Pepe chicken
- Preparation and cooking time
- Prep:
- Cook:
- plus marinating
- Easy
- Serves 6 - 8
Ingredients
- 10 chicken thighs
PEPE MARINADE
- 2 large onions
- 5 garlic cloves
- 25g ginger
- 50ml lemon juice
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp West African pepper blend
- 2 lemongrass stalks
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 200g unsalted peanut butter (use one without palm oil)
- 30g tomato purée
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 300ml chicken or vegetable stock
- 2-3 scotch bonnet chillies, seeds left in, to taste
WEST AFRICAN PEPPER BLEND
- 2½ tsp grains of paradise
- 2 tbsp black peppercorns
- 2 tbsp white peppercorns
- 1 tbsp cubeb pepper
- 3 tbsp allspice berries
Method
- STEP 1
To make the pepper blend, toast all the spices in a dry pan over a medium heat until fragrant. Allow to cool then grind in a spice grinder or with a pestle and mortar. Store in an airtight jar – it will stay fresh for up to three months.
- STEP 2
For the pepe marinade, put all the ingredients plus 2 tsp of salt in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth and well combined. Cook in a pan over a medium heat for 10-15 mins, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the marinade has thickened. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Let the marinade cool.
- STEP 3
Put the chicken thighs in a large glass or ceramic bowl, pour over half the marinade (you can freeze the rest or keep it for up to a week covered in the fridge) and massage it into the chicken. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 2-3 hrs or overnight.
- STEP 4
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer in a baking tin. Roast for 35-40 mins, basting occasionally, until cooked through (they are ready when the juices run clear when pierced in the thickest part of the thigh with a skewer). Alternatively you can cook the thighs on a barbecue – baste them regularly and turn them frequently until cooked through.
