Sauce d'Arachide (Guinean Peanut Stew with Chicken)
Local name: Sauce d'arachide
In short: Chicken, sweet potato and carrots simmered in a thick peanut and tomato sauce until the oil rises, served over plain steamed rice. It takes about 1 h 30 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 1 h 5 min
- Total
- 1 h 30 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 660 kcal
Peanut sauce is everyday food across Guinea, cooked for family lunches and for guests. Chicken is browned with onion and garlic, then simmered in tomato and a smooth peanut paste until the sauce turns thick and the reddish oil floats to the top. That oil is the sign it is done. Plain rice soaks up the sauce, and a fresh chili sits on the side.
Instructions
- Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown the chicken for 4 minutes per side. Remove it to a plate.
- Add the onions to the pot and cook for 6 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir for 2 minutes.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 8 minutes until they break down into a thick sauce.
- Whisk the peanut butter with 700 ml warm water in a bowl until smooth. Pour it into the pot, stirring well so it does not clump.
- Return the chicken to the pot with the whole chili. Cover and simmer over low heat for 25 minutes, stirring from the bottom every 5 minutes.
- Add the carrots and sweet potato and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes more. The chicken should reach 74°C (165°F), the vegetables should be tender and a layer of oil should rest on top.
- While the vegetables simmer, rinse the rice and cook it in a separate pot following the package directions.
- Taste, adjust the salt and remove the chili. Serve the stew over the hot rice.
Tips
- Use peanut butter with only peanuts and maybe salt in it. Sweetened spreads will make the sauce taste like a dessert.
- Stir often, because peanut sauce catches on the bottom of the pot. If it gets too thick, loosen it with hot water, a few spoonfuls at a time.
Questions and answers
How do I stop peanut sauce from splitting or clumping?
Whisk the peanut butter with warm water before it goes in the pot and keep the heat low. A little oil on top at the end is normal and is the traditional sign the sauce is ready.
Can I make it vegetarian?
Yes. Skip the chicken and double the sweet potato and carrots, adding chickpeas or cabbage. Simmer the sauce for 25 minutes before adding the vegetables.
What do you serve with Guinean peanut sauce?
Steamed white rice is the usual partner. Fried plantain or boiled sweet potato work well, and a hot chili sauce goes on the side.
How long does it take to make Sauce d'Arachide (Guinean Peanut Stew with Chicken)?
About 1 h 30 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 1 h 5 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Sauce d'Arachide (Guinean Peanut Stew with Chicken)?
About 660 kcal per serving, with 32 g of protein, 66 g of carbohydrates and 31 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 660 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 32 g |
| Carbohydrates | 66 g |
| Fat | 31 g |
| Fiber | 7 g |
| Sugar | 9 g |
| Sodium | 780 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
