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Are you a lover of chicken dishes? Do you love chicken? Are you looking for new chicken recipes to try out in your kitchen? Don’t look further, you are in the right place.
There are many ways of preparing your chicken, but this is going to focus more on the different chicken dishes in Africa. So feel free to add any of these to your menu.
What is a chicken?
Chicken is very popular meat all around the world, it is at the top of the most consumed meat around the world, alongside pork meat.
Intake of chicken not only adds taste and fun to your dish, but it also provides your body with adequate nutrients such as;
- Iron
- Zinc
- Vitamin B12
What are the health benefits of chicken dishes?
There are countless reasons why chicken should be on your menu, but we are going to give you a little bit of information of the good things chicken can do for your health.
It is important to know the wonders of chicken, apart from the good nutrients it gives the body, chicken also has some pretty good health benefits, and here’s a few;
- Chicken helps in the improvement of the immune system
Has anyone ever told you to have a bowl of hot chicken soup, to help fight a cold?
According to mdlinx.com; Having the appropriate amount of ingredients in your chicken soup would help in the improvement of your immune system.
There is a certain ingredient in chicken that contains Cysteine. Cysteine helps to stop the movement of white blood cells and ultimately eliminating cold. The presence of Vitamin B6 in chicken and poultry helps in the formation of new and improved red blood cells.
Alongside these nutrients that can be found in chicken soup and poultry in general, other nutrients would help in the improvement of the immune system like;
- Vitamin C
- Phosphorus
- Vitamin A
- Antioxidants
With this information, who wouldn’t love to add chicken to the menu now? If you have not already added chicken to your daily meal, after seeing these great health benefits, it is only wise you do so.
You should ensure to have a bowl of chicken soup every here and there to boost your immune system and also entice your taste buds.
For more information on different other dishes that can help boost your immune system, you should check out a few other articles here at the African food network.
- Stay fit with these chicken dishes
Chicken is considered white meat or lean meat which means, it is a very good source of protein and contains less fat than red meat.
The presence of protein in chicken aids in sustaining the muscles, which also helps in the overall strength building.
Chicken is not only known for its ability to aid in weight loss, but it also helps in building strong bones, due to the presence of calcium and phosphorus that are present in chicken. Regular intake of chicken would help in the prevention of arthritis. This is because the minerals found in chicken helps to improve the strength of your bones.
So what are you waiting for? Start shopping for chicken and find new chicken recipes to make your meal tasty.
What are the different ways of enjoying African chicken dishes?
Have you ever wondered why chicken lovers cannot just get enough of chicken? The reason behind this love is due to the versatility of chicken and the great taste you just cannot resist.
You can get countless flavors from chicken, and there are thousands of recipes for you to feel free to create magic with. Is this not exciting?
Welcome to the world of chicken lovers, where there are hundreds of tasty chicken dishes for you to try and ultimately love.
It is quite boring sticking to just one method of preparation for a dish, but chicken is here to tell you, it is not boring, and you can mix things up a little bit to give you a burst of flavors and colors from chicken.
There are many ways of preparing chicken, feel free to choose your favorite, and feel free to explore these different recipes.
What are the methods used to prepare chicken dishes?
- Chicken can be poached
- You are free to fry your chicken
- Most people love to roast their chicken
- For some extra flavor, you can grill it
- You can also shred the chicken into tiny bits and add to your food.
You already have amazing poultry that is filled with flavors, don’t be boring with it. Enjoy your chicken with any dish of your choice. To give you a bit of an insight on what you can enjoy chicken with, here are a few;
- Soups
- Stews
- Salads
- As a main dish
- As a side dish and so many more.
Different ways to enjoy your chicken (African style);
If you are a lover of chicken, then you would love this article, if you are also looking for new ways to enjoy your favorite meal, you are also welcome here.
The focus is on Africa and the different ways to enjoy your chicken, but African style. It is always fun and interesting when you can try new dishes, outside the ones you already know.
So get comfortable and enjoy these new chicken dishes, and get the most out of your favorite meat.
