African chicken (非洲鸡), or Macanese chicken curry, is an undiscovered treasure in Chinese cuisine. Although the name contains “African”, it is actually an African-influenced Portuguese cuisine that was adapted by Chinese chefs during the colonial era of Macau. The dish is a melting pot, indicated by its history and ingredient list – oyster sauce, curry powder, coconut milk, peanut butter, and olive oil, all in one pot.
I encountered African chicken when I traveled to Macau back in 2012. Before I put the first piece of chicken in my mouth, the tangy aroma of sweet nuttiness and smoked spiciness had whet my appetite. When I sliced the first morsel of chicken that lay in the creamy sauce, I found the edges of the chicken skin beautifully charred, with the grease seeping from within the tender meat. With the first bite, I felt my mouth burst with the sweet, spicy aroma and vibrant nutty flavor.
African chicken let me experience something new and different. The chicken has a crispy skin, smoky taste and juicy texture as a result of being grilled, yet it has so much flavor from the hearty sauce that is only achievable through braising. The sauce has a sweetness from the peanut butter and coconut milk, but it is balanced by the pungent flavor of the curry powder and fresh herbs. It results in a familiar, savory taste that is reminiscent of Chinese cuisine.
The most thorough and authentic recipe I’ve found is the African Chicken Curry recipe in The Adventures of Fat Rice: Recipes from the Chicago Restaurant Inspired by Macau. However, the recipe is not practical to replicate in your home kitchen. The recipe contains about 20 ingredients. And you have to make almost every one of those ingredients from scratch!
In order to make the dish possible to cook, even on a weekday evening, I’ve reduced the process to a minimum.
It takes 10 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes of active cooking time. Then you can lay back and let your oven work the magic.
The result? I finally experienced the delicious taste of Macau again, this time at home!
A Few Notes & Tips
I published this recipe back in 2014, and made some major changes in 2017. Here are some cooking tips and change notes that document the update.
(1) Choose whatever cuts you prefer.
You can use chopped whole chicken, chicken drumsticks, boneless thighs, or even chicken breast. My favorite cut is skin-on bone-in thighs, because they are easy to prepare, tender, and more flavorful. If you’re using boneless thighs or chicken breast, reduce baking time to 30 minutes.
(2) The dish is less spicy now.
I decided to skip the cayenne powder this time, so the dish will be more balanced without too much spice. However, if you love a spicier dish, consider adding 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of cayenne powder to the sauce.
(3) Choose how you’d like your peppers.
I’ve baked the peppers with the chicken, so they will be a bit overcooked at the end and will become very tender. It you prefer a fresh and crisp pepper, add the peppers 20 minutes into baking, or you can stir fry the pepper separately on the stovetop and add to the stew at the end of baking.
(4) Rice is a must-have!
Traditionally the dish is served with steamed white rice in Macau. My husband and I prefer a healthier meal, so we enjoy serving it over brown rice or mixed grains. It is so yummy!
(5) The ultimate way to prepare this dish.
Use a charcoal grill to sear the chicken to crispness before baking. It’s the real way to create that authentic smoky chicken!
(6) The leftovers taste even better.
I skipped the marinating process and made this dish easier to make even on a weekday evening. The sauce is so flavorful and the dish is ready once cooked. However, the leftovers will taste better because the spices in the curry will have had enough time to blend into the sauce.
Top the hot rice with crispy chicken, colorful peppers, and tender potato, ladle with a spoonful of the nutty creamy sauce. Dinner will be so comforting, healthy, and delicious!
You might also like:
- The Best Clay Pot Chicken Rice (鸡肉煲仔饭)
- One Pot Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Baked Three Cup Chicken
- Baked Seafood Pasta
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @omnivorescookbook on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with.
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African Chicken (Macanese One-Pan Chicken Curry, 非洲鸡)
Ingredients
- 2 pound (1-kg) bone-in skin-on chicken thighs and/or legs (*Footnote 1)
Spice mix
- 1/2 tablespoon Madras curry powder
- 1/2 tablespoon paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Curry
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion , sliced
- 1 tablespoon ginger , minced
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 tablespoon paprika powder
- 2 tablespoons Madras curry powder
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 can (270-millimeter / 9 ounce) coconut milk
- 1/4 cup unsalted natural peanut butter
- 1/4 cup oyster sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 (14 ounces / 400 grams) russet potato , peeled and chopped
- 2 bell peppers , chopped
- Chopped parsley for garnish (Optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 C).
- Combine all the ingredients of the spice mix. Sprinkle on both sides of the chicken.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add chicken, skin side down. Cook until both sides turn dark brown and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken onto a big plate.
- Turn to medium heat. Add the rest of the 1 tablespoon of olive oil and onion. Cook until it becomes tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add ginger and garlic. Stir fry for 30 seconds, to release the aroma.
- Add paprika powder and curry powder. Stir until the ingredients are well coated with spices, 20 to 30 seconds.
- Add chicken stock, coconut milk, peanut butter, oyster sauce, and bay leaves. Stir with a spatula to dissolve the peanut butter until it’s well blended with the sauce. Bring to the boil.
- Add potato, peppers, and chicken to the curry. Transfer the pan to the oven. Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the skin crispy, about 45 minutes.
- Serve hot over steamed rice.
Notes
Nutrition
Have a question or feedback? Add a Comment
Did you make this? I want to see! Tag @OmnivoresCookbook on Instagram, and rate the recipe below.
Kevin
Read all the “must try” reviews, so thought I would comment. I’ve actually made your recipe and it was a blow your socks off hit. My wife’s fav chicken recipe now (making again tonight.
