May 9, 2023

Chicken Mafé

A staple recipe in Western Africa, this chicken mafé is full of flavour and perfect for dinner any night.

Large Serving Bowls, 9.6 Inch 70 Oz, Set of 2

Tender chunks of juicy chicken bathed in a tomato and peanut sauce with vegetables and aromatics. Perfect served over rice, couscous, or quinoa.

Chicken mafé is a delicious West African dish. It differs a little from country to country, but this recipe captures the basic flavour, which the whole family will love. It does have a bit of heat with the addition of cayenne pepper, but this is easily adjusted to suit any palette. Those who like a lot of heat, feel free to add a bit more cayenne, or add some red pepper flakes as well to amp things up.

This is a great recipe if you have leftover rice, couscous or quinoa. It's full of great vegetables, but more can be added or substituted. Try carrots instead of turnip, sweet red bell pepper instead of green, or add some chopped fresh cilantro, a little fish sauce, or chopped peanuts.

The perfect meal any day of the week.

Ingredients

(Makes 8 servings)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cubed
2 large sweet onions, diced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 Roma tomatoes, deseeded, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 green bell pepper, deseeded and chopped
1 white turnip, peeled and chopped
1/2 white cabbage, outer leaves removed, chopped
1 cup all-natural, creamy peanut butter

Directions

Lodge 3-Quart Cast Iron Enamelled Covered Casserole — 3-Quart Cast Iron Enamelled Covered Casserole

In a heavy, 3-quart, cast iron, covered casserole over medium-high heat, add the extra-virgin olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook until the chicken has turned opaque (about 5 minutes). Add the onion and salt and sauté until the onion starts to soften and become translucent (about 6 to 8 minutes). Add the garlic and ginger and sauté an additional minute before adding the ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and tomato paste. Mix to incorporate well. Add the chicken broth and mix well. Add the bay leaves and tomato, bring to a light boil before reducing the heat to medium and covering. Simmer for 15 minutes before adding the sweet potato, bell pepper, turnip, and white cabbage. Mix until all the vegetables are immersed in the liquid. Bring back to a simmer and continue cooking uncovered for an additional 30 minutes, or until the sweet potato and cabbage is tender. If too much liquid has evaporated, add a little additional chicken broth to keep a saucy texture.

In a medium mixing bowl, add the peanut butter with about 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce from the pan. Mix well until the liquid is incorporated. Add more tomato sauce a little at a time until the peanut butter becomes thin enough to pour and is easily blended into the sauce in the pan. Add to the pan and stir well.

Remove from heat and serve over rice, couscous, or quinoa.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: