African Chicken Recipe

I decided to give my tastebuds a thrill ride by cooking up this spicy chicken dish loaded with tangy tomatoes, fiery scotch bonnet, and zesty ginger, and honestly it’s like my own little flavor party even if my kitchen gets a bit messy sometimes.

I love making this African Chicken dish cause its packed with flavors and nutrients. I start with a whole chicken seared in vegetable oil, then add chopped onion, minced garlic, and ginger.

I even toss in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and scotch bonnet pepper to boost vitamins and protein content.

Ingredients

• Chicken provides high-quality protein and a hearty base for this dish.
• Onion adds a natural sweetness and plenty of fiber for good digestion.
• Garlic offers bold flavor and natural health benefits that boost immunity.
• Tomatoes supply vitamins and a tangy taste that balances the stew perfectly.
• Scotch bonnet pepper injects a fiery kick that livens up every bite.
• Ginger adds zesty warmth and a slight pungent zing to the mix.
• Vegetable oil enhances texture and helps meld all the spices togethr.
• Tomato paste intensifies the rich color and deep flavor of the sauce.
• Chicken broth brings moisture that helps blend all flavors together.
• Fresh cilantro finishes the dish adding a bright herbal note if used.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 whole chicken (about 3 to 4 lbs, cut into pieces)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 3 tomatoes, diced (or 1 can 14.5 oz diced tomatoes)
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, deseeded and chopped (adjust based on how spicy you like it)
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup chicken broth (or water)
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

How to Make this

1. First, season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Then heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat and brown the chicken in batches until they are golden on all sides.

2. Remove the browned chicken from the pan and set it aside for now.

3. In the same pan, add the chopped onion, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Cook until the onions get soft and a little bit caramelized, stirring occasionally.

4. Next, stir in the diced tomatoes along with the tomato paste and the chopped scotch bonnet pepper (you can adjust how much you use if you dont like too much heat).

5. Add the smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, and the bay leaf to the pan. Make sure to mix it all really well.

6. Return the chicken pieces back to the pan and pour in the chicken broth (or water) so that almost covers the chicken. Bring it to a gentle simmer.

7. Let the chicken cook, covered, for about 20 minutes until it’s nearly tender.

8. Then add the sliced red bell pepper and cook for an additional ten minutes, stirring occasionally so that the flavors mix well.

9. Taste the sauce and add more salt or black pepper if needed.

10. Once everything is fully cooked and the chicken is tender, remove the bay leaf and optionally garnish with fresh cilantro before serving.

Equipment Needed

1. Large skillet or deep pot with a lid – to brown the chicken and cook all the ingredients together
2. Chef’s knife – for chopping the onion, tomatoes, red bell pepper, and other vegetables
3. Cutting board – as a safe surface to prepare the vegetables and the ginger
4. Measuring spoons and measuring cup – to accurately portion out spices, oil, tomato paste, and chicken broth
5. Grater – for grating the fresh ginger
6. Slotted spoon – to remove the browned chicken pieces from the pan without taking too much oil
7. Stirring spoon – for mixing the ingredients while they cook

FAQ

• Q: How spicy is this African Chicken recipe?
  A: It has a nice kick from the scotch bonnet pepper so if you dont like too much heat, you can use less pepper or remove its seeds.
• Q: Can i substitute chicken thighs for the whole chicken?
  A: Yes, definitely! Chicken thighs work great and will still absorb all the rich flavors in the sauce.
• Q: What can i use if i dont have fresh tomatoes?
  A: You can use a 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes as mentioned in the recipe, this works just fine.
• Q: How do i adjust the spice level?
  A: If you want it less spicy, try use less scotch bonnet or remove the seeds. You can also balance the heat by adding more tomatoes.
• Q: Should i cover the pot while simmering?
  A: Yes, covering helps to lock in the flavors and keeps the chicken moist as it simmers in the sauce.

African Chicken Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• If you don’t have vegetable oil, you can use peanut oil or even olive oil instead.
• If the Scotch bonnet pepper is too hard to find or too spicy, try using a habanero pepper or a bit of chili powder instead.
• For the chicken broth, you can just use water with a bouillon cube or some homemade stock.
• If you’re out of fresh ginger, a 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger works pretty well as a substitute.
• Instead of using fresh diced tomatoes, you can swap in a 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes for convenience.

Pro Tips

1. Make sure you brown your chicken in small batches coz if you do it all at once the pieces will steam instead of getting that nice caramelized color. This really ramps up the flavor of the dish.

2. Don’t rush the onion, garlic, and ginger mix. Let em slowly get soft and a bit caramelized so that they build up a rich base flavor for the sauce.

3. The scotch bonnet pepper is super potent so be careful with it. If you’re not into super spicy food, remove most of the seeds or start with a smaller amount to keep it milder.

4. When you add the red bell pepper, make sure you stir it in and let it cook a bit but not too much. That way it still has a bit of crunch and a fresh taste in the final dish.