Mixing the peanut butter with a little warm water before it goes into the pot stops dense clumps forming. Once it thickens, the sauce can catch easily, so a quiet simmer and an occasional scrape across the bottom are better than a hard boil, I learned it the hard way.
Main DishesChicken Chickpeas Mafé (West African Peanut Stew)
Chicken thighs simmer in a tomato and peanut sauce until tender, with carrots and chickpeas soaking up the gravy. Brown rice catches the sauce; keep the heat low once the peanut butter goes in so it doesn't stick to the pot.
Ingredients
Peanut stew
Brown rice
Preparation Steps
Prepare the ingredients
Cut the chicken thighs into large pieces. Finely chop the onion, garlic and ginger; dice the tomatoes, and cut the carrots into even bite-sized chunks.
Brown the chicken
Heat the peanut oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with the black pepper and some of the salt, then brown it on both sides for a few minutes. Lift the chicken onto a plate; it will finish cooking in the sauce.
Build the tomato base
Turn the heat down to medium and add the onion to the same pot. Cook until softened, then stir in the garlic and ginger. Add the tomato paste and chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes begin to break down.
Simmer the mafé
In a bowl, whisk the natural peanut butter with the harissa and with a little of the peanut stew water until smooth. Add it to the pot with the remaining stew water (here you can either choose to let the sauce with everything as it is or blend everything together for a smooth texture), carrots, bay leaf, cayenne pepper and remaining salt, then return the chicken and its juices. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover loosely and cook over low heat until the vegetables are tender and the chicken reaches 74°C in the centre, stirring along the bottom regularly.
Cook the brown rice
While the stew simmers, rinse the brown rice and put it in a saucepan with the water listed for the rice. Bring to a boil, cover and cook over low heat until the water is absorbed and the grains are tender.
Finish and serve
Remove the bay leaf. Stir the sauce well; if it is too thick, loosen it with a little water from the pot or a small extra splash of hot water. Spoon the chicken mafé and vegetables over the brown rice.
Recipe insights
How to keep mafé sauce smooth
Can chicken mafé be made ahead?
Yes. Cool the stew promptly and refrigerate it in a covered container for up to three days, separate from the rice. It thickens overnight, so add a splash of water when reheating and heat it thoroughly. For meal prep, cook or portion fresh rice separately.
Cut the carrots really small
The carrots can take a while to fully cook through if you don't want a crunchy texture. To have it really cooked through, cut it really really small, or pre-cook it in another pan before adding it to the sauce.
Alternative to chickpeas
Chickpeas were not that successful with the children tonight. Another alternative is to replace it by sweet potatoes, they will bring an even sweeter taste. Just pre-cook it before adding to the sauce.
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