African recipe

Senegalese Chicken Mafé Peanut Stew

Name: Senegalese Chicken Mafé Peanut Stew
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h 25 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: African cuisines
Ingredients: 1.2 kg bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed; 2 large onions, finely diced; 400 g ripe tomatoes, grated or crushed; 50 g tomato paste; 180 g smooth unsweetened peanut butter; 1.2 L unsalted chicken stock or water; 3 carrots, cut into large pieces; 500 g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3 cm cubes; 300 g green cabbage, cut into wedges; 30 ml neutral oil; 5 g fine salt, divided; 2 g ground cayenne or mild chile powder; 2 bay leaves; 400 g long-grain rice, rinsed, for serving

Chicken simmers with tomato, peanut butter, carrots and sweet potato into a glossy, savory-sweet stew, traditionally served over rice.

Senegal and the wider West African region

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 1 hr 25 min
Total: 1 hr 50 min
Servings: 6

Senegalese chicken mafé peanut stew with sweet potato, carrots and cabbage over rice — **Real finished-dish photograph**Photograph by Nicolas PHULPINSource page · Original file · CC BY-SA 4.0Cropped, resized, and compressed by Recipe Nest Vault.

Ingredients

1.2 kg
bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
2
large onions, finely diced
400 g
ripe tomatoes, grated or crushed
50 g
tomato paste
180 g
smooth unsweetened peanut butter
1.2 L
unsalted chicken stock or water
3
carrots, cut into large pieces
500 g
sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3 cm cubes
300 g
green cabbage, cut into wedges
30 ml
neutral oil
5 g
fine salt, divided
2 g
ground cayenne or mild chile powder
2
bay leaves
400 g
long-grain rice, rinsed, for serving

Method

01
Brown and season the chicken
Pat chicken dry and season with 3 g salt and cayenne. Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium-high and brown chicken in batches on both sides; transfer to a plate.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
02
Soften onions and cook tomato
Lower heat to medium. Add onions and cook until soft, scraping up browned bits. Stir in tomato paste for 1 minute, then add crushed tomatoes and simmer until thickened.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
03
Blend the peanut sauce
Whisk peanut butter with 300 ml of the stock until smooth, then pour it into the tomato base while stirring so it does not form lumps.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
04
Simmer chicken in peanut broth
Return chicken and any juices to the pot. Add bay leaves and remaining stock; bring to a gentle simmer, cover partly and cook until the chicken is nearly tender.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
05
Add roots and cabbage
Add carrots, sweet potatoes and cabbage. Simmer uncovered until the vegetables are tender and the chicken reaches 74°C at the thickest part; stir gently so the peanut sauce does not catch.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
06
Adjust and serve with rice
If the sauce is thicker than spoonable, add warm stock a little at a time. Taste for salt and serve over freshly cooked rice with plenty of vegetables and sauce.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph

Practical notes

Tips

Cook the onion base until soft and sweet before adding liquid; a patient start creates body without needing extra thickeners.
Add delicate leafy vegetables near the end so they stay green and retain a fresh texture.

Common mistakes

A hard boil can break down the sauce and toughen meat; keep a steady gentle simmer instead.
Ground seeds or legume flour can settle and catch on the bottom; stir often after adding them and lower the heat.

Substitutions

Bone-in chicken thighs can replace a whole chicken; keep the pieces similar in size so they finish together.
A mild leafy green such as spinach or kale can replace local greens; add it only when the stew is nearly ready.

Storage

Cool promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours at 0–4°C; use within 3 days and reheat until steaming throughout.

Cultural context

Mafé is a West African peanut stew with versions across Senegal, Mali, The Gambia and neighboring countries. Meat, vegetables, thickness and the name vary regionally; this Senegal-inspired chicken version balances peanut paste with tomato, root vegetables and rice.

Sources and photo credit

This standardized method was independently rewritten after cross-checking the references below. Recipe Nest Vault does not claim that the credited photographer cooked from this exact version.

Recipe references

Maafé.jpg — Photograph by Nicolas PHULPIN; CC BY-SA 4.0.

Step illustrations: Original illustrations created by Recipe Nest Vault with OpenAI image_gen.

Back to African recipes

Senegalese Chicken Mafé Peanut Stew

Ingredients

Method

Brown and season the chicken

Soften onions and cook tomato

Blend the peanut sauce

Simmer chicken in peanut broth

Add roots and cabbage

Adjust and serve with rice

Sources and photo credit

Recipe references

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Senegalese Ceebu Jën (Thiéboudienne)

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