These are a few ways you can enjoy your chicken, from various places across Africa;
The first on this list of chicken dishes is;
Chicken Tagine
The focus is on chicken, and of course, the main ingredient for this dish is chicken. Chicken Tagine is a very common chicken dish in Morocco.
It mostly involves the use of bone-in chicken, like the legs, thighs, wings, and drumsticks.
These are a few ingredients you would need for your chicken Tagine recipe;
- Garlic
- Cayenne pepper
- Black pepper’
- Cinnamon
- Olive oil
- Onions
- Chicken broth
- Honey
- Bell pepper
- Coriander
The second on this list of chicken dishes is;
Nigerian Chicken Stew (West Africa, Nigeria)
You can walk into any household in Nigeria and this is the dish you would get served. This chicken dish is a very popular meal across Nigeria, and it is also very delicious and considered to be Nigerian spicy chicken.
The recipe for this dish is pretty straightforward and can be made with any part of the chicken, if not all. So no part of your chicken is going to waste.
This chicken is usually simmered in the stew, the stew gives your chicken a very tasty and spicy flavor.
The recipe for this dish is quite a simple one, but to get started o your chicken stew recipe, you would need a few ingredients like;
- Tomatoes
- Pepper
- Bell pepper
- Curry
- Thyme
- Basil leaves (optional)
- Salt
- Spices
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Chicken
To get the best experience out of your Nigerian chicken stew, you should pair it with any other food of your choice.
Here are a few other foods you can enjoy your Nigerian chicken stew with;
- Rice
- Yams
- Pasta
- Boiled plantain
- Waakye rice
The third on this list of chicken dishes is;
Kiki Paka (East Africa, Kenya, Tanzania)
This fabulous dish is influenced by African, Arab, and Indian culture and it translates to coconut chicken curry.
The dish can be made by grilling your spicy chicken and then adding it to a creamy coconut sauce.
Adding the well-seasoned chicken to the creamy coconut sauce, give your chicken a tasty and spicy flavor. Don’t you just want to try out this spicy East African dish?
The recipe for Kuku Paka differs across countries in East Africa, but the ingredients needed for the recipe are almost the same.
These are a few ingredients needed for your Kuku Paka recipe;
- Chicken
- Salt
- Tomato
- Pepper
- Garlic
- Black pepper
- Green chilies
- Green Colander
- Lemon juice
- Ginger
- Coconut milk
The fourth on this list of chicken dishes is;
South African Piri-Piri Chicken (South Africa)
This is a very juicy and tender chicken dish that mainly involves a lemon and vinegar marinade. The recipe to making this dish is quite easy, all you need to do is start by cooking both sides of the chicken on a skillet and then transfer the chicken with the marinade into a hot oven to simmer until the chicken is done and the marinade turns into a delicious sauce.
This can be served with any other dish of your choice, so feel free to enjoy your South African Piri-Piri chicken on the side with any of your favorite food.
To get you started on your recipe for this amazing South African chicken dish, you would need a few ingredients like;
- Tender chicken breasts
- Onions
- Lemons
- Extra virgin oil
- Black pepper
- Garlic
- Salt
- Cayenne pepper
- Chili paprika
- White vinegar
The fifth on this list of chicken dishes is;
Chicken Pepper Soup (West Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon)
A chicken dish very popular in West Africa and the combination of spices and recipe varies across countries in West Africa.
The variation of the recipe does not stop the chicken’s pepper soup from creating a burst of flavor on your taste buds.
As the name implies, this chicken soup is a savory delight with a mix of spices and herbs and an array of leafy vegetables all cooked together with the pieces of chicken until soft and tender.
To enjoy this dish from the comfort of your home, you would need a few ingredients to get you started on the recipe for chicken pepper soup.
Here are a few ingredients you would need to get you started:
- Chicken
- Pepper soup spice
- Onions
- Pepper
- Plantains (optional
The sixth on this list of chicken dishes is;
Chicken Kebabs
The chicken kebabs have popularized in Northern Africa mainly Egypt. This mainly involves boneless, skinless chicken cut into bite-sized pieces and placed on a skewer alongside slices of onions, tomato, and green peppers.
