Senegalese Peanut Soup with Chicken

Source: Food Network (courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2006)

Ingredients

• ¾ lbs. Sweet Potatoes
• 5 tbsp Peanut Oil, Divided (three times)
• 8 Roma Tomatoes, Halved And Seeded
• 1 tablespoon Curry Powder
• 1 cup Onions, Julienned
• 1½ teaspoons Minced Garlic
• ¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• 1 qt Chicken Broth
• ½ cup Smooth Peanut Butter
• 1 cup Unsweetened Coconut Milk
• 1¾ teaspoons Salt, Divided
• ½ teaspoon Fresh Ground White Pepper
• 1½ lbs. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast, Diced Into 1-Inch Pieces
• 2 tablespoons Fresh Cilantro Leaves, Chopped
• 2 tablespoons Chopped, Roasted Peanuts

Method

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Coat the sweet potatoes with 1 tbsp peanut oil and place in oven-proof pie tin. Place tin in oven and roast sweet potatoes for 50 min. to 1 hour or until the potatoes are fully roasted and fork tender. Once potatoes are cook enough to handle, remove and discard skin. Reserve sweet potato flesh until ready to use.

Place tomatoes in small mixing bowl and coat with 1 tbsp peanut oil. Lay the tomatoes on baking sheet, skin side up, and season with salt and pepper. Place the pan in oven and roast the tomatoes until skins are caramelized and wilted, about 25-30 minutes. Remove the tomatoes from oven, discard skins, and set tomatoes aside until ready to use.

Set 1 gallon stockpot over a medium high heat and add 2 tbsp of peanut oil.

Add curry powder to the pot and toast for about 30 - 45 seconds, stirring constantly.

Add the onions and saute for 3 - 4 minutes.

Add minced garlic to pot and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.

Add cayenne pepper and chicken stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer.

Add roasted sweet potatoes and tomatoes to soup. Add peanut butter and coconut milk and stir to blend.

Let simmer for 10 minutes and blend with immersion blender until smooth. Season with ¾ tsp salt and, if necessary, more pepper.

Season the chicken pieces with the remaining tsp of salt and white pepper, and sear in hot saute pan with the remaining 1 tbsp peanut oil for 5 minutes. Add the seared chicken to pot. Cook until the chicken is tender, about 10 - 15 minutes.

TO SERVE: Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro and chopped peanuts.

Notes

Corrected, 2026-07-26. https://tastingspoons.com/archives/254