Entree: Guinea-Bissau – Southern Culinary Region – Galinha Africana (West African peanut-and-coconut chicken stew in a spicy tomato and palm-oil sauce)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 25 min

Cook 45 min

Total 1 hr 10 min

Ingredients

- 3 lb (1.4 kg) whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces, approx. 2.2 lb (1.0 kg) usable meat after trimming
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) palm oil (or vegetable oil if unavailable)
- 1 large onion, finely chopped (about 8 oz / 225 g)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 12 g)
- 2 inch (5 cm) piece fresh ginger, grated (about 1 oz / 28 g)
- 2 small hot chilies (piri-piri or bird’s eye), finely chopped (about 10 g) or to taste
- 3/4 cup (180 g) smooth peanut butter (preferably unsweetened)
- 1 can (14 oz / 400 ml) coconut milk
- 1 cup (240 ml) crushed tomatoes or tomato purée
- 1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock
- 1 tsp (5 g) ground cumin
- 1 tsp (5 g) smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp (9 g) kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp (2 g) ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lime juice or to taste
- 1/4 cup (15 g) fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped for garnish
- Cooked white rice or boiled cassava, to serve (about 3 cups cooked rice)

Instructions

1. Season chicken pieces with 1 tsp (5 g) salt and 1/4 tsp (1 g) pepper. In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat palm oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Brown chicken in batches, 4–5 minutes per side, until golden; transfer browned pieces to a plate.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, garlic, ginger, and chopped chilies to the same pot and sauté until soft and fragrant, about 5–6 minutes. Stir in cumin and smoked paprika and cook 30 seconds.
3. Add crushed tomatoes and chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the pot. Return chicken to the pot, cover, and simmer gently 20 minutes until chicken is nearly cooked through.
4. In a bowl, whisk peanut butter with a few tablespoons of hot cooking liquid to loosen into a smooth paste. Stir peanut mixture and coconut milk into the pot, mixing thoroughly so the sauce is uniform. Simmer uncovered 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened and coats the back of a spoon.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining salt, pepper, and lime juice. If sauce is too thick, thin with a little extra stock or water; if too thin, simmer a few minutes longer.
6. Finish and serve: Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley and serve hot over cooked white rice or boiled cassava.