Some dishes don’t just feed you — they call you. Nigerian Chicken Stew is one of those dishes. A pot of bold red peppers, slow-fried tomatoes, and tender, bone-in chicken that falls apart the moment your fork even thinks about touching it.

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Ingredients

(Serves 4–6)

Chicken

• 3–4 lbs bone-in chicken legs, thighs, or drumsticks
• 1 Tbsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 Tbsp paprika
• 1–2 tsp curry powder
• 1–2 tsp thyme
• 4–5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 1–2 bouillon cubes (optional, for depth)

Pepper + Tomato Base

• 2–3 vine-ripened tomatoes (Remove the seeds with a spoon to prevent the stew from becoming too watery.)
• 2 red bell peppers
• 1–2 Scotch bonnet or habanero peppers (Seeds removed, 1 works best for those who can’t handle too much heat.)
• 1 medium onion
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup broth or water

Oil

• ¼ cup avocado or vegetable oil

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How to Make It

1. Season and Brown the Chicken

Massage your chicken with salt, pepper, curry, thyme, garlic, and onions.
In a pot, heat the oil until it hums, then brown the chicken until each side is kissed with golden color. Set aside.

2. Blend the Pepper Base

Add to a blender

• tomatoes
• bell peppers
• Scotch bonnet
• onion
• any optional vegetables

Blend until smooth and sunset-red.

3. Build the Stew Base

In the same pot:

• Add tomato paste and fry for 3–4 minutes
• Pour in the pepper blend
• Let it simmer and reduce until it thickens, deepens, and the oil gently rises to the top

This is where the magic happens — that moment the stew shifts from bright to bold.

4. Add the Chicken Back In

Nestle the browned chicken into the pepper base.
Add broth, cover, and let it simmer for 25–35 minutes until the chicken is tender and the stew is luxuriously thick.

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🍽 How to Serve

This stew pairs beautifully with:

• Fluffy brown or white rice
• Fufu
• Fried or air-fried plantains
• Roasted vegetables
• A cool side salad