Poulet Moambé (Congolese Chicken in Palm Nut Sauce)
Local name: Poulet à la moambé
In short: Chicken simmered in a thick orange sauce of palm nut cream, onion, garlic and tomato, served with rice or fufu. A Congolese celebration dish. It takes about 1 h 40 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 h 20 min
- Resting
- 20 min
- Total
- 1 h 40 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 470 kcal
Moambé is the dish Congolese families cook when guests arrive, for weddings, baptisms and Sunday lunch. The sauce is made from the pulp of the palm nut, which gives it a deep orange color and a rich, earthy taste that no other fat can copy. Chicken, onion, garlic and a little tomato simmer in it until the oil rises to the surface. It is eaten with rice, fufu or boiled plantains, with a spoonful of pili-pili on the side.
Instructions
- Toss the chicken with the lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Leave it for 20 minutes while you chop the vegetables.
- Heat the oil in a wide heavy pot over medium heat. Brown the chicken in two batches for 4 to 5 minutes per side, then set it aside.
- Cook the onions in the same pot for 6 minutes until soft and golden. Stir in the tomato paste and grated tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, until the mixture darkens and thickens.
- Return the chicken to the pot. Add the palm nut purée, the water and the whole chili, and stir well to loosen the browned bits from the bottom.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 40 to 45 minutes, stirring now and then. The chicken should reach 74°C (165°F) and the sauce should thicken, with orange oil gathering at the edges.
- Taste and add salt if needed. Lift out the chili, or crush it into the sauce for more heat, and rest the pot off the heat for 10 minutes.
- Serve over steamed rice or with fufu, with pili-pili on the side.
Tips
- Canned palm nut purée is sold in African and Caribbean grocery stores. If you cannot find it, stir 3 tablespoons of red palm oil into 150 g (2/3 cup) smooth unsweetened peanut butter and use 250 ml (1 cup) extra water for a nuttier, related sauce.
- Skim some of the orange oil from the surface before serving if you prefer a lighter sauce. Catfish or tilapia can be cooked the same way and need only 15 minutes.
Questions and answers
Can I make moambé chicken ahead of time?
Yes, the flavor deepens overnight. Cool it, refrigerate for up to 3 days and reheat slowly with a splash of water, or freeze for up to 2 months.
What do you serve with poulet moambé?
Rice is the easiest choice. Fufu, chikwangue (a steamed cassava loaf) and boiled or fried plantains are the traditional partners, with pondu and pili-pili alongside.
Is moambé the same as peanut stew?
No. Classic moambé is built on palm nut pulp, not peanuts. A few cooks add a spoonful of peanut butter for body, but the palm nut gives the dish its color and character.
How long does it take to make Poulet Moambé (Congolese Chicken in Palm Nut Sauce)?
About 1 h 40 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 1 h 20 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Poulet Moambé (Congolese Chicken in Palm Nut Sauce)?
About 470 kcal per serving, with 32 g of protein, 10 g of carbohydrates and 33 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 470 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 32 g |
| Carbohydrates | 10 g |
| Fat | 33 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 780 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
