Chicken in coconut peanut butter sauce: a riff on Tanzanian’s kuku wa mchuzi na karanga recipe meaning chicken in coconut groundnut (peanut) sauce.
In Ghana here, we eat groundnut (peanuts) alot, both in savoury and sweet foods. On the savoury side, we normally use it in soups, think mutton groundnut soup, chicken groundnut soup etc. I find it hard choosing between the two. When prepared well, it’s fantastic.
This chicken in coconut peanut butter sauce is a riff on Tanzanian’s chicken in coconut groundnut sauce where chicken is mostly baked in a spicy coconut groundnut concoction with vegetables. The flavours combined together is amazing.
The thing that stands out in this dish is holy grail combination of ginger, garlic and scotch bonnet pepper, I am Ghanaian after all. We start with this blend by marinating the chicken in it, a little is added to the sauce as well. Hope you try this chicken in coconut peanut butter sauce and enjoy it like we do.
Have you seen this Kenya’s chicken in coconut sauce? It’s fantastic!
A riff on Tanzanian's kuku wa mchuzi na karanga recipe meaning chicken in coconut groundnut (peanut) sauce.
- 1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken cut into big chunks
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 -1 scotch bonnet
- 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
- salt as required
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper (finely minced) remove seeds for less heat
- 2 tomatoes finely chopped
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon grounded shrimp
- chicken stock cube optional
- 2 carrots diced
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 3 tablespoons groundnut paste or peanut butter
- 1/2cup/ 120ml thick coconut milk homemade or canned
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Grind all the marinade ingredients together except the chicken and put over the chicken to marinate for about ten minutes.
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Put oil in a medium saucepan on medium heat and add the chicken. Space out the chicken in order not to steam the chicken. Fry the chicken to brown and turn to brown the chicken on the other side. Remove chicken chunks and set aside.
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Add a dash of oil if there is no oil in the pan. Add the ginger, garlic, scotch bonnet pepper and onions. Fry till fragrant and the onions are soft. Add the chopped tomatoes, curry powder, shrimp powder, chicken stock cube and fry till no longer raw. Add carrots and bell pepper.
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Add the groundnut paste or peanut butter and coconut and mix till blended. Add the chicken back into the saucepan, stir and add a splash of coconut milk or water if too thick. Stir and check for salt if needed (I rarely add salt as this stage because of the stock cube). Cover loosely, turn the heat to low and simmer gently for 15 minutes till the sauce is reduced and the chicken and vegetables are tender. Serve with rice.
Click here for homemade coconut milk.
