This East African Braised Chicken recipe is loaded with rich spices and flavors, and cooked with lots of broth and onion to keep the chicken tender.
Is there anything that sounds more boring than “braised chicken?” Maybe poached chicken. But that’s about it.
Don’t worry, this East African chicken recipe is anything but boring! It’s loaded with rich spices and flavors, and cooked with lots of broth and onion to keep the chicken tender.
This chicken was just falling apart when I took it out of the pot. There’s not much that is better than fork-tender meat.
This chicken is flavored with curry powder, cayenne, cinnamon, ginger, and garlic. Soooo the five basic food groups, right?
Plus it cooks in a delicious mixture of sauteed onions, raisins, and dried dates.
The raisins and dates soak up the broth and come out super plump and juicy. Heaven, I tell you.
The only “special” equipment you’d need for this recipe is a big oven-safe pot. I used my 6-quart Dutch oven and it came out perfectly. You won’t be able to get this kind of beautiful color using a pan that has a non-stick coating.
The secret to getting a lot of flavor out of your chicken is making sure you brown it properly.
Your pan needs to be very hot with just a light sheen of oil in the bottom of it.
The chicken should sizzle like crazy and stick to the bottom when you put it in the pan. Once the meat naturally releases from the pan, it’s ready to be turned.
This East African chicken is moist enough to eat with a simple side of rice, but I like it with couscous and a fresh salad.
Looking for other East African recipes? Check out this great East African salad recipe: East African Mango Cucumber Salad recipe!
Here’s the East African Braised Chicken Recipe!
East African Braised Chicken Recipe
RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless - skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 yellow onions - sliced
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 large garlic gloves - roughly chopped
- 1 cup fat-free - low sodium chicken broth
- 2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons chopped - pitted dates
- 3 Tablespoons golden raisins
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a Dutch oven or other oven-safe lidded pot over medium-high heat and add the oil. Brown chicken about 4 minutes per side, or until golden. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add the sliced onions into the pot and turn the heat down to medium-low. Cook the onions for 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. If the pan gets a little dry, add in a little extra oil or broth.
- Add the ginger, curry powder, cinnamon, cayenne, and garlic the pot and let cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in the chicken broth, vinegar, dates, and raisins; stir well. Return the browned chicken to the pot. Turn off the stove heat, cover the pot, and bake it in the oven for 1 hour.
NOTES
Nutrition
Made this tonight! Can’t say enough about it. I think of all the plain chicken recipes so many people make….this was so easy to make and the flavors were just incredible. Digging East African food right now! 🙂
I’m so glad you liked it, Denise! I really loved it, too. I stuffed the leftovers into pita bread and had sandwiches. YUM!
I heart braised chicken, particularly for falling off the bone qualities. My grandma always braised it with onions, garlic and carrots. Love your African version, looks great! I love your simple recipes!
Thanks, Olena! I just love taking simple recipes and giving them a twist 🙂