Spicy Nigerian Chicken Stew – West African Flavor

Introduction

Craving bold, seamless flavor? Spicy Nigerian Chicken Stew is a classic across West Africa, renowned for its rich, aromatic base and tender chicken pieces simmered to perfection. This dish balances vibrant tomatoes, smoky peppers, and warming spices, making it a staple for family meals or festive gatherings where you want every spoonful to shine. It’s a crowd-pleaser full of depth and perfect for spicing up your weekly dinner rotation.

Why Spicy Nigerian Chicken Stew Stands Out

What makes this recipe a must-try is its irresistible blend of flavors. The stew combines slow-cooked aromatic vegetables with spicy chilies and smoky paprika, resulting in a sauce that’s layered, robust, and deeply savory. The chicken absorbs every bit of that flavor, staying juicy and tender. It’s a one-pot wonder that comes together with minimal fuss, yet delivers maximum taste in every bite—a true representation of West African comfort food.

The Secret to Rich, Authentic Stew

For an exceptional stew, blend fresh tomatoes, red bell peppers, onions, and Scotch bonnet peppers to create the signature base. Searing the chicken before stewing builds depth, while letting the sauce reduce ensures a luscious, concentrated flavor. Simmering the chicken in this spicy, fragrant sauce infuses it with unmistakable West African character, yielding a mouthwatering, comforting result.

How to Serve Your Chicken Stew

This spicy stew is wonderfully versatile. Pair it with steamed white rice, fluffy rice pilaf, boiled yams, or even crusty bread for an authentic experience. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley or green onions to add freshness and color. It’s a filling centerpiece that perfectly rounds out any table and goes well with virtually any side dish.

Nutritional Information and Serving Size

This recipe yields about 6 servings. Each portion (without sides) typically contains 300–350 calories, depending on the parts of the chicken used and amount of oil. The stew is rich in protein, packed with vitamins from tomatoes and peppers, and provides a spicy kick that warms you up from the inside out.

Spicy Nigerian Chicken Stew – West African Flavor (Recap)

Simmering chicken in a robust tomato-pepper sauce makes for a meal that’s comforting yet exciting, with layers of spices and smoky undertones. This stew is the ultimate way to explore West African flavors in your own kitchen—get ready for an instant favorite!

💡Meal Planning Tip: Save this recipe to automatically create an organized shopping list with all ingredients sorted by store section—perfect for busy weeks or last-minute meal preps.

Instructions

1. Prep the Chicken: Rinse and pat dry chicken pieces. Season with half the curry powder, half the thyme, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
2. Prepare the Stew Base: Blend tomatoes, bell peppers, Scotch bonnet, and 1 onion until smooth.
3. Brown the Chicken: Heat oil in a large pot. Sear chicken on all sides until golden brown (about 4–5 minutes per side). Remove and set aside.
4. Build the Stew: Slice the remaining onion and sauté in the same pot for 3–4 minutes. Add tomato paste; cook for 2 minutes. Pour in blended mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until reduced and thickened (12–15 minutes).
5. Season: Stir in remaining curry powder, thyme, bouillon, smoked paprika, bay leaf (if using), salt, and pepper. Return browned chicken and its juices to the pot.
6. Simmer: Cover and simmer on low heat for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the sauce thickens too much, add a splash of water or chicken stock.
7. Finish and Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Sprinkle with parsley or green onions before serving. Enjoy piping hot!

Weekly Meal Planning

This Spicy Nigerian Chicken Stew is a fantastic candidate for your weekly meal prep—it keeps beautifully, with flavors mingling and deepening over time. Save and schedule this recipe in your meal planner to set your dinner lineup and generate smart shopping lists that consolidate ingredients from all planned meals.

Planning Benefits:

• Automatically calculates total ingredient quantities across multiple recipes
• Organizes shopping lists by store sections for faster grocery trips
• Prevents buying duplicates or forgetting key ingredients
• Helps you batch cook, freeze, and reheat efficiently all week

Pro tip: By scheduling recipes together, you’ll spot overlapping ingredients like onions or peppers—making it easy to plan bulk purchases and cut waste.

Cook and Prep Times

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes