1
Make the marinade
Blend ginger, garlic, scotch bonnets, lime juice, oil, salt, and pepper into a smooth paste.
Togo | Main dish
Koklo Meme
Togolese koklo meme, charcoal-grilled chicken marinated with ginger, garlic, chile, lime, oil, salt, and pepper.
Country
Togo
Region
West Africa
Time
190 min
Serves
4
Level
medium
Recipe overview
What to know before you cook
The marinade should get under the skin and into the cuts. Let the chicken sit, then grill until the edges char.
What the dish tastes like
Togolese koklo meme, charcoal-grilled chicken marinated with ginger, garlic, chile, lime, oil, salt, and pepper.
When to cook it
Best for Street food and gatherings, with a medium cooking level and about 190 minutes total.
What to serve alongside it
Akoumé, rice, salad, piment sauce, or fried plantains
Follow the collection
Street Food is the easiest collection to explore after this dish. Street Food
Regional lane
Togo national table. A verified Togo dish in the AfroKitchen archive.
Chef watch-outs
- Skipping the resting time after grilling.
- Rushing the base before the raw edge has cooked out.
- Adding all seasoning early and forgetting to adjust at the end.
How you know it is ready
- The surface should be deeply colored while the center stays juicy.
- The aroma should smell rounded rather than raw or sharp.
- Oil, sauce, broth, or steam should look settled and deliberate.
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 Koklo Meme
Akoumé, rice, salad, piment sauce, or fried plantains
Best route from here
Togo 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.
4 steps
190 min total
medium
2
Marinate the chicken
Rub marinade all over the chicken, under the skin and into every crevice. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Overnight gives the most flavour.
Marinate
120:00
3
Grill the chicken
Grill over medium charcoal heat, turning regularly, for 30-35 minutes until skin is crispy and charred and juices run clear.
Baste with remaining marinade while grilling.
Grill
35:00
4
Rest and serve
Rest for 5 minutes, then cut into pieces. Serve with piment sauce and sides.
Rest
05:00
Every household has small variations. Start here, then adjust seasoning, heat, and serving sides to your kitchen.