanut sauce.
What should I serve with this dish?
The recipe notes suggest couscous or rice to soak up the peanut-coconut sauce, and the instructions mention serving garnished with ¼ cup chopped parsley. The sauce is built from ½ cup peanut butter, ½ cup coconut milk, tomato paste, fresh thyme, and ginger — rich enough that a simple starch is the ideal accompaniment.
I made this and it came out fantastic. I did not have any ginger and I used black eyed peas instead of chick peas. I also only used tomato paste. Will definitely make this again.
Hey brady,
Been wanting to try this recipe all week.
My eldest son is coming to spend a few days
with my grandaughter and I just finished making it.
Just taste tested it and it is deeeeeeelicious.
I forgot to buy the coconut milk, but I added some
shitake mushrooms ( an ingredient from a friends recipe I barely remember)
and will be serving it with cous cous and tortillas ( don´t have any african
bread). thanks so much <3 , poor whitney poor mike LOL
I love how this peanut sauce sounds. Great meal!
Love the flavors in this dish.