Chicken in Peanut Sauce (Pollo al Maní)

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Steps

1. 1
   Cut the 3 whole chicken legs in half. Remove excess skin and fat. Rinse thoroughly under cold water and let drain.

   ~5 min
2. 2
   Toast the peanuts in a dry pan over low heat for 2 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Transfer to a blender, add a little water, and blend into a smooth paste. Set aside.

   Tip: Keep the heat very low and stir constantly — peanuts burn quickly.

   ~4 min
3. 3
   Season the drained chicken pieces with salt, a touch of ground cumin, and black pepper. Toss well so all the seasoning coats every piece.

   ~2 min
4. 4
   Heat a drizzle of vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the seasoned chicken pieces for 4 to 5 minutes until golden. Remove chicken and set aside.

   ~5 min
5. 5
   In the same pot, add the chopped red onion and minced garlic. Sauté over low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add a pinch of salt to help them sweat, and a touch more black pepper.

   ~10 min
6. 6
   Once the onion and garlic are nicely caramelized, add the yellow chili paste (3 tablespoons) and panca chili paste (4 tablespoons). Stir and cook for a further 2 minutes.

   ~2 min
7. 7
   Deglaze the pot with a splash of white wine. Raise the heat slightly to help the alcohol evaporate quickly. Wait until the alcohol has fully evaporated.

   Tip: Raising the heat briefly is the fastest way to cook off the alcohol.

   ~3 min
8. 8
   Return the seared chicken pieces to the pot. Add enough chicken broth (or water) to partially cover the chicken. Bring to a simmer.

   Tip: If you don't have chicken broth, plain water works fine.

   ~3 min
9. 9
   Add the blended peanut paste gradually, stirring it in little by little. Add 2 sprigs of fresh mint (hierbabuena) for aroma. Season with salt to taste.

   Tip: The sauce will look slightly thin at first — it thickens as it cooks.

   ~2 min
10. 10
    Cover the pot and cook over medium heat for 22 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce has thickened to a creamy consistency — not too liquid, not too thick.

    ~25 min
11. 11
    To serve, plate white rice, boiled potatoes on the side, and top with the chicken pieces and generous peanut sauce. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

Accompaniments

1. 1
   Start boiling the white potatoes in salted water. Cook for 18 to 22 minutes until tender, then drain.

   ~22 min
2. 2
   While the chicken cooks, prepare white rice: heat vegetable oil in a separate pot, lightly brown grated garlic, add washed rice, stir, then add the same volume of water as rice with a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook over low heat for 12 to 14 minutes.

   Tip: Add the rice to the water just as it starts boiling for best results.

   ~14 min

Nutrition (per serving)

Abelca

Preparando un buen Pollo al maní, fácil y económico | Abelca

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