West African Chicken Peanut Soup

11 June 2018 By

This Chicken Peanut Soup is well worth having as a staple recipe especially if you love the combination of creamy, sweet, spicy, satay pea-nutty flavour. It can be eaten on its own as a thick soup or accompanied with rice, a bread roll or a creamy polenta base. A slightly spicy, sweet and memorable comfort meal.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 large or 6 small chicken thighs cutlets, bone-in
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 large brown onion, peeled and finely diced
  • 2 tbsp Latasha’s Kitchen Malaysian Satay Paste
  • 1 red chilli, finely minced (optional)
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 180 g Pics brand peanut butter
  • 480 ml chicken stock, homemade or store bought, low sodium
  • 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into bite-size chunks
  • 1 whole medium white onion
  • 5 whole ripe tomatoes
  • 400 g can Mutti brand cherry tomatoes
  • 1-2 cups water as required

Garnish

  • Generous bunch of fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup toasted peanuts, roughly chopped − optional
  • Sliced cucumber, tomatoes and lettuce

Method

  1. Place oil in a large frying pan. Turn the heat to high and add the chicken pieces. Cook for 2 minutes on each side until the chicken is sealed and golden brown all over. Remove chicken to a plate.
  2. Using the same pan and oil, cook the diced onions for 10 minutes on medium heat, until they start to soften and caramelise.
  3. Add bay leaves, chilli, Latasha’s Kitchen Malaysian Satay Paste and a dash of water. Stir and cook for 10 minutes on low.
  4. Then add the stock, sweet potato, whole onion and 4 whole ripe tomatoes. Bring to the boil, turn down to a gentle simmer and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every so often.
  5. Remove the whole onions and tomatoes, (peel the skin off) and place in a blender. Cool for 10 minutes then add the peanut butter, a little of the cooking liquid and blend to a smooth puree. Add this puree back into the soup, along with the cherry tomatoes and sealed chicken pieces then continue to simmer for another 30 minutes.
  6. Uncover, take out the bay leaves and chicken pieces. Shred the chicken into pieces using 2 forks then add it back into the soup with the chopped peanuts. Cook for a further 5 minutes or longer if you prefer a much thicker consistency.
  7. Remove soup from the heat and garnish with coriander leaves.
  8. Serve with polenta, rice or a bread roll and a salad of cucumber, lettuce and tomatoes on the side.

TIP: If a more creamier version is desired, stir in 200 ml coconut cream into the soup, just before serving.