1
Cook the chicken
Season chicken and boil until tender, about 25 minutes. Reserve stock.
Cook chicken
25:00
Sierra Leone | Stew
Groundnut Stew
Sierra Leonean groundnut stew with chicken, peanut butter, tomato, onion, garlic, ginger, chile, and rich stock.
Country
Sierra Leone
Region
West Africa
Time
80 min
Serves
6
Level
medium
Recipe overview
What to know before you cook
The peanut needs heat and patience. Simmer until the sauce turns glossy and thick enough to coat rice.
What the dish tastes like
Sierra Leonean groundnut stew with chicken, peanut butter, tomato, onion, garlic, ginger, chile, and rich stock.
When to cook it
Best for Everyday meals, with a medium cooking level and about 80 minutes total.
What to serve alongside it
White rice, plantain, fufu, cassava, or gari
Regional lane
Sierra Leone national table. A verified Sierra Leone dish in the AfroKitchen archive.
Chef watch-outs
- Adding too much liquid after the rice goes in.
- Stirring too often once the grains should be steaming.
- Stopping the base before the pepper, onion, or spice edge has mellowed.
How you know it is ready
- The grains should be tender but still distinct, with steam carrying the seasoning upward.
- The sauce should coat the spoon and taste rounded, not watery or raw.
- The aroma should smell rounded rather than raw or sharp.
Recipe photos
See the dish before you cook
Each recipe supports one main image and up to four extra prep, serving, or step photos when they are available.
Chef board
Build the table around Groundnut Stew
White rice, plantain, fufu, cassava, or gari
Best route from here
Sierra Leone national table
Collections to keep cooking
How to cook it
Step-by-step method
Keep the rhythm calm, watch the texture, and adjust seasoning at the end.
5 steps
80 min total
medium
2
Fry the base
Heat oil, fry onions until golden. Add blended tomatoes and cook 10 minutes until reduced.
Fry base
10:00
3
Add peanut butter
Dissolve peanut butter in 2 cups chicken stock. Pour into the tomato base and stir well.
4
Simmer the stew
Add chicken pieces and scotch bonnets. Simmer 20 minutes until thick and creamy.
Simmer
20:00
5
Serve
Serve over white rice or with fufu.
Every household has small variations. Start here, then adjust seasoning, heat, and serving sides to your kitchen.