Africa: Ivory Coast Ivorian Coast Kedjenou (Traditional Chicken Stew)

Kedjenou is a traditional chicken stew dish from the Ivory Coast. The chicken is stewed with vegetables like tomatoes and peppers, herbs, hot peppers and spices until a sauce forms and the chicken is tender.

INGREDIENTS:

5 chicken thighs 

2 onion 

3 bell peppers (I used red, green and yellow) 

1 small eggplant

4 medium tomatoes

4 scallions 

1 ½ tbsp ginger

1 ½ tbsp garlic

2 bay leaves 

8 sprigs fresh thyme 

1 tsp smoked paprika 

2 hot peppers 

1 cube chicken bouillon 

to taste salt and pepper 

INSTRUCTIONS:

Chop all vegetables except the eggplant to prevent it from browning.

Finely dice the garlic and ginger.

In large bowl combine the chicken, garlic, ginger, salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, whole hot peppers and bay leaves and marinate for at least two hours.

Remove the chicken, hot peppers and bay leaves and set aside.

Chop the eggplant and mix into remaining vegetable mixture.

Add half of this mixture into a large Dutch oven.

Layer on the chicken, followed by bay leaves and hot peppers.

Add a few more sprigs of thyme and a bit more salt and pepper.

Crumble the bouillon cube and sprinkle on top.

Finish the layering by adding the remaining vegetables on top.

Set stove to medium high heat, place the lid and cook for 15 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium low and cook for an additional 45 minutes. During this time, shake the pot occasionally, but do not remove the lid.

After the 45 minutes, check the chicken for doneness. It should be fall off the bone tender. If not, cook for several more minutes