Kedjenou – Kedjenou Poulet is a mouth-watering chicken stew from West Africa that’s bursting with flavor. Much like Sudado de Pollo, the stew is left untouched, allowing the meat to slowly braise in its own juices with a blend of aromatic spices and fresh vegetables. The result is a highly concentrated, intensely savory stew that’s sure to become a family favorite.
I must give credit where credit is due; this recipe would not exist if not for a sweet lady at a farmers market in Colorado. I was drawn to her table laden with spice blends. We sampled many of them. However, I was blown away by a spice labeled kedjenou.
After a brief description of the dish and shared goodbyes, down the rabbit hole, I went. Before the end of the night, I attempted to learn everything there was to know about kedjenou. And while I’ll never be able to recreate the same incredible flavor she had in that little spice packet, I honor her with this recipe.
WHAT IS KEDJENOU?
Kedjenou chicken stew traditionally cooks in a clay pot called a canary or canari over an open flame. Basting inside a sealed canary allows the chicken to simmer with the flavor from the spices, vegetables, herbs, and the chicken itself.
Kedjenou originates from a smaller ethnic group from the Ivory Coast called Baoulé. The word kedjenou (KED-gen-ooh) means to ‘move or shake’ and refers to the practice of shaking the canary side to side throughout the cooking process to prevent sticking or burning inside the sealed clay pot. I don’t have access to a canary, though I wish I did because it sounds like it would be fun to cook this way. For most kitchens, a Dutch oven will suffice, and you better believe I take every opportunity to shake the dutch oven back and forth in the cooking process because why not!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THE RECIPE
- Chicken: Use bone-in and skin-on thighs, legs, or a combination. You can also break down a whole chicken and use that. You may be tempted to remove the skin or make this recipe with boneless chicken, but don’t. I can’t, in good conscience, let you miss out on all that flavor and depth.
- Kedjenou Seasoning: Like all good spice blends, kedjenou seasoning varies from home to home and kitchen to kitchen; this recipe contains the combination of spices we use.
- Vegetables: I love the combination of tomatoes, onions, green bell peppers, garlic, carrot, and eggplant.
- Ginger Paste: Ginger paste flavors the stew and highlights other ingredients.
- Maggi: I use Maggi and water in place of stock for this recipe. It’s flavorful, easy, and something I always keep in my pantry. I must admit that when I originally made this recipe for my friends who are from the Ivory Coast, I used another brand of bouillon, and they immediately noticed. Maggi is the way to go!
- Bay Leaves: Bay leaves subtly flavor the stew.
- Thyme Sprigs: Fresh thyme provides earthy sweetness.
HOW TO MAKE KEDJENOU
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Preheat the oven to 350° F (176° C). Then, add the ingredients for the kedjenou seasoning to a small bowl and stir to incorporate.
Toss the chicken with three tablespoons of seasoning in a mixing bowl and set it aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat, then add the chicken thighs; saute skin-side down for 3-4 minutes.
Add tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, garlic, ginger paste, carrots, eggplant, and the remaining kedjenou seasoning to the pot. Cook for 2-3 minutes until it becomes aromatic.
Stir in water, Maggi, bay leaves, and thyme. Nestle the scotch bonnets into the liquid if using them, and cover the pot with aluminum foil, followed by the lid.
Cook for 1 hour and remove the Dutch oven to shake it back and forth 2-3 times during the cooking process.
Remove the stew from the oven, and place it in a serving dish. Eat as is, over a bed of rice, or with traditional attiéké.
COOKING TIPS
- Use bone-in, skin-on chicken to give the stew more flavor and ensure that the chicken stays tender and juicy as it cooks.
- The vegetables in Kedjenou are meant to cook slowly and break down as they simmer, so it’s important to cut them into large pieces to prevent them from becoming mushy.
- The vegetables and chicken will release their own juices as they cook, so there’s no need to add too much additional liquid. If the stew seems too dry, you can add a splash of water or chicken stock.
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SERVING SUGGESTIONS
- Rice
- Attiéké (Fermented Cassava)
- Yucca
- Fufu
- Yams
- Peanuts
WHAT TO DO WITH THE LEFTOVERS
- Refrigerate – Store the leftovers in an airtight container; they will keep for 3 to 4 days.
- Freeze – Allow the dish to cool. Then, add it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Kedjenou freezes for up to 3 months.
- Thaw: When you’re ready to eat, defrost it in the fridge overnight.
- Reheat – Warm leftovers on the stovetop to serve and enjoy!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What variations of kedjenou can I try?
Chicken is the most common way to prepare kedjenou, but you can make this recipe with beef, lamb, goat, fish, and seafood. Feel free to experiment with the vegetables; I use tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, and eggplant; carrots, green onions, potatoes, and okra also work well in the stew. Ivorian food is known for being SPICY! Feel free to add habaneros or a traditional scotch bonnet for more heat.
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Kedjenou Chicken
Equipment
- Small Bowl
Ingredients
For the Stew:
- 2 pounds chicken thighs and legs, bone-in and skin-on
- ½ cup kedjenou spice, divided
- 5 large tomatoes, diced
- 2 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- ½ eggplant, cubed, 1-inch pieces
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 cup water
- 1 cube Maggi
- 2 bay leaves
- 6-7 thyme sprigs
For the Kedjenou Seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon cumin, ground
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ground
- 2 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1½ tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper, coarse ground
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F (176° C). Then, add the ingredients for the kedjenou seasoning to a small bowl and stir to incorporate.
- Toss the chicken with three tablespoons of seasoning in a mixing bowl and set it aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat, then add the chicken thighs; saute skin-side down for 3-4 minutes. You may have to work in batches, then return the chicken to the pan.
- Add tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, garlic, ginger paste, carrots, eggplant, and the remaining kedjenou seasoning to the pot. Cook for 2-3 minutes until it becomes aromatic.
- Stir in water, Maggi, bay leaves, and thyme. Nestle the scotch bonnets into the liquid if using them, and cover the pot with aluminum foil, followed by the lid.
- Cook for 1 hour and remove the Dutch oven to shake it back and forth 2-3 times during the cooking process.
- Remove the stew from the oven, and place it in a serving dish. Eat as is, over a bed of rice, or with traditional attiéké.
Notes
- Use bone-in, skin-on chicken to give the stew more flavor and ensure that the chicken stays tender and juicy as it cooks.
- The vegetables in Kedjenou are meant to cook slowly and break down as they simmer, so it’s important to cut them into large pieces to prevent them from becoming mushy.
- The vegetables and chicken will release their own juices as they cook, so there’s no need to add too much additional liquid. If the stew seems too dry, you can add a splash of water or chicken stock.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
Calee Cortes
Sunday 22nd of May 2022
Gonna be honest, I was scared of the whole bone in, whole chicken situation, but it was really delicious and not at all scary. I love all the veggies and that you can make it as spicy as you want!
Tressa Jamil
Sunday 12th of June 2022
This is music to my ears. I love introducing people to new cuisine; I hope it's a meal you continue to make.
RJ
Thursday 19th of May 2022
I loved this chicken stew! I wish I could have it every day. It is so healthy and filling. I don't like tomatoes and do not mind them at all in this dish.
Tressa Jamil
Sunday 12th of June 2022
What a kind comment. Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed it, and that we could make you love tomatoes. just a little bit.