Pollo encacahuatado – chicken in creamy peanut sauce Recipe
Pollo encacahuatado is tender pieces of chicken braised in a thick, creamy sauce made with peanuts, tomatoes, and chili. In Mexico, dishes with nut-based sauces like this often appear at Sunday lunches because they feel a bit more festive than simple pan-fried chicken. The flavor is reminiscent of a mild curry combined with a satay-style peanut sauce, but with a distinct note of tomato and lime.
This dish brings the warmth of a Mexican Sunday lunch to your table: tender chicken in a rich, velvety peanut and tomato sauce with a hint of chili and lime. It’s comforting like a stew, yet fragrant and complex like a mild curry or satay, making it both familiar and exciting at the same time.
Chef's tips
Use good-quality, unsalted peanuts so you can control the salt level in the sauce. Toasting the nuts well—but not burning them—is key to a deep, rounded flavor. If your sauce turns out slightly grainy, blend it a bit longer or pass it through a fine sieve for an ultra-smooth finish.
How to serve
Serve the pollo encacahuatado over fluffy white rice or Mexican-style rice, with lime wedges on the side. Warm corn or wheat tortillas are perfect for scooping up the sauce. A simple side of crisp lettuce or cucumber with lime and a pinch of salt adds freshness and balance.
Ingredients
- chicken thighs - 700 g
- peanuts unsalted, shelled - 120 g
- tomatoes - 3 pieces
- onion - 1 piece
- garlic cloves - 3 cloves
- chili pepper fresh or dried - 1 piece
- chicken stock - 500 ml
- vegetable oil - 3 tablespoons
- bay leaf - 1 piece
- cinnamon ground - 0.25 teaspoons
- lime - 1 piece
- salt
- black pepper ground
Preparation
- Cut the chicken into smaller pieces, pat dry with paper towels, and season with salt and pepper.
- If using a dried chili pepper, cover it with hot water for 10 minutes to soften, then remove the stem and seeds. If using chili powder, skip this step.
- Toast the peanuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until lightly golden and fragrant. Transfer them to a blender.
- In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the diced onion and sauté for 4–5 minutes, until softened and lightly golden. Add the chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Cut the tomatoes into pieces and add them to the pan. Cook for 5–7 minutes, until they soften and release their juices. Remove from the heat.
- Add the contents of the pan to the blender with the peanuts, along with the soaked chili pepper (or chili powder), cinnamon, and about 200 ml of stock. Blend to a smooth, thick sauce. If the blender struggles, add a little more stock.
- In a large pan or wide pot, heat the remaining oil. Brown the chicken pieces for 5–7 minutes, until lightly golden on all sides.
- Pour the peanut sauce and the remaining stock over the chicken, add the bay leaf, and stir. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat.
- Cover and simmer for 20–25 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened to the consistency of heavy cream. Stir occasionally so the sauce doesn’t catch on the bottom.
- Remove the bay leaf and season the sauce with salt, pepper, and lime juice to taste. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of water or stock.
- Serve the chicken generously topped with the sauce, ideally with rice or tortillas.
Storage
Kurczak w sosie orzechowym dobrze się przechowuje – sos może zgęstnieć, ale łatwo go rozrzedzić przy podgrzewaniu. Przechowuj w lodówce do 3 dni lub zamroź do 2 miesięcy.
