Peanut and Roasted Tomato Braised Chicken

Photo: Jason Little | Food Styling: Johanna Brannan Lowe
This twist on the Zimbabwean classic huku nedovi (roadrunner chicken in peanut sauce) is quick to prepare and uses chicken thighs instead of the tougher meat of roadrunner chicken. Bell pepper, garlic and ginger add extra flavor and a dose of vegetables. This recipe is part of the 2018 Food & Nutrition cultural competency series, My Global Table.

SERVINGS: 4
SERVING SIZE: 3½ ounces chicken, 1 cup vegetables, ¼ cup sauce, ¼ cup spinach (390 grams)
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
COOKING TIME: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound chicken thighs, skinned, deboned
  • 2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) olive oil, divided
  • 1½ cups diced white onion
  • 2 cups diced green bell pepper
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted creamy peanut butter
  • 2 14.5-ounce cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1½ cups spinach

Instructions

  1. Chop chicken into bite-size pieces. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
  2. Add chicken and cook for 1½ minutes, then toss and cook about 1½ minutes.
  3. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
  4. Pour 1 teaspoon olive oil into the pan, then add onion, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often.
  5. Reduce heat to medium, add ginger, salt and cayenne pepper and stir.
  6. Add peanut butter, stir to combine and cook for 30 seconds.
  7. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil, then add chicken back into the pan.
  8. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and sauce thickens slightly.
  9. Stack spinach leaves, roll tightly and slice to chiffonade.
  10. Divide hot stew among 4 bowls and top each with ¼ cup spinach.

NUTRITION PER SERVING: 307 calories, 13g total fat, 3g saturated fat, 99mg cholesterol, 617mg sodium, 26g carbohydrate, 7g fiber, 14g sugar, 25g protein, 1094mg potassium, 304mg phosphorus Note: Analysis uses crushed tomatoes in place of fire-roasted diced tomatoes to provide potassium and phosphorus information.

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Celestina Brunetti
Celestina Brunetti, RDN, LD is a personal chef and dietitian based in Albuquerque, and owner of Wellness Cucina LLC where her focus is on cooking for auto immune diseases. She blogs at wellnesscucinallc.com. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram.