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This recipe celebrates the flavors of mafé, a hearty peanut stew that hails from Senegal. Instead of stewing our chicken, we’re basting it in a peanut sauce—which gets its sweet, aromatic, piquant character from a traditional mix of spices, including paprika, coriander and two kinds of peppercorn. On the side, vinegar-infused rice acts as a tart counterpoint to the sauce’s rich peanut butter and coconut milk.

Ethan Mick

with Sautéed Kale & Rice

West African Peanut Chicken

Boneless, Skin-On Chicken Breasts

Jasmine Rice

Garlic

Scallions

Kale

Peanut Butter

1-Inch Piece Ginger

Coconut Milk Powder

White Wine Vinegar

West African Spice Blend (Sweet Paprika, Ground White Pepper, Ground Black Pepper, Ground Fennel Seeds, Ground Coriander & Ground Chipotle Pepper)

Ingredients

Wash and dry the fresh produce. [Peel and mince the garlic.](#) Remove and discard the kale stems; thinly slice the leaves. [Peel and mince the ginger.](#) [Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions; thinly slice on an angle, separating the white bottoms and green tops.](#) In a bowl, whisk together the **peanut butter** and **¼ cup of water**. In a separate bowl, whisk together the **coconut milk powder** and **1½ cups of water**.

Prepare the ingredients:

In a small pot, combine the **rice**, **a big pinch of salt** and **1 cup of water**. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook 12 to 14 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and fluff the cooked rice with a fork. Stir in **half the vinegar**. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the rice:

While the rice cooks, pat the **chicken** dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken, skin sides down, and cook 6 to 8 minutes on the first side, or until golden brown. Flip; cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked through. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a plate.

Cook the chicken:

Add the **garlic** and **kale** to the pan of reserved fond; season with salt and pepper. (If the pan seems dry, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil.) Cook on medium-high, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Add **½ cup of water**; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any fond from the bottom of the pan, 3 to 5 minutes, or until the kale has wilted and the water has cooked off. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a plate and set aside in a warm place. Wipe out the pan.

Cook the kale:

In the same pan, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the **ginger, white bottoms of the scallions** and **as much of the spice blend as you’d like**, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Stir in the **peanut butter mixture** and **coconut milk powder mixture** (whisking just before adding); season with salt and pepper. Add the **cooked chicken**; heat to a simmer. Cook, spooning the sauce over the chicken, 7 to 8 minutes, or until the sauce is slightly reduced in volume. Turn off the heat. Stir in the **remaining vinegar**; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Make the sauce & finish the chicken:

Divide the **cooked rice**, **cooked kale** and **finished chicken** between 2 dishes. Top the chicken with the **sauce**. Garnish with the **green tops of the scallions**. Enjoy!