Central African Republic- Chicken in Peanut-Tomato Sauce

Every week seems to get more and more hectic, and I scramble to find time to cook. However, I was able to rush through this easy dish from the Central African Republic on Monday night, and I’m glad I did.

Centrafican cuisine is the cooking practices, traditions, and foods of the people of the Central African Republic. Their diet is heavy on staple starches, and they use lots of vegetables and sauces. Okra, onions, garlic, and peanuts are frequently used in stews and sauces, where meat is relatively scarce. Peanuts and insects provide the people of the Central African Republic with most of their protein needs. However, during some festivals and celebrations, chicken in prepared, as it is thought to be a better type of meat.

African cuisine in general reflects many indigenous traditions. Arab, European, and Asian influences are also often present. During the slave trade in the 16th century, the Central African Republic adopted some foreign ingredients into their cuisine. However, they preserved their own cooking methods; thus, many of these ingredients were used differently in the Central African Republic.

While the Central African Republic’s agricultural output has to potential to feed the population, government instability has significantly reduced production. Political and economic crises have cause significant food shortages as a result of burning fields, food storage areas, and entire villages.

Thankfully, Chris and I are always able to feed ourselves. So we celebrated this fact by making a dish with chicken in it, and it was good. The chicken was in a tomato and peanut butter based sauce, which was rich and creamy. It sounds kind of weird, but it tastes really good. Better yet, it was super simple to make, using one pan and cooking relatively quickly. I would definitely recommend this dish to any looking for something a little different and unique.

Chicken in Peanut-Tomato Sauce

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Ingredients

• Peanut oil (or any cooking oil)
• 1 Chicken (for the gourmet version, four to six Chicken breasts) cut into bite-sized or serving-sized pieces
• 1 to 2 onions- chopped
• 1 to 2 cloves of garlic- minced (optional)
• 1 cup tomato paste (or tomato sauce)
• 1 cup peanut butter (natural or homemade is best)
• 1 cup water
• Cayenne pepper or red pepper to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• Salt to taste

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Instructions

1. Heat some oil in a deep pot
2. Add the chicken and fry it on both sides until it is browned and nearly done
3. Remove the chicken and set aside
4. Fry the onions and garlic in the same pot
5. Stir in tomato paste
6. Reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes
7. Return chicken to pot
8. Stir in peanut butter- be sure to use a very low heat or the peanut butter will scorch
9. Stir in enough water to make tomato paste and peanut butter into a smooth sauce
10. Add spices to taste
11. Stir and simmer on low heat until chicken is done

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