Authentic Nigerian Chicken Stew
Experience the rich and vibrant flavors of Nigeria with this authentic chicken stew recipe, featuring tender par-boiled and fried chicken simmered in a savory, aromatic pepper base.
Equipment
- Pot
- Large Pot or Deep Skillet
- Blender
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
- 6-8 ripe plum or Roma tomatoes
- 3 medium-sized red bell peppers
- 2-4 scotch bonnets (Ata Rodo)
- 2 large onions
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 seasoning cubes (Maggi/Knorr)
- to taste Salt
- 1-2 cups water or chicken broth
Instructions
Cooking Steps
- Wash and par-boil chicken pieces for 10-15 minutes with half an onion, one seasoning cube, curry powder, thyme, and salt, then reserve the stock.
- Heat ¾ cup of vegetable oil and fry the par-boiled chicken in batches until golden, then remove the chicken and leave ¼ cup of oil in the pot.
- Blend tomatoes, red bell peppers, scotch bonnets, and one onion until smooth to create the pepper mix.
- In the pot with remaining oil, fry tomato paste for 3-5 minutes until it darkens and loses its raw taste.
- Add the blended pepper mix to the pot, stir in the remaining seasoning cube, curry powder, thyme, and bay leaves.
- Simmer the stew base for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until oil rises and the sauce thickens.
- Return the fried chicken to the pot, add 1 cup of reserved chicken stock or water, and stir gently to coat.
- Simmer for another 10-15 minutes on low heat, allowing chicken to absorb flavors; adjust seasoning as needed, aiming for a rich, thick consistency.
- Remove bay leaves before serving the rich and flavorful Nigerian chicken stew.
Notes
For a spicier stew, do not deseed the scotch bonnets. Adjust the amount of oil for frying the chicken to your preference for crispiness. Using chicken broth instead of water can add more depth of flavor if you prefer not to use the reserved stock.