West African Peanut Chicken Stew (Maafe)

Origin of maafe

This week we continue our culinary journey in the West of Africa for a delicious Maafe. Some believe it is as old as the 1500’s and its origin is not exactly known, but believed to be from Ghana and Senegal originally but common all over Western and Central Africa. In West Africa is it called Maafe. Some call it Nkate, Nkawan, Plasas, or even Groundnut Stew, as it goes by a lot of different names. We just call it “African Chicken Peanut Stew”. Today we show how to make it on your outdoor grill, but this can be made on the stovetop just as easily.

Prep time is about 10 minutes and it will cook for 60-90 minutes.  This serves 6-8 people when served over Rice or another starch.

Ingredients (don’t worry maafe ingredients are easy to find)

  • About 3 lbs of Chicken Pieces
  • 3-4 Tbsp oil (for browning chicken and onions)
  • 1 large onion (I prefer sweet onion)
  • 3 Tbsp minced ginger (or 1-2 Tbsp Ginger Paste)
  • 6 Cloves of Garlic (or 2 Tbsp ground garlic from a jar)
  • 3-4 cups of diced sweet potato
  • 1 large tomato chopped small (or 1 15oz can of crushed tomato)
  • 1 qrt chicken stock (Bought or homemade)
  • 1 cup peanut chunky peanut butter (prefer natural)
  • 1 Tbsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp cayenne (go easy if you don’t like the heat)
  • Salt (we like to use smoked salt)

Directions for making maafe

  1. Sear the chicken in pot with a hot oil for 2-3 minutes per side)
  2. Set the chicken aside when complete.
  3. Sauté the onions until translucent.  Be sure to scrape the bottom to impart the brown chicken bits from the pan into the onions (sauce about 4 minutes or so)
  4. Add Ginger and garlic and sauté for only 1 more minutes (any longer will burn the garlic and it will be bitter)
  5. Add the sweet potato and stirring constantly coat all pieces in the oil that is left in the pan
  6. Pour about a cup of the chicken stock in pan and continue scraping the drippings and seared chicken from the bottom of the pan.  When most is scraped off, add the rest of that stock.
  7. Reduce heat to simmer
  8. Add the tomatoes, peanut butter and spices mixing the maafe well.  Then add the chicken pieces into the pot and submerge in the liquid.
  9. Cook on low simmer stirring about every 20 minutes or so to keep anything from sticking to the bottom of the pan
  10. After about an hour, check to see if the meat easily falls apart or shreds.  If so, it is done. (It may cook up to 90 minutes depending on the size of the chicken pieces and the temperature your cooking at, it is done when the chicken is fall-apart tender). If you think you need more liquid, feel free to add some water any time you need to.  
  11. Taste and season to your maafe to your personal liking.
  12. Serve over rice, fufu, or cornbread.  Or eat as is, it is delicious any way you serve it.
Chicken going in, about to saute’

Items we used making our maafe

  • Chicken Thighs, breasts or your favorite cut – Air Chilled – https://amzn.to/38G4aat
  • Ginger Paste – https://amzn.to/3qKa8gz
  • Ground Garlic – https://amzn.to/3rMI5i3
  • Aluminum Stew pan – https://amzn.to/30LjbmW
  • Teak wooden cooking scraper – https://amzn.to/3eCt4vq
This is delicious, You should give it a try and comment below letting us know how you liked it

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