Recipes

Recipes · African

Stew, West African Peanut

African · Chicken · Diabetic Friendly · Stew

Stew, West African Peanut
Prep 20 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 8 servings (2-1/2 quarts)

Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 3 teaspoons canola oil, divided
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh gingerroot
  • 2 cans (15-1/2 ounces each) black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Hot cooked brown rice, optional

Directions

Precook the chicken

  1. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven, cook the chicken over medium heat, in 2 teaspoons of the oil, for four to six minutes or until it’s no longer pink. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside.

Saute the aromatic ingredients

  1. In the same pan, saute the onion in the remaining teaspoon of oil until it’s tender. Add the ginger and garlic, then cook for one minute longer.
  2. Editor’s Tip: Ginger and garlic are both prone to sticking and scorching. Stir them as they cook, and if the pan is too dry, you can add another splash of oil.

Simmer the stew

  1. Stir in the peas, tomatoes, sweet potato, broth, peanut butter, 1-1/4 teaspoons of the thyme and the cayenne pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer it for 15 to 20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender. Add the chicken, and simmer until it’s heated through. Serve the stew with or without rice, as desired. Sprinkle the remaining thyme over the individual servings as a garnish.
  2. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven, cook chicken over medium heat in 2 teaspoons oil for 4-6 minutes or until no longer pink; remove and set aside.
  3. In the same pan, saute onion in remaining oil until tender. Add garlic and ginger; cook 1 minute longer.
  4. Stir in the peas, tomatoes, sweet potato, broth, peanut butter, 1-1/4 teaspoons thyme and cayenne. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potato is tender. Add chicken; heat through.
  5. Serve with rice if desired. Sprinkle with remaining thyme.

Nutrition

1-1/4 cups: 275 calories, 7g fat (1g saturated fat), 31mg cholesterol, 636mg sodium, 32g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 6g fiber), 22g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2 vegetable, 1 starch, 1 fat.