Chicken Mafé (Peanut Butter Stew)
Mafé is a traditional stew in West African cuisine that is particularly popular in Senegal. It is generally made with a tomato-peanut butter sauce and a base meat, which can be chicken, lamb or beef. I chose to go the chicken route for my riff on the dish but am confident it would turn out just as well, (maybe even better), with another protein!
Ingredients:
3 - 4 lbs. bone-in and skin-on chicken (I used thighs, but a combination of different parts of the chicken would work well too)
Salt and black pepper
3 tablespoons peanut oil
1 yellow onion, minced
1 cup smooth creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup tomato paste
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1” pieces
2 bay leaves
Cooked white rice for serving, optional
Season chicken all over with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a heavy medium pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches, lightly brown chicken all over, then transfer to a bowl on the side as done.
Add onions to pot and cook, stirring often until soft, about 5 minutes.
Combine peanut butter and 1 and 1/2 cups cold water in a small bowl. Combine tomato paste and 2 cups hot water in another bowl. Stir peanut butter and tomato paste mixtures and add into the pot. Stir around.
Return the chicken to pot and stir well, then add carrots and bay leaves. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally until the chicken is tender, about 1 hour.
When ready, add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce if you want a little heat. Then serve with cooked rice and enjoy!
