Simple ingredients come together in this wonderfully flavorful Peanut Chicken Stew – a perfect example of West African comfort food at its best!
It’s been over 15 years since my friend, Bobson, first made this dish for me in Germany. A refugee from war-torn Sierra Leone, Bobson was a young man in his late 20’s trying to make a new life for himself. He had never gone to school or learned how to read but he possessed a depth of wisdom that drew respect from those who knew him. Friendly and out-going with a winning smile and a great sense of humor, Bobson was also kind-hearted and generous with what little he had.
He invited me and a couple of friends over for a traditional dish from Sierra Leone. After the first bite I was hooked. He served it with something he called pounded yam (aka “fufu”), a thick, starchy neutral-tasting substance that’s ground and then reconstituted with water. You pull off a wad of it and make an indentation with your thumb to serve as an eating utensil to scoop up the food and mop up sauce.
The next time he invited us for dinner the unanimous request was that he make that same dish. This time I watched him make it. And that’s the dish I’m sharing with you today: Bobson’s version of Sierra Leonean plasas.
The scenic road from Kenema to the Kailahun district in Sierra Leone.
This dish is simply called plasas or sometimes also referred to as palava sauce or palaver sauce. It doesn’t refer to a specific recipe so much as a specific kind of dish: Plasas is a sauce comprised of some type of greens (either spinach, collard greens, kale, etc), some kind of meat, peanut butter for flavor and thickening, and often dried fish. It’s commonly served with some kind of starchy side dish.
Simple ingredients come together to produce a BIG flavor in this delicious saucy stew. Chicken, peanuts, tomatoes, greens and seasonings are showcased in this winning dish that will leave you licking your fingers.
A wonderfully satisfying meal, this Peanut Chicken Stew is a perfect example of West African comfort food at its best!
Let’s get started!
Heat some oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven until very hot. Generously brown the chicken pieces on all sides. Remove the chicken. In the same pot cook the onions until caramelized. Add all remaining ingredients.
Bring the sauce to a simmer and stir until the peanut butter is fully incorporated. Add the chicken pieces, nestling them in the sauce. Cover and simmer for at least an hour. Add salt and pepper to taste.
This stew is perfect for leftovers because it tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time meld.
Serve with steamed rice or African fufu and your choice of vegetables and a leafy green salad.
Enjoy!
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West African Peanut Chicken Stew (Plasas)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2-2 pounds bone-in and skin-on chicken pieces (alternatively, beef is also commonly used)
- Palm or coconut oil for frying
- 1 large yellow onion
- 2 cans diced tomatoes
- 1 6 ounce can tomato paste ,not tomato sauce
- 1 10- ounce package frozen spinach ,fully thawed and drained
- 1/3 cup unsweetened peanut butter
- 3 Maggie or Knorr tomato bouillon cubes (a popular ingredient in West African cooking)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup strong chicken broth
- Optional: For some heat add some red chilis or hot sauce
Instructions
- Heat some oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven until very hot. Generously brown the chicken pieces on all sides (crucial for the flavor of the sauce). Remove the chicken.
- In the same pot, add some more oil and cook the onions until caramelized. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer, stirring until the peanut butter is fully incorporated. Return the chicken to the sauce, nestling it in the sauce. Cover and simmer over low for at least one hour. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with steamed rice or African fufu (see blog post for explanation).
- **This dish tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had more time to meld.
Nutrition
Sierra Leone photo courtesy Lindsay Stark via Flickr
Anne says
This recipe is fantastic! So easy to follow, and it turned out perfectly. My Nigerian husband and I (American) both loved it, so that’s a win-win!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Anne, I’m so happy you both enjoyed it!
Elizabeth says
I thought the dish was amazing!! Only concern I have is with the amount of sodium the dish has. Has anyone tried this dish with less sodium? Is there any way to get that tomato flavor without the extra additives? Trying to eat cleaner.
Marie lockett says
I made it but mine came out like a soup and the chicken wasn’t really that dark n the sauce did really stick to it. What should I do help help.
Michael says
Divine flavours and textures, a real ‘keeper’ recipe. First time I’ve used coconut oil and I really enjoyed the flavours it brought out of the chicken. I fleshed out the veggies a bit with diced zucchini, but you could really add anything at hand… carrots, pumpkin etc. I also made a bit more tomato & peanut sauce with the broth to cover the ingredients for an ultra slow-cook over three hours. Had enough leftovers for a second dinner and the whole dish matured to a beautiful depth of flavour! I love to cook with lots of herbs, garlic, onions and spices to make my sauces and meals etc; but I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of flavours in this recipe brought out by the lack of condiments and simplicity in preparation. Anyways a ‘Magnificent Meal’ thanks for sharing! Cheers…
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so happy to hear that, Michael, thanks so much for the feedback!
Amber says
I’ve been looking for a strong tasting dish like this for a long time! I was super happy and so was my bf. It thoroughly satisfied me and gave me that kick that I need when I’m eating a meal, not to mention it was suuuuuuper easy to make. I substituted one can of coconut milk for one can of the tomatoes, and I added an additional half teaspoon of bullion powder, a big clove of garlic, and spicy chili. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Amber, I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it and I appreciate the feedback, thank you!
Nini says
My husband’s from Togo and we’r love this dish with our own variations but thanks because it’s somewhat challenging cooking without recipes and ever since finding yours we have been so happy!
catherine says
I made this dish a few days ago. I found it too intense in tomatoes for my taste, so I added a can of low fat coconut milk and added already cubed and roasted butternut squash at the end as well. That mellowed it out and we liked it a lot better. I suppose in Gambia this dish enjoys many variations. It’s lovely delicious and very pretty on the plate.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Catherine, I’m glad you enjoyed it and were able to adapt it to your taste, thanks for the feedback!