Nigerian Chicken Stew Recipe
This Nigerian Chicken Stew is a vibrant, flavorful dish featuring tender bone-in chicken simmered in a rich tomato-pepper sauce. Cooked with traditional spices like curry powder, thyme, and paprika, and enhanced by the sweetness of roasted tomatoes and the heat from scotch bonnet peppers, this stew is a classic West African comfort food perfect for serving with rice, yams, or bread.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Stew
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Nigerian
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken:
- 2.5 lbs bone-in chicken (thighs or drumsticks), cleaned
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
For the Tomato-Pepper Sauce:
- 4 large Roma tomatoes
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 1 small red onion
- 2 scotch bonnet peppers (or 1 for less heat)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 bouillon cube
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: In a large bowl, season the cleaned chicken pieces with salt, black pepper, paprika, curry powder, thyme, and the chopped onion. Mix well to coat the chicken evenly with the spices and onion, then set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes to enhance flavor.
- Fry the chicken: Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the seasoned chicken pieces and fry until they are browned on all sides, about 10-15 minutes. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Prepare the tomato-pepper sauce: Blend the Roma tomatoes, red bell pepper, small red onion, and scotch bonnet peppers in a blender until smooth. Pour the blended mixture through a fine sieve if you prefer a smoother sauce.
- Cook the sauce: In the same skillet used for frying the chicken, add the tomato paste and fry for about 3 minutes to intensify the flavor. Then add the blended tomato-pepper mixture, garlic powder, ginger powder, and crumbled bouillon cube. Stir well and simmer the sauce over medium heat for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until it thickens and the raw tomato taste diminishes.
- Combine chicken and sauce: Return the fried chicken pieces to the skillet, submerging them in the tomato-pepper sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for an additional 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and tender, and the flavors have melded beautifully.
- Adjust seasoning and serve: Taste the stew and add salt if necessary. Serve hot with steamed white rice, boiled yams, or bread for a delightful Nigerian meal experience.
Notes
- For less spicy stew, reduce the number of scotch bonnet peppers to one or remove the seeds before blending.
- Bone-in chicken is preferred for more flavorful and juicy meat, but boneless can be used if desired.
- If fresh tomatoes and peppers are out of season, canned tomatoes and roasted peppers can be substituted.
- Marinating the chicken longer (up to 2 hours) will deepen the flavor.
- Use a heavy skillet or pot to prevent the sauce from burning during simmering.
Keywords: Nigerian chicken stew, tomato pepper stew, spicy chicken stew, West African chicken recipe, Nigerian stew
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