West African · lunch, dinner

Kedjenou (Ivorian Slow-Steamed Chicken Stew)

Kedjenou de poulet

Kedjenou (Ivorian Slow-Steamed Chicken Stew) — from Douceurs et Saveurs de Manu's cooking video Watch how it’s made · 5:18

Video by Douceurs et Saveurs de Manu on YouTube, in French · Open on YouTube

100 minServes 4424 kcal a serve
  • Low carb (9.7 g net carbs) but not keto: 45% of the energy is from fat, and keto meals get about 60% or more
  • Gluten-free ingredients
  • Dairy-free
  • Nut-free

Contains: none of the common allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.

44 g protein and under 10 g net carbs a serve: the chicken steams in its own juices with tomato, onion and eggplant, with no oil or water added.

Printable PDFA4

The printable card is ink-friendly, fits on one page and has a QR code back to this recipe.

Ingredients 9

Method

The cook speaks French; every step is written here in English. Tap a time to watch that step in the video. For subtitles, tap CC in the video, then Settings › Subtitles › Auto-translate › English.

  1. Cut the chicken into pieces. In a mortar, coarsely crush the tomatoes, onions, chillies and garlic so they release their juice (or simply dice them with a knife). No water or oil goes into this dish. 1:10
  2. Put the chicken into a heavy pot with a tight lid (a kedjenou pot or canari if you have one). Tip the crushed vegetables over it, add the diced eggplant, bay leaves, salt and pepper — season now, because the pot stays closed. 2:27
  3. Lay a sheet of baking paper (or banana leaves) over the rim and press the lid on top to seal in the steam, then set the pot on the heat. A village or laying hen takes about 1 hour 20 minutes; a regular supermarket chicken 30–40 minutes. 2:56
  4. Don't open the pot while it cooks: every so often lift it and shake it firmly so nothing sticks and the chicken and vegetables mix in their own juices. 3:45
  5. Open the pot when the chicken is tender and surrounded by a rich broth. Taste, adjust the salt and serve hot. 4:06

Tip. Serves 4 (our estimate). Traditionally eaten with attiéké (cassava couscous) or rice; a green salad or cauliflower rice keeps it lower in carbs. Guinea fowl or rabbit work the same way.

The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.

One serve gives you 1 of 4

Energy424 kcal1,770 kJ
Protein44 g87% of a day
Fibre3.9 g14% of a day
Carbohydrate14 g9.7 g net · 6.9 g sugars5% of a day
Fat21 g5.8 g saturated27% of a day
Sodium520 mg23% of a day

Where the energy comes from one serve

  • Net carbs 10%
  • Protein 44%
  • Fat 46%

Low carb: under 26% of the energy is from carbs.

Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more

Selenium High68%

37 µg a serve, mostly from chicken (98%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.

Vitamin B6 High49%

0.8 mg a serve, mostly from chicken (72%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.

Zinc High30%

3.3 mg a serve, mostly from chicken (88%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.

Vitamin C High27%

25 mg a serve, mostly from fresh scotch bonnet chillies (36%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.

Vitamin B12 Source19%

0.5 µg a serve, mostly from chicken (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.

Potassium Source16%

740 mg a serve, mostly from chicken (46%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.

Iron Source14%

2.5 mg a serve, mostly from chicken (78%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.

Magnesium Source14%

59 mg a serve, mostly from chicken (60%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.

Vitamin A Source11%

103 µg a serve, mostly from chicken (70%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.

Vitamin K Source11%

13 µg a serve, mostly from fresh tomatoes (37%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.

Folate Source11%

45 µg a serve, mostly from onions (32%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.

Omega-3 Source10%

0.2 g a serve, mostly from chicken (93%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.

Show the other 3
Vitamin E8%

1.3 mg a serve, mostly from chicken (36%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.

Calcium4%

58 mg a serve, mostly from chicken (40%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.

Vitamin D1%

0.2 µg a serve, mostly from chicken (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.

Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works

You might also like

Browse all 953 recipes

Recipe and video by Douceurs et Saveurs de Manu; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.