By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 6
211 cal · 55 min
West African Peanut Soup
Recipe GLPR5968cccf7577c5
A rich and warming West African soup featuring tender chicken drumsticks simmered in a creamy peanut broth infused with tomatoes, bell pepper, and aromatic spices. This hearty one-pot meal balances savory depth with mild heat from Scotch bonnet peppers and bright fresh spinach at the finish.
Save recipes you love
Create a free Grocery List Plus account to save recipes, rate them, and add every ingredient to your grocery list in one tap.
Ingredients
6 pieces chicken drumsticks
3 whole tomatoes
1 whole bell pepper
2 whole Scotch bonnet peppers
2 whole onions
2 cloves garlic cloves
1 teaspoon grated ginger
few sprigs fresh thyme sprigs
½ cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup fresh spinach
6 cups water
salt and black pepper to taste
Directions
Dice the onions, tomatoes, and bell pepper into bite-sized chunks. Mince the garlic cloves and Scotch bonnet peppers, removing the seeds from the Scotch bonnets if you prefer less heat.
Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken drumsticks and cook for 3–4 minutes per side until the skin is lightly golden, then remove and set aside.
In the same pot, add the diced onions and sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the minced garlic, ginger, and minced Scotch bonnet peppers, stirring for 1 minute.
Add the diced bell pepper and tomatoes to the pot, stirring to combine. Cook for 3–4 minutes, allowing the vegetables to soften slightly.
Pour in 6 cups of water and return the browned chicken drumsticks to the pot. Add the fresh thyme sprigs and bring the soup to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20–25 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F at the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone.
In a small bowl, whisk the peanut butter with a few spoonfuls of the hot broth to thin it, then stir this mixture into the pot to incorporate smoothly.
Add the fresh spinach to the pot and stir until wilted, about 2 minutes.
Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Remove the thyme sprigs before serving, or leave them in for added flavor.
Comments
This is a genuine win for Charlotte shoppers. Every ingredient—including peanut butter, which is a Southern staple—appears at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Kroger, Walmart, and ALDI without a special trip. At roughly $1.40 per serving for chicken-based peanut soup that yields six hearty bowls, the cost is honest and driven by the chicken; substituting thighs instead of breasts would drop it further. The 55-minute stated time is fair if you account for fifteen minutes of prep (chopping, mincing ginger), leaving forty minutes active simmering that tolerates distraction. This is family-friendly one-pot cooking that reheats perfectly, and North Carolina's peanut heritage makes it feel right at home here—no apologies needed for a recipe that is genuinely uncommon and works.
Sign in or create a free account to add your review.
