Easy West African Peanut Chicken Soup

You knew it was going to be easy, right? Because today is yet another 30-Minute Monday, which means that this recipe is quick, easy, and on your dinner table faster than waiting for pizza delivery.

Ah, Mondays. This time of year I find myself “cooking for one” on Mondays more often than not. And on Thursdays, too. Oh, and lets not forget Saturdays and Sundays.

Yes, I’ll admit it. My name is Anetta and my husband is a fantasy football addict.

I’m so blessed to have a husband smart enough to find places other than my living room to watch the game. It’s not that I hate football, it’s just that he kind of takes over the whole living room while he’s watching it.

He likes to lay across the big couch (the only one with a good view of the TV) and set up his laptops (he has TWO of them now), phone, and iPad on the coffee table so that he can watch as many games as possible at once.

I tried to kindly suggest that the DirecTV Red Zone Channel will show him the only important parts anyway, but I think he likes to just have all of his technology splayed all over the place.

He was on cloud nine last season when I had just started the blog and was working every weekend on recipe development and photography. Now that I’m blogging full time I try to get my work done during the week so I have weekends off work (like a normal person).

For the husband, what used to be weekends full of lounging around watching football while taste testing recipes has sadly turned into days of getting pestered into leaving the house and doing something fun.

I keep threatening to get a second husband for the duration of football season but I don’t think he’s taking me seriously.

Okay, so at this point I should probably start talking about the food. Hmm, let’s see… what is there to say about this West African Peanut Chicken Soup?

• First, let’s talk about the color. I know that the pictures are kind of like BAM in your face, and that’s because there’s a lot of vibrant curry powder in the broth.

• Secondly, the smell. Let’s say “aroma” instead because it sounds fancier. Your kitchen is going to smell like the most heavenly mixture of ginger + cilantro + lime + garlic + curry + chilies. It’s pretty much the best smell aroma ever.

• Finally, the taste. The most important part, am I right? The peanut butter adds the most amazing velvety texture to the broth, while the tender chicken adds substance to the dish. The fresh herbs and spices are a perfect complement to the richness of the broth, and the garnish of chopped peanuts adds just the right amount of crunch.

Try this West African Peanut Chicken Soup on it’s own, or ladle it over rice or noodles for a deeply satisfying dinner.

Here’s the Recipe!

Easy West African Peanut Chicken Soup

Yield: 2 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Try this West African Peanut Chicken Soup on it's own, or ladle it over rice or noodles for a deeply satisfying dinner.

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Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 Tablespoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup peanut (or vegetable) oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 inch fresh ginger root
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 serrano chili pepper, halved and seeded
• 5 cups chicken stock or broth, divided
• 1/4 cup peanut butter**
• 4 Tablespoons chopped peanuts
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 4 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Slice the chicken crosswise into 1/4 inch thick strips. In a zipper-close bag, combine the flour, curry powder, salt and pepper. Add the chicken and give the bag a good shake to coat well.
2. In a large Dutch oven or other pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat for about 1 minute. Add the chicken pieces in a single layer and cook for 2 minutes per side.
3. Meanwhile, place the coriander, ginger, garlic, and chili pepper in the bowl of a small food processor and pulse to a mince.
4. Turn the heat down to medium and add the ginger mixture along with 1/2 cup of broth. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the peanut butter and toss well.
5. Add the remaining 4 1/2 cups broth one cup at a time, slowly stirring to maintain the soup's texture. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and add salt as needed.
6. To serve, pour the hot soup into individual bowls and garnish with chopped peanuts, scallions, cilantro, and a lime wedge.

Notes

** If using the all-natural, sugar-free kind, add a teaspoon of sugar to the soup.

Nutrition Information

Yield 2 Serving Size 1
Amount Per ServingCalories 1053 Total Fat 43g Saturated Fat 9g Trans Fat 0g Unsaturated Fat 28g Cholesterol 214mg Sodium 2493mg Carbohydrates 64g Fiber 9g Sugar 16g Protein 104g

Nutrition information has been auto-calculated for your convenience.