This is then grilled and served with any dip of your choice, or even a side dish. It is your chicken kebab feel free to enjoy your spicy chicken kebabs.
The spices used to season the chicken before grilling, gives the chicken a juicy and pleasant taste, not to forget the amazing tenderness of the chicken kebab that would have you begging for more.
It is also very okay to cook chicken kebabs in your oven, so enjoy your chicken.
These are a few ingredients you would need for your spicy chicken kebab recipe;
- Paprika
- Freshly ground pepper
- Lemon juice (optional)
- Cinnamon (optional)
- Cloves (optional)
- Garlic
You should not feel restricted to these ingredients, you can season your chicken to your taste, these are just a few basic ingredients you would need to get you started.
To get the best experience of this chicken dish, you can enjoy your chicken kebab with any other dish of your choice like;
- Jollof rice
- Waakye rice
- Beans
- Kontomire
- Fried rice
- Yam
- Plantain
The seventh on this list of chicken dishes is;
Doro Wat (East Africa, Ethiopia)
Also known as spicy Ethiopian chicken stew, this is a flavor-packed, slow-cooked chicken dish simmered in a rich blend of traditional spices such as berbere and caramelized onions.
This chicken dish is almost always served with boiled eggs and a traditional Ethiopian bread called Injera.
The secret ingredient for Doro Wat is the spicy and tasty berbere. This is a blend of several other spices, they can be either whole or grounded spices.
The combination of these spices is then blended to give you the tasty, flavor-filled, and spicy seasoning that is then used to prepare this chicken dish.
The use of berbre is not just limited to the preparation of Doro Wat, you can also add some to varieties of dishes to give it a new and great taste. Who wouldn’t love to add a new spice to their collection of spices?
The process for the preparation of Doro Wat is quite a long process, this is mostly because you have to take your time to prepare the onions and some other spices together. The long cooking time does not stop Doro Wat from having a great and spicy taste.
To get you started on your Doro Wat recipe, you would need a few ingredients like;
- Boneless chicken
- Salt
- Berbre
- Pepper
- Onions
- Eggs
- Lemon juice
- Honey (optional)
The eighth on this list of chicken dishes is;
Chicken Muamba (South African, Angola)
Traditionally called Muamba de Galinha, chicken Muamba is a flavor-filled chicken stew, seasoned with garlic, chili, ginger, and so many other spices.
The main ingredients for chicken Muamba are
- Chicken
- Okra
- Tomato
- Chilies
- Palm oil
With palm oil being one of the main ingredients used for the chicken Muamba recipe, you just know it is going to have a delicious and different taste to it. The palm oil gives the chicken a different flavor that would have you asking for more.
The ninth on this list of chicken dishes is;
Kedjonu (Ivory Coast)
Thisbjs a traditional chicken soup commonly eaten in ivory coast, this is a stew that is prepared using chicken pieces as the main gradients, there are some other ingredients used for the preparation of Kedjonu like;
- Tomatoes
- Pepper
- Onions
- Curry
- Thyme
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Cloves (optional)
- Okra
- Eggplants
- Chicken broth
You can consider Kedjonu to be a one-pot dish. This is because, all the ingredients are usually added all at once in a clay pot, also known as Canari, after which is placed over hot charcoal.
You can also prepare this dish at home, these are not strict directions on how to prepare Kedjonu.
The tenth on this list of chicken dishes is;
Chicken Afritada
With chicken and tomatoes being the main ingredients for this dish, chicken Afritada is a dish you must try. Who wouldn’t love a taste of this spicy chicken dish?
Chicken Afritada is quite simple to prepare and can be eaten as a full course meal, and also can be eaten with any side of your choice, for example;
- White rice
- Fried rice
- Plantain
- Yam
To give this dish a colorful and even more tasty look, you can add a few other ingredients to the sauce, like;
- Hot dogs
- Peas
- Greens
- Carrots
To give your sauce a rich and colorful look, go ahead and make some magic, you don’t have to stick to just these ingredients to get the most out of your chicken cuisine.
