West African chicken pepper soup is a spicy, aromatic broth filled with tender chicken, herbs, peppers, and warming spices. In this recipe, I serve the pepper soup with homemade fufu made from cassava and green plantains. The mild, starchy fufu is the perfect companion for the intensely flavored broth, making this a satisfying and comforting meal.
Growing up in Panama, I ate plenty of yuca and plantains, but I didn't discover fufu until I was older. It immediately reminded me of some of the plantain and yuca dishes I grew up with, particularly Puerto Rican mofongo.
- 🌶️ What is it? A fiery West African chicken soup simmered in a bold habanero pepper paste with onion, garlic, and warming spices, traditionally served alongside fufu - a smooth cassava-and-plantain dough for dipping.
- ❤️ Why you'll love it? Ready in about an hour, this chicken pepper soup is spicy, aromatic, deeply comforting, and served with homemade cassava and plantain fufu for a satisfying meal.
- 👩🍳 How do you make it? Blend peppers, onion, garlic, and spices into a paste and simmer with chicken until tender, then cook cubed plantain and cassava into a smooth dough, stirring 18-20 minutes, and serve both together for dipping.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- What is Fufu?
- A little history of Fufu
- How to make cassava and plantain fufu
- How do you eat fufu?
- What is West African Pepper Chicken Soup?
- Key ingredients for chicken pepper soup
- How to make chicken pepper soup and fufu
- Tips for the best chicken pepper soup and fufu
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Other Popular Soups from Around the World
- More African recipes to try
- 📖 Recipe
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Bold, spicy West African flavors
- Tender chicken in an aromatic broth
- Homemade fufu included in the same recipe
- Adjustable heat level
- Naturally satisfying and comforting
- Step-by-step photos for both the soup and fufu
- A delicious introduction to West African cooking
What is Fufu?
Fufu is a smooth, starchy food eaten with soups and stews in many parts of West and Central Africa. Depending on the region, it can be made from cassava, plantains, yams, cocoyams, or other starches. Small portions are traditionally eaten with the hand and used to scoop up flavorful soups and stews. For this recipe, I make fufu with cassava and green plantains.
There isn't just one way to make fufu. Ingredients and preparation vary throughout West and Central Africa, with versions made from cassava, plantains, yams, cocoyams, corn, and other starches. For this recipe, we'll make fufu from fresh cassava, also known as yuca, and green plantains. The combination creates a smooth, mild accompaniment that's perfect for scooping up the spicy chicken pepper soup.
A little history of Fufu
Fufu and related starchy dishes have long been an important part of West and Central African food traditions. The ingredients vary by region and have changed over time as crops such as cassava, originally from South America, became established in Africa. Today you'll find many variations made from cassava, plantains, yams, cocoyams, corn, and other starches, each with its own regional name, texture, and preparation.
How to make cassava and plantain fufu
For this cassava and plantain fufu, peel the cassava and green plantains and cut them into chunks. Remove the tough fibrous core from the cassava, then blend both with water until completely smooth. Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously as it thickens. Finish it over low heat until the fufu is smooth, stretchy, and firm enough to scoop up the pepper soup.
How do you eat fufu?
To eat fufu, pinch off a small piece with your fingers, gently shape it, and use it to scoop up some of the soup or stew. Fufu has a mild flavor, which makes it especially good with spicy, intensely seasoned dishes like chicken pepper soup. Eating customs vary by country and community, but fufu is traditionally enjoyed with the hand in many West African cultures.
What is West African Pepper Chicken Soup?
Chicken pepper soup is a light but intensely flavored broth enjoyed in several West African cuisines, with Nigerian versions being especially well known. The soup combines chicken with hot peppers, herbs, aromatics, and spices to create a warming broth that's both savory and spicy. Recipes vary considerably by region and family, and other versions may be made with goat, fish, or other meats.
Key ingredients for chicken pepper soup
The soup features some ingredients you might not have used before, such as Scotch bonnet, Njansa, and Maggi.
Scotch bonnet is a kind of hot pepper that is extremely common in West African cooking. It will surely add a kick to our African pepper soup, with a Scoville score of 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville units. I added a substitution for scotch bonnet in case there are none at your grocery store, which is its close cousin, the habanero pepper. Scotch bonnets are used all over West Africa as well as throughout the Caribbean in countries like Guadeloupe, Haiti, and Jamaica.
Njansa is a nutty and aromatic Cameroonian spice that comes from the Ricinodendron plant. The kernels are harvested from the tree and add not only spice and flavor but additional thickness to soups and stews. It's optional because it is not commonly used in the U.S., but if you can get your hands on some njansa, I highly recommend adding it.
Finally, we have Maggi. Maggi seasoning and bouillon are widely used in many West African kitchens to add savory, umami-rich flavor to soups and stews. For this pepper soup, chicken bouillon helps deepen the broth and complement the herbs and peppers.
Be mindful that the amount of pepper you put in will obviously influence how spicy it is. If you're sensitive to spice, stick to one Scotch bonnet. If you can't get enough spice, use all three. Like many recipes featured on the blog, this African soup varies depending on which country you live in or how your family prepared it growing up. Serve this African pepper soup for a dinner party or on a rainy day when you need to feel a little extra cozy.
