Groundnut (peanut) stew: a home recipe with a bot prompt to adapt it

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 2 lb (900 g) bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic and 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 3 Tbsp (50 g) tomato paste
• 1 can (14 oz / 400 g) crushed tomatoes
• ¾ cup (190 g) natural unsweetened peanut butter
• 4 cups (about 1 L) chicken stock
• 1 scotch bonnet, whole
• 1 large sweet potato, cubed, and 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 tsp salt, plus bouillon to taste
• Rice, fufu or bread to serve

Steps

1. Season the chicken with salt. Brown it in the oil in a heavy pot, 3-4 min per side, then set aside.
2. Cook the onion 5 min, add garlic and ginger 1 min, then the tomato paste 2-3 min until it darkens.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes and stock. Whisk the peanut butter with a ladle of hot liquid until smooth, then stir it in.
4. Return the chicken, add the whole scotch bonnet, cover partly and simmer 20 min, stirring the bottom so the peanut does not catch.
5. Add sweet potato and carrots and simmer 20-25 min more, until the vegetables are tender and the chicken reaches 165°F.
6. Remove the scotch bonnet, taste for salt, and thin with stock if it is too thick. Serve with rice or fufu.

Substitutions

• Peanut allergy: this dish is built on peanuts; for an allergic guest, cook a different dish. Sunflower seed butter makes a similar-looking stew, but check labels for peanut cross-contact.
• Protein: beef or lamb chunks (145°F + 3-minute rest, simmer longer to tenderize), or chickpeas and vegetable stock for a vegan stew.
• Peanut butter: use unsweetened; sweetened brands make it sugary.
• Vegetables: cabbage, eggplant, okra or squash are traditional in different places.
• Heat: pierce the scotch bonnet for more heat, or use a pinch of cayenne.

Food safety for this dish

Chicken must reach 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part, not touching bone. Beef or lamb: 145°F plus a 3-minute rest. Reheat leftovers to 165°F. Peanut is one of the 9 major allergens; tell guests.

Safe temperatures (FoodSafety.gov)

Use a food thermometer in the thickest part, not touching bone. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F). Cooked rice cools fast in a shallow container. Source: FoodSafety.gov safe minimum internal temperatures, USDA FSIS leftovers.

Copy this prompt to adapt the recipe

Here is my groundnut stew recipe for 6: [paste ingredients and steps].
Adapt it for [number] people and [my situation: e.g. no scotch bonnets / pressure cooker / vegetarian / low sodium / what I have in my pantry].
Keep quantities in grams and US measures and keep the technique that makes it taste right.
Tell me what changes in flavor or texture with each swap.
Include FoodSafety.gov safe internal temperatures for any meat, poultry or fish.
Say when something varies by region or family rather than calling one version the only authentic one.

How we wrote this

This is one home-style version written to help you start, not the definitive recipe. Families, regions and countries cook it many ways, and those differences are part of the dish. If you can, learn from West African cooks, cookbook authors and restaurants, and credit them when you share.

Checked Oct 30, 2026. Temperatures from FoodSafety.gov. Quantities are tested home-kitchen ranges; adjust salt and heat to taste.