Entree: Republic of the Congo – Southern Culinary Region – Poulet Moambé (Chicken stewed in a thick palm nut and peanut-based sauce)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 45 min

Total 1 hr 5 min

Ingredients

- 1 whole chicken, about 3 lb (1.4 kg), cut into 8 pieces
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) palm oil or vegetable oil
- 2 medium onions (8 oz / 225 g), thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic (12 g), minced
- 1 tbsp (15 g) fresh ginger, minced
- 2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste
- 1 cup (240 g) palm nut paste (moambé) or canned palm nut concentrate
- 1/4 cup (60 g) unsweetened peanut butter or ground peanuts
- 2 cups (480 ml) chicken stock or water
- 1 scotch bonnet or small hot pepper (about 5 g), seeded and minced (adjust to heat preference)
- 1 chicken bouillon cube (or 1 tsp / 5 g bouillon powder)
- 1/2 tsp (1.5 g) ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves (approx. 2 g)
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp (30 g) chopped fresh parsley or green onions for garnish

Instructions

1. Pat chicken pieces dry and season lightly with salt and black pepper. In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat palm oil over medium-high heat and brown the chicken in batches until golden on all sides, about 6–8 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside.
2. Reduce heat to medium; add onions and sauté until soft and translucent, 6–8 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to deepen flavor. Add the palm nut paste and peanut butter, stirring to combine; the mixture will thicken.
4. Gradually add chicken stock while stirring to loosen the sauce to a stew-like consistency. Return browned chicken to the pot.
5. Add minced scotch bonnet, bouillon cube, bay leaves, and adjust salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low.
6. Cover and simmer until chicken is tender and flavors meld, about 35–45 minutes. Stir occasionally and add a splash of water or stock if the sauce becomes too thick.
7. Taste and adjust seasoning. If you prefer a smoother sauce, lightly mash some sauce against the pot sides or use an immersion blender for a short burst.
8. Garnish with chopped parsley or green onions and serve hot with steamed rice, cassava fufu, or plantains.