Creamy Chicken Mafé (Peanut Stew)
Rich, creamy, and full of flavor. Chicken Mafé is a beloved West African stew made with peanut butter, tomato, and tender chicken simmered with hearty vegetables. Perfect for serving with rice, couscous, or fufu.
What Is Chicken Mafé?
Chicken mafé is a beloved West African peanut stew, popular in Senegal, Mali, Gambia, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast. Made with peanut butter, tomatoes, chicken, and root vegetables, it highlights the bold flavors of everyday ingredients.
Ingredients For Chicken Mafé
Chicken and Aromatics: Sear chicken with onion, garlic, and peanut oil for a savory base.
Tomato-Peanut Sauce: A blend of tomato paste, fresh tomatoes, and water, combined with peanut butter.
Vegetables & Seasoning: Add carrots, cassava, sweet potatoes, or squash. Season with salt, pepper, and spices like paprika, ginger, or bay leaf, then finish with fresh cilantro.
West African Chicken Mafé Recipe Variations
- Beef: Richer flavor, but needs more time to cook until tender.
- Lamb: Adds a bold taste. Great for special meals.
- Fish: A lighter version. Use firm fish and skip eggplant if the mix feels off.
- Veggies: Add or switch. Okra, pumpkin, cabbage, and extra onions all work well.
Keesha’s Tips & Tricks
- Brown the Chicken First: I always sear the chicken before anything else. It builds that deep, rich flavor right from the start.
- Incorporate Peanut Butter Gradually: Stir it in a spoonful at a time so it blends smoothly.
- Use Natural Peanut Butter: Look for unsweetened, unsalted peanut butter to keep the stew savory.
- Add Water If Needed: If the sauce gets too thick, I add a splash of water. It should be rich and saucy, not dry.
What To Serve With Chicken Mafé
- Rice: A classic pairing. Plain white rice or Jamaican Rice and Peas, or Oven-Baked Jollof Rice.
- Couscous: Light and fluffy, couscous beautifully soaks up the rich peanut sauce. You can also check out a few easy couscous substitutes if needed.
- Fufu: Try it with Ugali or Amala Swallows. Both are easy and great with stews like this.
How to Store and Reheat
Chicken Mafé stores well and tastes even better the next day. Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight, then warm gently on the stove or in the microwave until heated.
FAQs about Chicken Mafé
More Delicious Recipes
If you enjoyed this Chicken Mafé, try these fluffy Puff Puff for a perfect snack or treat. For hearty, check out this flavorful Cassava Leaf Stew and Chapati with Beef Stew.
Creamy Chicken Mafé
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp peanut oil
- 1 pound chicken breast, skinless, boneless, cut into strips
- Sea salt flakes, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups water
- 4 tomatoes, cubed
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper, deseeded and chopped
- 1 seasoning stock cube or chicken broth
- 3 tbsp creamy peanut butter
- ½ head cabbage, shredded
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 small cassava, chopped
- 1 small eggplant, cubed
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
- ½ medium turnip, peeled and cubed
Instructions
- Heat the peanut oil in a saucepan over medium heat
- While the oil is heating, season chicken strips with sea salt and black pepper.
- Add it to the heated pan and allow the strips to cook for about 5-7 minutes. The chicken pieces should be beautifully browned, but they don't have to be completely cooked.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.
- In the same saucepan, add the diced onion. Allow it to saute over medium heat stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes or until it becomes translucent.
- Next, add the tomato paste and water. Stir these ingredients well until you have a uniform mixture. Leave this mixture to cook on low heat for a couple of minutes.
- Meanwhile, blend the tomatoes, garlic, yellow pepper, stock cube, and 1/2 cup water. Make sure they are blended together very well.
- Then, add the blended chopped tomato mixture to the heating onion-water base. Mix the ingredients together very well and allow them to heat (still using low heat).
- Then, make the peanut butter mixture by whisking the peanut butter with 1/3 cup of liquid in a small mixing bowl. This just helps the peanut butter better incorporate into the stew base.
- Finally, add the chicken to your peanut sauce and tomato mafé base. You can add the remaining prepared vegetables as well. They include cabbage, cassava, eggplant, potatoes, sweet potato, and turnip.
- Bring the stew to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat and allow the ingredients to simmer on low heat for 20-25 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Your chicken mafé stew is ready to be served when the chicken is completely cooked, and the vegetables are tender.
