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Nigerian Chicken Stew

Nigerian chicken stew with a deeply cooked tomato-pepper sauce that darkens and separates as it simmers, then coats golden chicken pieces. Finished by simmering until saucy and serving over steamed rice for a hearty main-dish bowl.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
marinating 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Nigerian
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 3 lb chicken pieces Bone-in; keep pieces intact for even simmering.
Tomato-Pepper Sauce
  • 2 can (14 oz) plum tomatoes Blend smooth with peppers and onion.
  • 3 red bell peppers Roughly chopped before blending.
  • 2 scotch bonnet or habanero peppers Use to taste for heat.
  • 1 onion Divided: half grated for seasoning/marinade, half blended into sauce.
  • 4 cloves garlic Minced; add with the sauce blend if desired for fragrance.
  • 1 cup vegetable oil Used for both frying and cooking the sauce; reserve 1/2 cup for the pot method as written.
Spice & Seasoning
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 2 bouillon cubes Or use chicken stock powder (see substitution note).
  • 1 tsp chicken stock powder Use if skipping bouillon cubes; add to taste per label.
  • 0.5 salt and pepper To taste; season chicken and adjust at the end.
To Serve
  • 0.25 fresh parsley Chopped; for garnish.
  • steamed rice For serving alongside the stew.

Equipment

  • 1 large pot

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. Season the chicken pieces with half the onion (grated), thyme, curry powder, bouillon, salt, and pepper, then let them marinate for 30 minutes.
  2. While the chicken marinates, prep a tray and set it aside for frying or oven-baking the chicken.
Cook the chicken until golden
  1. Fry or oven-bake the chicken until golden and mostly cooked through, then set aside to finish in the stew.
Blend the pepper sauce
  1. Blend the plum tomatoes, red bell peppers, scotch bonnet (or habanero), and the remaining onion until smooth.
  2. If using minced garlic, stir it into the blended sauce before cooking.
Fry the sauce until dark and separated
  1. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, then carefully fry the blended pepper sauce for 30-40 minutes, stirring frequently.
  2. Continue cooking until the sauce is deeply cooked, darkened, and the oil floats on top, indicating it has reduced and thickened.
Simmer to coat and finish
  1. Add the fried chicken to the pot and coat it in the sauce, then simmer for 15-20 minutes until well warmed through and saucy.
  2. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, then serve hot over steamed rice with parsley.

Notes

Pro tip: the key texture is the long fry/reduction step—cook until oil floats on top and the sauce turns dark and thick before adding chicken. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze in a sealed container up to 2 months. Dietary swap: for a lighter version, bake the chicken instead of frying while keeping the same long sauce reduction for flavor.