DIY Recipes: How to make Chicken peanut stew

This version is simply made by adding peanut sauce to an onion, tomato and pepper soup base.

Ingredients

2 medium yellow onions (about 12 ounces; 340g), halved and ends trimmed, divided

2 cups (480ml) homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed, divided

5 medium cloves garlic, divided

1 ounce (28g) fresh ginger (about a 1-inch knob), divided

2 teaspoons tomato paste

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken legs (about 2 pounds; 900g)

1 hot chilli pepper, such as bird's eye, habanero, or Scotch bonnet (see note)

2 bay leaves

1 cup creamy peanut butter (9 ounces; 255g)

1 (28-ounce; 794g) can of plum tomatoes

1 whole smoke-dried fish, such as tilapia or snapper (see note)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Hot cooked white rice or fufu, to serve

Method

In a blender, purée 2 onion halves, 1/2 cup (120ml) chicken stock, 3 garlic cloves, 1/2 ounce ginger, and tomato paste.

In a Dutch oven, combine chicken legs with purée, remaining onion halves, remaining 1/2 ounce ginger, and remaining 2 cloves garlic, along with hot pepper and bay leaves. Toss to coat.

Set Dutch oven over medium heat and bring to a simmer, then cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until halved onion is soft and translucent about 20 minutes.

Add an extra 1/2 cup (120ml) chicken stock if the mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the pot.

Transfer chunks of onion, ginger, garlic cloves, and hot pepper to a blender. Add peanut butter, canned tomatoes and their juices, and the remaining 1 1/2 cups (360ml) chicken stock and purée until smooth.

Pass the blended mix through a fine-mesh strainer into the Dutch oven, stirring to incorporate.

Increase heat to medium and bring to a simmer, then lower heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is tender, oils have surfaced, and mixture has thickened and reduced by about one-third, about 40 minutes. Add smoked fish, reduce heat to low, cover pot, and cook an additional 5 minutes.

Remove and discard smoked fish and bay leaves, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve hot over white rice or any carbohydrates.