About this Dish
Free-range chicken slow-stewed in tomato and onion until deeply tender.
History & Origin
"Village chicken" refers to free-range birds raised traditionally rather than commercially, prized in Zambia for firmer texture and deeper flavor.
IngredientsServes 2
🐔Free-range or village chicken, 1.2kg cut into pieces
🧅Large onions, 2 finely sliced
🍅Ripe tomatoes, 4 large roughly chopped
🧄Garlic cloves, 4 minced
🌶️Fresh green chilli, 1 sliced (optional)
🫒Vegetable oil, 3 tablespoons
💧Water or light chicken stock, 250ml
🧂Salt, 1 teaspoon or to taste
🌿Fresh coriander or parsley, small handful chopped to serve
Method
1
Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and brown them well on all sides for about 8 minutes — this step builds a deep flavour base so don't rush it.2
Remove the chicken and set aside. In the same pot, add the sliced onions and fry gently for 10 minutes, stirring often, until they are soft, golden and starting to caramelise.3
Add the garlic and chilli and cook for another minute until fragrant. Tip in the chopped tomatoes, stir well and cook the tomato mixture down for about 10 minutes until it thickens into a rich, jammy sauce.4
Return the chicken pieces to the pot and stir to coat everything in the sauce. Pour in the water or stock, season with salt, then bring to a gentle boil.5
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid and simmer slowly for 1 hour to 1.5 hours, turning the chicken occasionally. Free-range chicken is tougher than supermarket chicken so the long slow cook is essential — keep going until the meat is falling off the bone.6
Remove the lid for the last 15 minutes to let the sauce reduce and thicken to a glossy, deep red gravy. Taste and adjust salt as needed, then scatter over the fresh herbs and serve hot with nshima, rice or bread.7
Taste and adjust salt, then serve hot with nshima, rice or cooked vegetables like rape or chibwabwa.User Reviews
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