African Chicken Peanut Stew

5 from 7 votes
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African Chicken Peanut Stew is creamy, garlicky, lip-smacking delicious, and ready in 30 minutes! Add this easy dinner recipe to your weekly rotation.

Peanut Stew and Rice in Bowl

I grew up in Cameroon, Central/WestAfrica and I ate a lot of peanut stew or what we colloquially call Groundnut Soup.

From Nigeria, to Ghana to Cameroon to Senegal, there are many versions of African Peanut Stew. This version is not tied to a particular country but it is rather informed by the various kinds of peanut stews eaten in West and Central Africa.

Chicken cooked is creamy sauces like Marry Me Chicken or Chicken in White Sauce is always so delicious! This creamy peanut stew is no exception.

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 then deep fried.

Making Groundnut Soup

Making groundnut soup or peanut stew was quite a process while I was 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 delicious 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 I 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.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

You’ll love this African Chicken Peanut Stew! It is:

  • Hearty
  • Garlicky
  • So Creamy
  • Incredibly Tasty
  • Nutrient-Packed

AND you can serve this African Peanut Stew with a variety of side dishes. I love it with some rice. Yum!

landscape picture of chicken peanut stew and rice

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

Ingredients For African Chicken Peanut Stew

You need the following simple ingredients for African Chicken Peanut Stew. Be sure to check out the full recipe below for a detailed list of ingredients and their measurements.

ingredients needed for easy African chicken peanut stew on a countertop

Chicken. I use boneless skinless chicken thighs but you could use chicken breasts as well. To make this recipe vegan, replace the chicken with mushrooms.

Garlic. For flavor. I use minced garlic but garlic powder would work as well.

Ginger. For flavor. I use grated ginger but powdered ginger could be used as a substitute.

Salt.

Ground White Pepper. I love the flavor of white pepper with chicken but black pepper would work too.

Olive Oil. For sautéing.

Onions. For Flavor.

Tomato Paste. For taste and color.

Stock Cubes also know as Bouillon Cubes. Instead of using stock cubes you could replace the water used in this recipe for chicken stock or vegetable stock.

 Natural Peanut Butter. For this recipe it is important to use natural peanut butter with no sugar or salt added.

Mushrooms. For umami and more nutrients and texture.

Spinach. For a pop of color and more nutrients. I used frozen spinach but fresh spinach would work as well.

Bowl of African Chicken Peanut Stew

How To Make African Chicken Peanut Stew

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.

3. Cook seasoned chicken in a little olive oil.

4. Sauté onions.

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

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

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

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.

I added sauteed mushrooms (yum!) and spinach to my stew but feel free to add any veggies you like.

Other veggies you could add include potatoes, bell peppers, eggplant or carrots.

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.

Watch How To Make African Chicken Peanut Stew

Watch me walk you through the process of making African Chicken Peanut Stew in the video below. If you would like to keep up with my cooking videos subscribe to my YouTube channel and click on the notification bell.

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Peanut Stew and Rice in Bowl

African Chicken Peanut Stew

5 from 7 votes
African Chicken Peanut Stew is creamy, nutty, garlicky, loaded with chicken and so flavorful! Enjoy with rice or other side dishes like couscous for a healthier option. This easy dinner recipe for family is one to add to your weekly dinner rotation.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings

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

Instructions 

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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).
  • 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.

Notes

1. For spiciness add some red pepper flakes to this peanut stew.

Nutrition

Calories: 441kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 144mg | Sodium: 849mg | Potassium: 697mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 882IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 2mg

Additional Info

Course: Dinner
Cuisine: African
Calories: 441
Tried this recipe?Mention @preciouscore or tag #PreciousCore!

About Precious

Welcome to my core! I am Precious Nkeih, the recipe developer and writer right here on my blog, Precious Core. My goal is to show you insanely delicious recipes you can replicate in your kitchen. And I love to tell stories too. Hope you find recipes here that will make cooking easier for you! Check me out on YouTube at YouTube.com/PreciousKitchen.


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16 Comments

    1. Hi Proper, I used natural peanut butter for this recipe. But if using raw peanuts I would roast them and leave the skin on. Hope this helps.

  1. We absolutely love this African Chicken Peanut stew! Ave made this already several times. Thank you so much for sharing! Clear instructions

  2. Delicious! Even my fussy three year old ate it 😁 Thank you for sharing this, my family and I look forward to trying your other recipes!

  3. Hi, I want to try this recipe but have a partner on a low-sodium diet, and I’m assuming the majority of the salt comes from the boullion cubes. Can I replace them with either salt-free cubes or low-sodium stock?

  4. We have peanut allergies so I used almond butter instead and it was DELICIOUS! Even my picky daughter went back for seconds!

  5. Absolutely fabulous, so easy, so tasty, so going to do it again. I sent my friend a photo and she said “that looks like a Deliveroo order”. No I said it’s a DeliverSue dinner 😀😋