Entree: Democratic Republic of the Congo – Southern Culinary Region – Moambe Chicken (Chicken stewed in a rich palm-nut and tomato sauce typical of Central African cuisine)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 15 min

Cook 50 min

Total 1 hr 5 min

Ingredients

- 3 lb (1.4 kg) whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil or palm oil
- 1 large onion, about 6 oz (170 g), finely chopped
- 3 cloves (approx. 9 g) garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp (15 g) fresh ginger, grated
- 1–2 scotch bonnet or bird's eye chilies, whole or chopped to taste
- 1 cup (240 g) canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup (240 g) palm nut paste (moambe) or canned palm cream
- 1/4 cup (60 g) natural peanut butter (smooth)
- 2 cups (480 ml) chicken stock or water
- 1 tsp (2 g) smoked paprika
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander
- 1 tsp (1 g) dried thyme or 1 tbsp (3 g) fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) fish sauce or 1 tsp (6 g) salt (or to taste)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lime juice or 1 tbsp (15 ml) distilled white vinegar
- 1 tbsp (15 g) brown sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
- 2 tbsp (30 g) chopped fresh parsley or cilantro for garnish
- Cooked white rice or fufu for serving

Instructions

1. Season the chicken pieces lightly with salt and pepper. In a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) oil over medium-high heat and brown the chicken in batches until golden on all sides, about 6–8 minutes per batch. Transfer browned pieces to a plate.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add the chopped onion to the pot; cook until translucent, 6–8 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and sauté 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Stir in crushed tomatoes, smoked paprika, ground coriander, thyme, bay leaf, and chilies. Cook 3–4 minutes to concentrate flavors.
4. Add palm nut paste and peanut butter, stirring to combine; the mixture will be thick. Pour in 2 cups (480 ml) chicken stock and bring to a gentle simmer, scraping any browned bits from the bottom.
5. Return the browned chicken pieces to the pot, nestling them into the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently for 30–40 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender, turning pieces once halfway through.
6. Uncover and simmer 5–10 minutes more to reduce and thicken the sauce to a glossy stew consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning with fish sauce or salt, lime juice or vinegar, and a pinch of brown sugar if needed to balance flavors.
7. Remove and discard the bay leaf and whole chilies if desired. Spoon the moambe chicken over hot white rice or serve with fufu. Garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro and serve hot.