Nigerian Chicken Stew Recipe
This Nigerian Chicken Stew is a flavorful and hearty dish featuring tender, marinated chicken simmered in a rich and spicy tomato-based sauce made with fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, and scotch bonnet peppers. Perfect as a comforting meal served with rice, yams, or plantains.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Stew
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Nigerian
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 2.5 lbs bone-in chicken (thighs or drumsticks), cleaned
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 onion, chopped
Sauce
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large Roma tomatoes
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 1 small red onion
- 2 scotch bonnet peppers (or 1 for less heat)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 bouillon cube
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Season the Chicken: In a large bowl, season the cleaned chicken pieces with salt, black pepper, paprika, curry powder, thyme, and chopped onions. Mix well, then let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to penetrate.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken pieces and sear them until they are browned on both sides. Once browned, remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Prepare the Sauce: Blend the Roma tomatoes, red bell pepper, small red onion, and scotch bonnet peppers into a smooth mixture using a blender or food processor.
- Cook the Sauce: In the same skillet used for the chicken, fry the tomato paste for about 2 minutes to enhance its flavor. Then, add the blended tomato and pepper mixture to the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the sauce for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Season the Stew: Add garlic powder, ginger powder, the bouillon cube, and additional salt to taste. Stir everything together to combine the seasonings evenly throughout the sauce.
- Simmer: Return the seared chicken pieces to the skillet with the sauce. Reduce the heat to low and let the stew simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked, tender, and the sauce has thickened to your liking.
Notes
- For less heat, reduce the number of scotch bonnet peppers or remove the seeds before blending.
- You can substitute bone-in chicken with boneless if preferred, but cooking times may vary.
- Serve the stew hot with steamed white rice, jollof rice, plantains, or boiled yams for a complete meal.
- Adjust seasoning and salt according to taste throughout the cooking process.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Keywords: Nigerian Chicken Stew, spicy chicken stew, African chicken recipe, tomato chicken stew, traditional Nigerian cuisine
Find it online: https://dinewithdylan.com/nigerian-chicken-stew-recipe/
