Senegalese Chicken with Tomato Sauce (Printable)

Tender chicken in aromatic tomato sauce with peppers and spices, perfect served over rice.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1.5 lbs chicken thighs, bone-in and skinless

→ Marinade

02 - 2 tbsp lemon juice
03 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
04 - 1 tsp salt
05 - 1 tsp black pepper
06 - 1 tsp ground ginger
07 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Vegetables

08 - 2 large onions, thinly sliced
09 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
10 - 1 green bell pepper, sliced
11 - 2 medium tomatoes, chopped

→ Sauce & Spices

12 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
13 - 1 scotch bonnet pepper, whole
14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - 1 tsp dried thyme
16 - 1 tsp paprika
17 - 2 cups chicken broth
18 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil

→ To Serve

19 - Cooked white rice or couscous
20 - Fresh parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Combine chicken pieces with lemon juice, 2 tbsp vegetable oil, salt, pepper, ground ginger, and minced garlic in a large bowl. Toss well to coat. Cover and marinate for at least 15 minutes, or overnight in the refrigerator for deeper flavor.
02 - Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and brown on all sides, then remove to a plate.
03 - Add onions to the same pot and sauté until softened and golden, about 5 minutes. Add bell peppers and cook for another 3 minutes.
04 - Stir in chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Add dried thyme, paprika, bay leaf, and the whole scotch bonnet pepper for aroma. Do not burst the pepper unless extra heat is desired.
05 - Return the chicken to the pot, pour in chicken broth, and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook gently for 30-35 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked and sauce has thickened.
06 - Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Remove the Scotch bonnet pepper if used. Serve hot over white rice or couscous, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The marinade transforms ordinary chicken into something extraordinarily tender and flavorful
  • That tomato based sauce is the kind of thing you will want to spoon over everything
  • It tastes like you spent all day cooking but comes together in just over an hour
02 -
  • The scotch bonnet pepper is meant to stay whole during cooking to infuse gentle heat
  • Browning the chicken properly before simmering creates depth of flavor you cannot skip
  • The sauce will continue to thicken as it stands, so do not reduce it too much
03 -
  • If you cannot find scotch bonnet, a habanero works just as well for that authentic heat
  • Boneless chicken thighs work fine but reduce the cooking time to about 20 minutes
  • The sauce actually tastes better the next day, so consider making it ahead

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