About this Dish
Ghana's extraordinary peanut soup — a rich, thick broth of roasted peanuts blended with tomatoes, peppers and stock, cooked with chicken or goat. One of West Africa's great soups, eaten across Ghana with fufu, rice or banku. The peanuts must be roasted and ground fresh — commercial peanut butter produces a different, inferior result. Associated with special occasions and Sunday family meals.
IngredientsServes 4
🍗Chicken thighs and drumsticks, 1.2kg bone-in, skin-on
🥜Raw shelled peanuts (groundnuts), 400g
🍅Ripe plum tomatoes, 4 large, roughly chopped
🧅White onion, 1 large, roughly chopped
🌶️Scotch bonnet peppers, 2 whole (adjust to heat preference)
🫚Vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons
🧄Garlic cloves, 4, peeled
🍲Chicken stock or water, 1.2 litres
🧂Salt and seasoning cube (Maggi or similar), to taste
🌿Fresh ginger, a 3cm piece, peeled and grated
Method
1
Spread the raw peanuts in a single layer in a dry frying pan and toast over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 8–10 minutes until golden brown and fragrant — they should smell nutty but not burnt. Tip onto a clean cloth and rub vigorously to remove as much of the papery skin as possible, then leave to cool completely. Grind the cooled peanuts in a blender or food processor, adding small splashes of water until you have a smooth, thick paste.2
Season the chicken pieces generously with salt and the grated ginger. Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat and brown the chicken pieces in batches until golden on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch. Remove the chicken and set aside, leaving the flavoured oil in the pot.3
Blend the tomatoes, onion, scotch bonnets and garlic together until completely smooth. Pour this blended mixture into the same pot and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 15 minutes until the raw smell cooks out and the sauce deepens in colour and reduces slightly.4
Return the browned chicken to the pot, pour in the stock and stir well to combine everything. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 20 minutes so the chicken begins to cook through and the broth develops flavour.5
Add the groundnut paste to the pot, stirring it in a ladleful at a time to prevent lumps from forming — the soup will thicken noticeably and turn a rich reddish-brown colour. Stir thoroughly until fully incorporated and smooth.6
Simmer the soup on low heat for a further 25–35 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent the peanuts from catching on the bottom, until the oil begins to rise to the surface and the chicken is completely tender and falling from the bone. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and the seasoning cube.7
Serve hot in deep bowls alongside fufu, banku or plain boiled rice, making sure each portion gets a generous piece of chicken submerged in the rich, thick broth.User Reviews
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