Chicken Muamba

Submitted by CongoJim

"Chicken in a peanut/tomato sauce. Generally served with rice. This version is from the DR Congo. Don't let the peanuts with tomatoes throw you off it really is very tasty. (I learned to tell guests after they compliment it what's in it.)"

 

• Ready In: 55mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 1 (3 1/2 lb) whole chickens, cut up (I will skip the killing and cleaning part that we go through)
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 large fresh tomato (you can peel and seed if you wish, we eat everything here)
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1⁄2 cup chunky peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons palm oil (available in Oriental markets, feel free to substitute with a healthier oil)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 hot pepper (we use pili pili, a very hot pepper native to here, most like scotch bonnet in flavor but makes habe)

directions

1. Simmer chicken covered in water with bouquette garnis until it's falling off the bone. Never boil meat, that makes it rubbery. Pull meat off the bone and reserve stock.
2. Saute onion, hot pepper and garlic in oil until translucent. Add tomato.
3. Stir in tomato paste and about 1/2 C stock.
4. Add peanut butter.
5. You should end up with a sauce that is similar in texture to spaghetti sauce. Add more stock if needed.
6. Return chicken to the pan and simmer for a few minutes to infuse the flavors.
7. Serve over rice.
8. That's the traditional method.
9. Now the "My in laws have shown up at the door to see little Joey, all I have is a couple of chicken breasts in the fridge and Joey is at that age where he asks adults things like "Mommy says that you are a busy body, how can I be one too?" version.
10. To your favorite spaghetti sauce add the peanut butter and chunks of chicken breasts and crushed red pepper to taste. While that simmers, put water on to boil for minute rice and get back out and keep an eye on Joey.

Reviews

[TattooedMamaof2]

This is just wonderful! I make it with chicken breasts and without the hot pepper. We have kiddos so we can each add our own hot sauce to taste. Thank you so much for this recipe, it has quickly become a favorite in our house!

 

[Lynne the Pirate Queen]

Simply wonderful! I made a double batch using about 6 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I really hate dealing with bones and such). After simmering them in a seasoned veggie broth -- I did not use the bouquet garni -- I shredded the chicken and kept it in the fridge overnight. I made the sauce as directed, using two jalapeno peppers (all I had on hand); out of deference for my guests' tastes, I de-seeded one pepper and partially de-seeded the other to keep the heat down. Next time, I'll increase the heat, since I think it would have made this great dish even better. I *did* add about 1/2 teaspoon (for the double batch) of garlic salt, as I felt the flavor was a little flat and we like a lot of garlic anyway. When the sauce was done, I threw it and the chicken into my crock pot and let it simmer for a few hours until my guests were ready to eat. Served over rice cooked in the leftover chicken broth, this was a HUGE hit. My fiance and my roomie want it to become a regular in our house, and I'm happy to comply. :) Thanks for sharing!

 

[Cluich]

Phenomenal! I left out the hot pepper, out of deference to my gf and the little one, but next time I'm definitely going to use it. I had a little of the sauce left over, too, and it was fantastic over egg noodles.

 

[SplitPea]

We hosted an African-themed dinner last night and cooked this Chicken Muamba: it is very easy to make, very tasty when eaten hot (we had it with rice and injera), still very yummy eaten cold on a sandwich - and the left-over chicken stock for the next day is just a bonus.

 

[kel-Cie T]

We said 3.5 but thats not an option, I realy liked it and would have rated it 4 but my BF said 3 so we comprimised. The PB is a nice flavour and goes well with a tomato base, I didn't have the pepper so i added a bit of a spicy spice mix I have, but it could have been spicer for me.