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Fufu and African pepper soup in a white bowl.

African Pepper Chicken Soup with Fufu

Here is a spicy chicken soup that is popular in West Africa served with fufu.
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Course: Soup
Cuisine: African
Keyword: chicken soup, spicy soup
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 485kcal
Author: Analida Braeger

Ingredients

  • 1 chicken entire roaster, 3-4 lbs, cut into pieces
  • 1 bay leave
  • 8 cups water

Pepper Paste for Soup

  • 1 onion medium, sliced
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 tbsp chicken bouillon
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp cilantro chopped
  • ¼ cup njansa optional
  • 1 tbsp parsley chopped
  • 1 tbsp basil chopped
  • 2 habanero peppers cored and seed
  • 2 green onions white and green parts chopped

Fufu

  • 2 plantains green or unripe
  • 16 oz cassava aka: yuca
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp 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, habanero 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 485kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 518mg | Potassium: 833mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1586IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 2mg