Democratic Republic of Congo | Stew

Moambe Chicken

Name: Moambe Chicken
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa
Ingredients: 1½ kg bone-in chicken pieces, thighs and drumsticks; 400 g palm nut cream, canned or fresh; 3 medium tomatoes, chopped; 2 large onions, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 200 g okra, sliced; 2 whole scotch bonnet peppers, left whole; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 cup water; salt and black pepper, to taste

Tender chicken simmered in palm nut sauce with tomato, onion, garlic, chile, and optional okra.

Country

Democratic Republic of Congo

Region

Central Africa

Time

85 min

Serves

Level

medium

Start cooking Explore Democratic Republic of Congo recipes

01 / Get ready

Everything you need

Tap each ingredient as you gather it. Illustrations are visual guides; follow the ingredient names and quantities.

Servings 6

Scale the dish before you shop, then use the checklist while you cook.

Jump to method My cookbook

Ingredients

For 6 servings

Stew

A few kitchen essentials

Suggested from the recipe method. Use equivalent equipment you have.

Lidded pot

Wooden spoon

02 / Let’s cook

One step at a time

Keep the rhythm calm, watch the texture, and adjust seasoning at the end.

Back to Democratic Republic of Congo

5 steps 25 min prep 60 min cook (check method) 85 min total medium

Brown the chicken

Season chicken with salt and black pepper. Heat oil and brown the pieces on all sides, then remove them from the pot.

Brown 10:00

Cook the aromatics

Cook onions in the same pot until soft. Add garlic and tomato paste and stir until fragrant.

Aromatics 07:00

Build the sauce

Add tomatoes, palm nut cream, water, and okra if using. Stir until smooth.

Sauce 05:00

Simmer

Return chicken to the pot, add whole scotch bonnets, cover, and simmer until the chicken is tender and the sauce is thick.

Simmer 40:00

Serve

Remove the whole peppers, adjust seasoning, and serve with fufu, rice, or boiled plantains.

Every household has small variations. Start here, then adjust seasoning, heat, and serving sides to your kitchen.

Cooking notes, photos & serving ideas

Recipe context

More about this dish

Serving ideas, regional context, and cooking cues for when you want more detail.

When to cook it

Best for Sunday meals, celebrations, family gatherings. Plan on a medium cook. Allow about 85 minutes total.

What to serve alongside it

Fufu, boiled plantains, or white rice

Regional lane

Democratic Republic of Congo national table. A structured Democratic Republic of Congo 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

Take a closer look at the dish and its serving ideas.

Moambe Chicken recipe from Democratic Republic of Congo — Moambe Chicken finished dish

Chef board

Build the table around Moambe Chicken

Fufu, boiled plantains, or white rice

Best route from here

Democratic Republic of Congo national table

Collections to keep cooking

Swallow and Soup Table One-Pot Family Meals Across Africa Showstoppers

Explore more recipes