Maafe – West African Peanut and Chicken Stew
Chicken thighs and sweet potato simmered in a peanut butter and tomato stew, finished with kale for a Senegalese-style dinner.
Maafe is the peanut stew found across much of Senegal, Mali, and Gambia, where natural peanut butter is whisked into broth until it turns into a rich, nutty sauce. Chicken thighs get seared first for a bit of color, then simmer in that sauce alongside sweet potato until everything is fork-tender.
Kale stirred in at the end brings a fresh, slightly bitter contrast to the sweetness of the peanut butter and sweet potato, and keeps the bowl from feeling one-note.
This is a satisfying, high-protein dinner built around real ingredients, not a shortcut sauce. The peanut butter does add fat to the dish, so it's best enjoyed as part of a varied week rather than a nightly habit, but it's a good option when you want something warming and substantial with a base that isn't rice or bread. Leftovers taste even better the next day once the peanut sauce has had time to deepen further into the chicken and vegetables.
Ingredients
- 500 g boneless chicken thighs, trimmed and cubed
- 3 tbsp natural peanut butter, no added sugar
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
- 2 cups chopped kale or spinach
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper — whole, or minced to taste
- to taste salt
Most ingredients here are everyday market staples across West Africa. A handful of specialty items may be easiest to find at a local open-air market or an African grocery store if you're elsewhere.
Instructions
- 1In a large pot, sear the chicken cubes over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes; set aside.
- 2In the same pot, sauté onion and garlic until fragrant.
- 3Stir in tomato paste and diced tomatoes, cooking for 5 minutes.
- 4Whisk the peanut butter into the broth until smooth, then pour into the pot.
- 5Add the sweet potato, ginger, scotch bonnet, and browned chicken; bring to a simmer.
- 6Cover and cook for 25 minutes until the sweet potato is tender and the stew has thickened.
- 7Stir in the chopped kale during the last 5 minutes.
- 8Season with salt and serve hot, removing the whole pepper before serving if used.