West African chicken and peanut stew

 

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I don't like to complain about the weather, but 55 to 60 degrees in December with rain? Really? We got our Christmas tree the other day and it was pouring rain. I'm sitting here with the window wide open. 

We live in Buffalo, NY folks - the place where everyone thinks has crazy amounts of snow. Last winter I wasn't even able to use my snowshoes once. It's weird and makes it really difficult to get into the Christmas mood! We are used to snow and cold. I don't want any blizzards or anything, but I also feel like it's spring.... It makes baking cookies or knitting gifts feel.... I don't know..... just not right....

It also makes dinners a little more difficult. Usually we are craving stews, soups, and other cold-weather dishes, but not so much when it is this warm. But, that's not going to stop me from making wintery meals. I'm hopeful that we will see some winter this year. It's still early..... and, I'm hopeful that we will have at least a covering of snow as we get closer to the holidays. 

This stew is a stick-to-your-bones kind of meal that is perfect for a cold evening. I've been wanting to make a version of this dish for quite a while and finally used this recipe to do so (I modified it slightly). The combination of ingredients sound strange -- the flavor is unlike anything I've eaten before, but after a couple bites, we both agreed that we liked it a lot! 

This dish will easily serve four hungry people. It's a simple dish to put together, but does take some time to simmer. It's a perfect stew to warm you up after coming in from the cold (if it's cold where you are).

West African chicken and peanut stew
2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
about 1-1/2 lbs. boneless and skinless chicken thighs
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 medium white onion, finely diced
2 inches of ginger root, grated
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more or less to taste
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 cup all-natural chunky peanut butter
1 (28 oz) can of crushed tomatoes
1 (14-15 oz) can of full-fat coconut milk
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
3/4 to 1 cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts 
handful of fresh chopped cilantro

Heat the coconut oil in a large, deep skillet or in a heavy-bottom stock pot. When hot add the chicken and season with salt and pepper. If you don't have a wide pan, brown the chicken in batches. Once they are browning, push them to the outside edges of your pan and add the onion in the middle. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften. Then add the ginger, garlic, another pinch of salt and pepper along with the coriander and cayenne. Stir and cook just until fragrant.

Add the chicken stock and de-glaze the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in the peanut butter, tomatoes, and coconut milk and stir well until the peanut butter is smoothy distributed. Stir in the sweet potatoes. Let the mixture come to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and let simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks. Return it to the pot. Continue to simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about another 30 minutes, or until the stew is thickened and the sweet potatoes are fork-tender. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and cayenne, as needed.

Ladle into serving bowls and top with some of the peanuts and cilantro.