West African · dinner
Chicken Maafe (West African Peanut Stew)
Video by W2 KITCHEN on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Gluten-free ingredients
- Dairy-free
Contains: Fish, Peanut. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
Peanuts bring plant protein, fibre, vitamin E and mostly unsaturated fat, while sweet potato, carrot and cabbage add beta-carotene, vitamin C and potassium. Unsalted peanut butter and no stock cubes keep sodium in check.
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Ingredients 14
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Heat the oil over medium heat and sear the chicken in a single layer just until pale golden on both sides, without browning deeply. Lift it out and spoon off excess fat. 0:39
- Lower the heat and cook the onions gently until soft, translucent and sweet but not coloured. Add the garlic briefly, then the tomato purée and mashed anchovies, and cook until blended. 1:28
- Return the chicken, add water to almost cover, season lightly and drop in the whole scotch bonnet. Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes. 2:47
- Put the peanut butter in a bowl and whisk in hot cooking liquid a ladle at a time until you have a smooth, thick paste. Stir it back into the pot. 3:13
- Add the sweet potato and carrot and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring now and then. Only add more water if it gets too thick. 4:00
- Add the cabbage and cook 10–15 minutes until tender. When a little oil separates on top, turn off the heat, remove the chilli, adjust the seasoning and rest 10 minutes. Serve with rice. 4:26
Tip. The cook serves it with plain white rice; brown rice or millet work too. Fish sauce can replace the anchovies, or leave them out. Keeps 3 days in the fridge and freezes well.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 5
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 18%
- Protein 27%
- Fat 55%
Low carb: under 26% of the energy is from carbs.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Vitamin A High95%
852 µg a serve, mostly from sweet potato (68%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Vitamin B6 High48%
0.8 mg a serve, mostly from bone-in chicken thighs (38%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Selenium High48%
26 µg a serve, mostly from bone-in chicken thighs (82%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Vitamin C High40%
36 mg a serve, mostly from white cabbage (41%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Zinc High37%
4.1 mg a serve, mostly from bone-in chicken thighs (58%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Vitamin K High37%
44 µg a serve, mostly from white cabbage (69%). 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.
Vitamin E High33%
4.9 mg a serve, mostly from natural peanut butter (60%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Folate High33%
132 µg a serve, mostly from natural peanut butter (66%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Magnesium High28%
118 mg a serve, mostly from natural peanut butter (51%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Omega-3 High28%
0.5 g a serve, mostly from neutral oil (80%). 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.
Potassium High23%
1100 mg a serve, mostly from sweet potato (26%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Vitamin B12 High23%
0.6 µg a serve, mostly from bone-in chicken thighs (98%). 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.
Iron High22%
4 mg a serve, mostly from natural peanut butter (42%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
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Calcium9%
115 mg a serve, mostly from natural peanut butter (29%). 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%
0.1 µg a serve, mostly from bone-in chicken thighs (82%). 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
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Recipe and video by W2 KITCHEN; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.