AFRICAN PEANUT STEW WITH CHICKEN MEATBALLS

African Peanut Stew with Chicken Meatballs image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 1h15m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 27

1 1/2 slices hearty white bread, crumbled
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
1 small onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large egg
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
3-inch piece fresh peeled ginger, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large jalapeno (seeds and ribs included), finely diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large dice
One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
8 ounces kale, stemmed and torn into 1-inch pieces
3/4 cup roasted peanuts
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
White rice, for serving

Steps:

For the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine the breadcrumbs with the milk in a medium bowl until the crumbs soak up the milk, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the ground chicken, onion, garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, egg, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Use a 2-tablespoon ice cream scoop to form about 20 meatballs and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the meatballs are slightly golden on top and just cooked through, about 15 minutes; set aside.
For the stew: Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic and jalapeno and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the color looks rusty, about 1 minute. Add the coriander, smoked paprika and cayenne and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, about 30 seconds. Add the sweet potatoes, chicken stock, canned tomatoes and peanut butter and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until the sweet potato is tender, about 30 minutes. Uncover and stir in the meatballs, kale and peanuts; cook for 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Serve with white rice.