West African Peanut Stew
A delicious one-pot meal featuring chicken, black-eyed peas, and sweet potatoes in a creamy peanut sauce, perfect for family dinners.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 3 teaspoons canola oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh gingerroot
- 2 cans (15-1/2 ounces each) black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Hot cooked brown rice, optional
Instructions
Preparation
- Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven, heat 2 teaspoons of oil over medium heat and cook the chicken until it's no longer pink, about 4-6 minutes. Remove the chicken and set it aside.
- In the same pot, add the remaining oil and sauté the onion until tender. Then, add the garlic and ginger, cooking for an additional minute.
- Stir in the black-eyed peas, crushed tomatoes, sweet potato, chicken broth, peanut butter, 1-1/4 teaspoons thyme, and cayenne pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce the heat, cover, and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the sweet potato is tender.
- Finally, add the cooked chicken back to the pot and heat through.
Serving
- Serve with rice if desired, and finish with a sprinkle of the remaining thyme.
Notes
Leftover stew can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. For longer storage, it freezes well for up to three months. Adding a squeeze of lime juice before serving enhances flavor.