African-Inspired Chicken Stew

Serve African-Inspired Chicken Stew with all of the optional condiments and it’s an all-in-one meal and dessert.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

8 chicken thighs
8 chicken legs
1 large yellow onion, peeled and sliced
½ teaspoon dried dill
2 bay leaves
4 cups water or chicken broth
½ cup peanut butter
3 tablespoons cornstarch
½ cup cold water
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Optional: 3–6 cups cooked long-grain rice
Optional: 5 bananas, peeled and cut lengthwise, then browned in butter
Optional: Unsweetened pineapple chunks
Optional: 4 ounces unsweetened coconut, toasted
½ cup roasted peanuts, chopped fine

Add the chicken pieces, onion, dill, bay leaves, and water or chicken broth to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pot and keep warm; discard the skin if desired. Remove and discard the bay leaves.

Add ½ cup of the hot liquid from the slow cooker to the peanut butter; mix well, and then pour the resulting peanut butter sauce into the pan. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water together; remove any lumps. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the broth in the pan, continuing to cook and stir until the broth thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. (If you prefer a thicker sauce, mix additional cornstarch in cold water and repeat the process, cooking it long enough to cook out the raw cornstarch taste from the sauce.)

Taste the sauce for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.

For each serving, place a chicken thigh and chicken leg over some cooked rice. Ladle the thickened pan juices over the chicken and rice. If desired, top with fried bananas, pineapple, toasted coconut, and chopped peanuts.

Toasting Coconut

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread the coconut out over a jellyroll pan. Place the pan on a shelf positioned in the center of the oven and, watching it carefully and stirring it every minute or two, bake the coconut for 6 minutes or until it’s a very light golden brown.