West African Chicken Stew – Chicken braised in a spicy, smoky African tomato stew makes a delicious one pot dish. Ready in about an hour, this recipe is perfect for busy days!
Tomato-based stew is one of the foundational components of Ghanaian cuisine. Once you can make tomato stew, you are able to add any protein to it and make endless variations: chicken, beef, fish, eggplant, okra, and spinach stews. You can even make jollof rice! The sky is truly the limit.
For that very reason, this West African Chicken Stew was the first Ghanaian dish I learned to cook. It was also the first meal from the region that I fell in love with.
While this dish is flavorful and satisfying, it is also incredibly simple to make. Start by browning and removing seasoned chicken from a heavy bottomed pot. Next, cook onions, tomatoes, and aromatics in the chicken drippings until they develop into a thick, reduced sauce. Add the chicken back into the pot and simmer until it’s done. Voila! West African Chicken Stew.
ingredients you’ll need
The ingredients needed for this recipe are quite simple, and you can use them again and again for different dishes. They are especially handy for other Ghanaian recipes!
You will need:
- Oil – African tomato stew requires a lot of oil. Don’t be shy! You want your stew to fry well as this adds to the flavor.
- Chicken – I used chicken thighs in this recipe. I recommend using dark meat because it holds up better to braising without worrying about it drying out. However, if you choose to use chicken breasts, simply reduce the cooking time.
- Aromatics – Onions, ginger, garlic, scotch bonnet pepper, are the base for just about every savory Ghanaian recipe, and this dish is no exception. I like to add bay leaves as well to add more depth to the stew.
- Tomatoes and tomato products – Fresh tomatoes, tomato paste, and mackerel packed in tomato sauce. Canned mackerel in tomato sauce can be found in West African and Caribbean grocery stores; if you are unable to find it, you can substitute a cup of canned tomato sauce and mackerel packed in water.
- Herbs and spices – Smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, dried ginger, cumin, curry powder, thyme, and oregano make for a deliciously spicy, smoky West African Chicken Stew.
- Salt and Pepper – These two seasonings are mainstays in just about every kitchen. I like to use Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. The quantities of salt called for in the recipe below reflect the fact that kosher salt is less salty than table salt. I also add an entire Maggi seasoning cube for an extra burst of umami flavor, and would not recommend leaving it out. It gives the stew its signature taste.
how to make this recipe: step by step instructions
Season and sear the chicken – Add the chicken to an oiled, heavy bottom skillet. Brown on both sides over medium high heat (Photo 1).
Blend and fry aromatics – Blend onions, ginger, garlic and scotch bonnet pepper with salt and fry them in oil (Photo 2).
Blend tomatoes with spices and add to onion mixture – Blend tomatoes, smoked paprika, and chili powder with Maggi. Cook the mixture uncovered for 20 minutes on medium high heat (Photo 3).
Add more ingredients to the stew – Add jalapeño, canned mackerel in tomato sauce, tomato paste, bay leaves, and seasonings (Photo 4).
Simmer stew low and slow – Simmer on medium low for about 30 minutes until somewhat reduced, then add chicken (Photo 5).
Cook chicken in stew – Simmer chicken in stew for 20 minutes or until cooked through. (Photo 6).
sides for west african chicken stew
- Jollof Rice
- White Rice
- Fried Plantains
- Grits
- Polenta
- Pasta
recipe tips & frequently asked questions
- Clean the chicken – Rubbing chicken with vinegar removes the filmy coating often found on the surface and adds additional flavor.
- Take your time – A stew simmered low and slow is the secret to delicious West African Chicken Stew.
- Adjust the seasonings to your liking – If you like less salt or more spice, change it to suit your tastes.
- Stir often and use a heavy bottomed pot – You don’t want the stew to burn on the bottom.
west african chicken stew q & a
A heavy bottomed pot, blender, and wooden spoon.
I recommend dark meat simply since it is less prone to drying out in braises. If you choose to use chicken breasts, reduce the cooking time.
While I prefer using fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes can be used. They will take less time to reduce, so adjust cooking times as needed.
Chicken stew can be refrigerated up to four days and frozen for four months.
more west african dishes to enjoy
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to know what you think.
PrintWest African Chicken Stew
West African Chicken Stew – Chicken braised in a spicy, smoky African tomato stew makes a delicious one pot dish. Ready in about an hour, this recipe is perfect for busy days!
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 70 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dishes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: West African
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon chicken bouillon
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon dried ginger
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
For the stew:
- 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
- 2 yellow onions, halved
- 1 2 inch piece ginger, peeled
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 scotch bonnet peppers
- 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 6 Roma tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 Maggi shrimp cube (optional, can substitute with salt or bouillon)
- 14-oz can mackerel in tomato sauce, roughly chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons Jamaican curry powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- salt (to taste)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, rub chicken with vinegar. Season with salt, bouillon, paprika, cayenne, curry powder, ginger, and turmeric.
- Heat a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.
- Brown chicken on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
- With a wooden spoon, scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add 1/2 cup of vegetable oil to pan.
- Blend onions, ginger, garlic, a scotch bonnet pepper, caraway seeds and 1/2 teaspoon salt with 1/4 cup of water. Add mixture to oil and fry until onions are translucent.
- Blend Roma tomatoes, smoked paprika, chili powder, and Maggi with 1/4 cup of water. Add to onion mixture and simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes.
- Add mackerel in tomato sauce, bay leaves, tomato paste, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, curry powder, thyme, and salt to the stew.
- Bring mixture to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir every 10 minutes or so to ensure the stew does not burn.
- Add chicken to stew. Cook on medium heat for 20 minutes or until chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Notes
- Clean the chicken – Rubbing the chicken with vinegar removes the filmy coating often found on the surface and adds additional flavor.
- Take your time – A stew simmered low and slow is the secret to delicious West African Chicken Stew.
- Adjust the seasonings to your liking – If you like less salt or more spice, change it to suit your tastes.
- Stir often and use a heavy bottomed pot – You don’t want the pot to burn on the bottom.
- Storing Leftovers – West African Chicken Stew can be refrigerated up to 4 days and frozen for up to four months.
Keywords: Stew Recipes, Chicken Recipes, West African Recipes
Subscribe to my email list for more delicious recipes!
Wow, I believe this is my favorite – cannot wait to try it!
Thank you😃
Absolutely! It is one of my favorites as well 🙂