Kay
Could this recipe be done without the use of the oven? Unfortunately our studio doesn’t have one but this recipe just sounds so delicious, I’d love to try it!
Maggie Zhu
You definitely can. I think it’s totally OK to just braise the chicken with medium low heat on the stove once you add all the sauce ingredients.
The only thing I’m not sure is the cooking time – how long the chicken will be cooked through on the stove. I think you might only need 20 to 25 minutes.
The oven helps crisp up the chicken skin a bit more, but I think the stovetop result should be pretty good.
Chantal L.
I’ve made this recipe so many times over the years, so flavourful and fast to make on a weekday! Family’s top five!
DebG
Well, finally got this in the oven and it smells heavenly. However, I would like to say that you might want to update your prep and cook times for the recipe. Getting all of the ingredients together and measured, washed, chopped, etc. took quite a while! The chicken thighs were not very cooperative either and took a really long time to brown up. All of this took me about 90 minutes, and I’ve been cooking for over 50 years! It really looks so delicious though, so I hope all of that time on my feet pays off! I would say this recipe is not quite as quick as stated, and a little more involved than a usual “one pan” meal. I’m ready to eat though, so hope it turns out for me! Thanks! 🙂
Justine
I loved this recipe. I made two peanut dishes for friends, some veggie, some not, chose a different chicken recipe for the others. This veggie one was hands down the favourite by a mile. Totally delicious! We will be cooking this again, just the right mix of spices and flavour. Thank you for sharing.
mainmati
Great recipe. It has elements of Senegalese Chicken Yassa and various West African chicken stews with spicy peanut sauce. I doupaprikabled the onion (sliced) and cooked it in the sew for a long time. The chicken is grilled separately (chicken thighs) and then added for a good thirty minutes. Love the bell peppers too. I added habanero pepper that has been punctured and just left to sit in the stew then removed at the end to add just the right floral spiciness. But, as always taste as you go to ensure just the right combination of flavors. As always, the aromatics, especially garlic, Dijon mustard, bay leaf and smoked paprika (in my case).
George
Absolutely delicious! But it takes more than 10 minutes of cooking time. Also, the recipe didn’t say if to cover the pan in oven for 45 minutes or leave it uncovered.
K
Made it last night and it was awesome. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
JuliAnn Blam
I lived in & worked Macau for a while, and have missed this dish since leaving. Trying to emulate it at home in the USA was a trick. I got close but not quite right. Something was missing. But this recipe nails it! *** The secret is the oyster sauce.!*** It just adds a certain depth of flavor that you can’t achieve with out it! I never would have figured that out on my own. Thanks Maggie!
Mike Dennis
my girlfriend an I thoroughly enjoy this delicious meal . your recipe was easy to follow .
Gina Rios
Tudah Rbah (thank you very much). I am excited to make this on HaZaH YUM HaCNaH L: SHBT (this preparation day, for SHBT).
Gina Rios
Oooops, I forgot to say. I will be substituting the oyster sauce (not CSHR) for less soy sauce & brown sugar. I skip the bay leaves entirely, as who needs those dangers . Amen. And most importantly, the Messiah is the ONLY way to Everlasting Life. If you believe that He died on the cross , Resurrected 3 days later (presenting Himself as First Fruits to the Father), & is the Son of the Creator, ask Him to be your Savior. (The Creator ‘s Name is Hayah asher Hayah, as He told Mose /Exodus 3:14).
Liz
I’ve made this several times. Very easy, extremely tasty. I’ve altered it by using sweet potato instead of russet, and by adding thick sliced carrots. Everyone I’ve gotten to try it has loved it. This might be my favorite recipe on your website. Thanks so much!
Daniel
I went to Bordeaux last year and found a fantastic little African restaurant still open late at night. I had a chicken dish can’t recall the name but can distinctly remember the ingredients and it was incredible, so much going on.. discovered this recipe today and gave it a shot.. it was delicious… I added some chopped chillies but other than that stayed pretty close to the recipe.. I cooked for a little longer 1 and half hours and it was perfect! Absolute dinner winner!
Leonard Dodson
Thanks for this recipe Maggie. I made it for my wife last night. She initially raised her eyebrows over the name, but ended up loving it as I did. I think I had the 2017 updated copy and followed it to the letter except for using the entire can of Coconut milk. We will definitely try this again, and are looking forward to the left-overs. I will also check the updated instructions that reduce the prep time, as I am old and slow.
Ed Dodson
Liz
This is one of the most delicious recipes I’ve ever tried. The blend of paprika, madras curry, peanut butter and coconut milk is wonderful – like a rich Thai curry. Thank you!
Keith
Hello from social distancing, and ongoing raids to the back of the cupboard. And tonight’s question is “Is Keens Curry Powder close enough to Madras curry powder?” Answer: who cares, smells good and add some cayenne for a little extra heat if you need it.
Thank you for this recipe, much appreciated.
She
Made this tonight for dinner, only change I made was added an extra potato and only had one green pepper. I followed the recipe exactly otherwise, it turned out great! The flavours are fantastic, enjoyed this dish very much. Thanks for the recipe!
Kirk
Yeah, this dish is absolutely fantastic. A hit with everyone, including kids. I happened to have homemade Madras curry powder that I use for vindaloo. I’d like your permission to bottle the aroma of this dish into a cologne. You’ll get 15% royalties of course.
Amy Peng
How would this work with almond butter? My son is allergic to peanuts and I’m looking for an alternative. I’m dying to try it!
Maggie
Hi Amy, I believe almond butter will work just fine! The note of the sauce will change a bit but the dish will remain tasty 🙂
Happy cooking!