For your chicken Afritada recipe, you would need a few ingredients to get you started, here are a few;
- Chicken
- Potato
- Tomato sauce
- Carrots
- Onions
- Black pepper
- Green peas
- Vegetable oil
- Chicken broth
- Garlic
- Ginger
The eleventh on this list of chicken dishes is;
Crispy Fried Chicken
From seeing the bane alone, you already know this is going to taste great, if you have not already tried this out, you definitely should.
From the crisp, down to the juicy chicken, to the hot and spicy flavor inside that crust, it is safe to say, this dish is very irresistible.
It just keeps getting better and juicer with this list of different days to enjoy your chicken. Don’t limit yourself to just reading about these, get up and start cooking, you would not want to miss out on this amazing world of chicken recipes.
Crispy fried chicken is commonly found in restaurants, but guess what? You don’t have to go to a restaurant to enjoy crispy fried chicken. You too can enjoy this dish from your home with just a few I gradients and a fire recipe.
There are a few ingredients you would need for the preparation of crispy fried chicken
- Corn starch
- Salt
- Chicken
- Pepper
- All-purpose flour
- Paprika
- Onion powder
- Fried oregano
- White pepper
- Cayenne pepper
- Vegetable oil
To make your chicken extra crispy, you should use corn starch. Corn starch is an ingredient mostly used in the recipe for fried chicken in Asia, the mix of flour and corn starch for your crispy fried chicken would give you the best result.
The twelfth on this list of chicken dishes is;
Jerk Chicken
If you are a lover of marinating, this is the dish for you. This is a juicy and flavor-filled delicacy, not just because of the chicken but because of the spicy marinade that adds flavor to the chicken. Now say you would not love to try this out
Are you looking for marinade recipes? Stop scrolling because you have found the best. This dish is filled with fresh ingredients that would leave you wanting more, not forgetting the great health benefits of this dish. You really can’t go wrong with chicken. All these ingredients combined give the chicken a tender and nice feel, so good you would not want to stop eating.
You can have this chicken cuisine as a summer fun meal or you can enjoy it as dinner, It is completely your choice, just make sure you enjoy your jerk chicken.
The recipe is pretty straightforward and simple, it’s all about letting the chicken marinade in a bowl of spices like;
- Spring onions
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Curry
- Thyme
- Pepper
- Habanero pepper
- Soy sauce
- Brown sugar
- Nutmeg
- Black pepper
- Like juice
The ingredients would be blended to make the marinade and then poured over the chicken, then the chicken should be left to marinate.
After a few hours (about 3-24 hours) the chicken can then be baked or grilled. Now, this is something you have to try for yourself to taste the magic.
What can you enjoy jerk chicken with?
- Beans
- Yam
- Rice
- White rice and stew
- Plantain
- Boiled plantain
- Jollof rice
- Fried rice
- Collard green and rice
- Salad
- Peanut stew
- Kontomire
- Coconut rice
The thirteenth on this list of chicken dishes is;
Chicken Suya
Suya is a very popular street food in Nigeria, but that is not the focus here, the focus is on chicken. Did you know, you can also get your suya experience but with chicken? Get ready to try something new.
On some occasions, you would be looking for a snack to enjoy for the night, or even something to lair with your rice, because you are tired of the same food every day, welcome.
All you need to do is marinate your chicken in suya spice (Yaji) or if you prefer the suya pepper, you can also use that. Then you grill. This is all you need to do you enjoy your chicken anyhow you like it.
To get you started on the recipe, you would need a few ingredients like;
- Pepper
- Chicken
- Vegetable oil
- Bouillon powder
- Salt
Don’t be boring, garnish your chicken suya with these;
- Cabbage
- Onions
- Tomatoes
- Lettuce
There are still thousands of other chicken recipes waiting there for you to try, so don’t just sit at home get up and make magic with your chicken.
If you are looking for some fun new recipes to try out, you can check out our recipes here at the African food network.