How to make chicken pepper soup and fufu
- Step 1: Gather all your ingredients and have them ready to go. I like to chop, measure, and place them in prep bowls to help keep everything organized.
- Step 2: Place the onion, garlic, bouillon, paprika, cilantro, njansa, parsley, basil, habanero, and green onion in a food processor. Grind into a puree.
- Step 3: Add a little water to get it flowing if needed.
- Step 4: Add the chicken pieces to a large soup pot or Dutch oven then pour in the pepper paste.
- Step 5: Add the water to the pot. Bring to a boil then simmer on low heat until the chicken is tender.
- Step 6: Peel the yuca with a potato peeler to remove the outer layer down to the white inner part.
- Step 7: Cut into pieces and remove the inner fibrous strands. Cut into 2 inch cubes.
- Step 8: Peel the plantain by taking a small sharp knife to split the peel and pry with your thumb. Cut into 2 inch cubes.
- Step 9: Place all the cubes into a blender or food processor, add 1.5 cups to 2 cups of water and blend into a fine purée or paste. 2 cups of water works better if you want it softer.
- Step 10: The mixture should form a smooth paste.
- Step 11: Heat the paste in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon or spatula for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Step 12: Keep stirring to remove any lumps during the cooking process. The paste will turn more yellow as it cooks.
- Step 13: Add ¼ cup water, reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for another 8-10 minutes.
- Step 14: Add salt to taste to the soup.
Tips for the best chicken pepper soup and fufu
- Adjust the Scotch bonnet peppers to your heat preference.
- For less heat, remove the seeds and membranes before blending the peppers.
- Simmer the chicken gently until tender rather than boiling it aggressively.
- Blend the cassava and plantain until completely smooth before cooking the fufu.
- Stir the fufu continuously as it cooks to prevent lumps.
- Add water gradually if the fufu becomes too firm. Serve the fufu warm alongside the hot pepper soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can store the soup and fufu in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Yes, you must completely cool the soup before freezing. Store in airtight containers for up to one month. For single servings, freeze portions in a muffin tin and pop out the frozen rounds and store in freezer bags.
I would not freeze the fufu. When it thaws out it will have an unpleasant texture.
Chicken pepper soup has a savory, aromatic and spicy broth with flavors from hot peppers, herbs, spices and chicken. Despite the name, it is usually a light broth rather than a thick or creamy soup.
Pepper soup is known for its heat, but you can adjust the amount of Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper to suit your taste.
Pepper soup can be enjoyed on its own or with a starchy accompaniment. In this recipe, I serve it with cassava and plantain fufu, whose mild flavor balances the spicy broth.
Yes. This recipe makes fufu from fresh cassava and green plantains, so you don't need packaged fufu flour.
Other Popular Soups from Around the World
- Avgolemono: This is a rich creamy chicken soup from Greece with a lemony flavor.
- Middle Eastern Lentil Soup: If you have been to a Middle Eastern restaurant this simple but flavor packed soup is one make at home for sure.
- Harira is a chickpea and lentil soup with a tomato base from Morocco.
- Thai coconut chicken soup has a nice balance of sweet and savory flavors.
- Irish potato soup is like eating a creamy baked potato with butter, salt and pepper. So delicious and simple.
More African recipes to try
If you enjoyed this chicken pepper soup with fufu, try a few more flavorful African recipes. Akara are crispy West African black-eyed pea fritters that make a delicious snack or appetizer, while West African peanut stew is rich, hearty, and packed with warm spices. For another classic dish, West African jollof rice combines rice, tomatoes, peppers, and seasonings in a colorful one-pot meal. You can also try North African lamb meatballs, made with aromatic spices and perfect for an easy dinner.
📖 Recipe
African Pepper Chicken Soup with Fufu
Ingredients
- 1 chicken entire roaster, 3-4 lbs, cut into pieces
- 1 bay leaf
- 8 cups water
Pepper Paste for Soup
- 1 onion medium, sliced
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup njansa optional
- 1 tablespoon parsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon basil chopped
- 2 Scotch bonnet peppers cored and seed (Substitute habanero)
- 2 green onions white and green parts chopped
Fufu
- 2 plantains green or unripe
- 16 oz cassava aka: yuca
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 2 cups water (1.5 cups for firmer fufu)
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into pieces and discard the backbone.
- Place the onion, garlic, bouillon, paprika, cilantro, njansa, parsley, basil, Scotch bonnets and green onion in a food processor. Grind into a puree. Add a little water to get it flowing if needed.
- Add the chicken pieces to a large soup pot or Dutch oven then add the water and pepper paste.
- Bring to a boil then simmer until the chicken is tender. Add salt to taste before serving.
Prepare the fufu:
- Peel the yuca with a potato peeler to remove the outer layer down to the white inner part. Cut into pieces and remove the inner fibrous strands. Cut into 2 inch cubes.
- Peel the plantain by taking a small sharp knife to split the peel and pry with your thumb. Cut into 2 inch cubes.
- Place all the cubes into a blender or food processor, add 1.5 cups to 2 cups of water and blend into a fine purée or paste. 2 cups of water works better if you want it softer.
- Heat the paste in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon or spatula for 8 to 10 minutes. Keep stirring to remove any lumps. The paste will turn more yellow as it cooks.
- Add ¼ cup water, reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for another 8-10 minutes.
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