Chicken with Peanut Butter Sauce

If you have never tried peanut butter on chicken, get ready to have your mind blown. This recipe draws on the West African tradition of groundnut stew, where peanut butter melts into a savory, spiced broth to create one of the most satisfying sauces you will ever taste.

Chicken pieces brown until golden, then simmer for an hour in a curry-spiked tomato broth with bay leaves, thyme, and parsley. The peanut butter joins the party in the last 15 minutes, stirred into warm broth until silky smooth and poured right over the tender chicken.

The result is thick, nutty, and warming with just enough curry heat to keep things interesting. Spoon it over steamed rice and let the sauce do what it was born to do.

Chef Tips

• Use natural, creamy peanut butter: The kind with just peanuts and salt. Sugary commercial brands will make the sauce taste off.
• Warm the broth before mixing with peanut butter: Cold broth makes peanut butter seize into clumps. Warming it first ensures a smooth, lump-free sauce.
• Go low and slow on the simmer: Rushing the first hour of cooking means tough chicken. Keep the heat gentle and let time do the work.