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Liberian Chicken Gravy

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Author: Imma

Liberian Chicken Gravy is a tasty stew that will awaken your taste buds and make them fall in love. Loaded with chicken, fish, and shrimp, plus an added layer of bell pepper, this stew is utterly flavorful. 😋

Serving up ridiculously delicious Liberian chicken gravy with green rice

This Liberian stew includes both green and red bell peppers. They’re coarsely ground and simmered until most of the water evaporates. Then, stock intensifies the flavor and adds moisture. It’s delightful!

Chicken, fish, and shrimp come together quite naturally in this recipe. Interestingly, though, the chicken and fish are cooked separately. Then, the ingredients are combined before serving the stew.

Content…

Pro Tips for Faster Gravy
Recipe Ingredients
How to Make It
Recipe Variations
Tips and Tricks
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
What to Serve
More Tasty African Soups and Stews to Try
Liberian chicken gravy with green rice for a super delicious meal

Pro Tips for Making Liberian Chicken Gravy Faster

Cooking each protein separately can be time-consuming. To be honest, I don’t usually go to the trouble of frying the fish at home to include in this stew.

I have two options to shorten the time without sacrificing the fried fish flavor. I buy fish from the fish market and have them do the work by frying it and reducing the cooking time. Or I double the recipe when frying fish for another meal and freeze the leftovers for this recipe.👌

Recipe Ingredients

  1. Proteins – Fried fish, chicken, and shrimp are the traditional ingredients, but you can customize that list. If you’re in the mood to fry your own fish, try fried catfish nuggets.
  2. Oil – An African stew staple, you’ll need some cooking oil for this recipe. Canola, corn, or vegetable oil will do the trick.
  3. Veggies – Red and green bell pepper, onion, garlic, ginger, fresh tomatoes, tomato paste, and a scotch bonnet pepper (or habanero pepper) make the base for this ultra-flavorful gravy.
  4. Seasonings – Basil and parsley, chicken bouillon, cayenne pepper, and S&P are all you need to complement the veggie flavors.

How to Make Liberian Chicken Gravy

Cook the chicken and make the sauce
Simmer and serve
  • Cook Meat: Simmer chicken with salt, pepper, paprika, chicken bouillon, and chopped onion in a medium pot until tender. Cooking time varies according to the size and cut of chicken you use. Reserve the stock for later use. (Photo 1)
  • Puree tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, garlic, and herbs in a food processor or blender. (Photos 2-3)
  • Saute: Add ½ cup oil to a heavy-duty pot, and then add the bell pepper blend, followed by tomato paste. Sauté for 10-15 minutes to blend all the flavors. Stir frequently as the sauce simmers. (Photos 4-5)
  • Assemble: Add the chicken and fried fish to the sauce with about 2 cups of stock. Let it simmer for another 10 minutes. (Photo 6)
  • Shrimp: Toss in the shrimp (if using) and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
  • Serve: Finally, adjust the seasonings to taste with salt and pepper and the consistency with water or chicken stock.
Liberian chicken gravy fresh of the stove in a white serving bowl and ready to enjoy

Recipe Variations

  1. If you want to omit the fish, the chicken and shrimp stand well on their own.
  2. To make a vegetarian Liberian “chicken” gravy recipe, swap the proteins with tofu, chickpeas, or other plant-based protein. Swap out chicken bouillon and stock for a vegetable variety.
  3. Add other veggies. This stew is easy to customize. You can add carrots, corn, peas, or other vegetable to this stew; it tastes great!

Tips and Tricks

  1. Add reserved chicken stock as needed while sauteing the bell pepper sauce to keep it from sticking or burning.
  2. If you use a scotch bonnet and send it through the blender, be careful when you handle the sauce. You don’t want to get it in your eyes! Trust me on this one. 😂
  3. Sauteeing the veggie blend in oil blends the flavors, but it also reduces the acidity of the tomato sauce. Feel free to use less oil than I did, but please don’t skip this step.

Make-Ahead Instructions

This stew is a great make-ahead! Make it a day or two ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Or pop it in the freezer for up to three months.

Serving up Liberian chicken gravy with shrimp for an African comfort food

Serving and Storage Instructions 

Serve Liberian chicken gravy hot with a side of rice. If you have leftovers, refrigerate them in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Reheat this dish on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave. 

What Goes With Chicken Liberian Gravy

I love this dish poured over rice! Try it with traditional African rice like spinach rice, East African pilau rice, or basmati rice. Then, wash it all down with a refreshing sorrel drink. 🌺

More Tasty African Soups and Stews to Try

  1. Peanut Stew
  2. Chicken Stew
  3. Yam Soup
  4. Pepper Soup
  5. Beef Stew

By Imma

Serving up Liberian chicken gravy with shrimp for an African comfort food
Print

Liberian Chicken Gravy

A tasty stew that will awaken your taste buds and make them fall in love. Loaded with chicken, fish, and shrimp, plus an added layer of bell pepper, this stew is utterly flavorful.
5 from 6 votes
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 1 hour
African
Servings 6

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Ingredients

  • 2-3 pounds (900-1,400g) chicken, cut up
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • ½ teaspoon (1g) paprika
  • 1 tablespoon (10g) chicken bouillon (optional)
  • 2 medium onions, chopped (one for the broth and one for the sauce)
  • 2-3 fresh tomatoes (see notes)
  • 2-3 large red bell peppers
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • ½ teaspoon (﹤1g) ginger, chopped
  • 1 or more scotch bonnet or habanero pepper
  • ¼ cup (12-15g) fresh herbs (I used basil and parsley)
  • ½ teaspoon (1g) cayenne pepper
  • 1-2 tablespoons (14-28g) tomato paste
  • 2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml) cooking oil (vegetable, canola, corn)
  • 1½-2 pounds (680-900g) fried fish steaks (any firm fish, but I love these catfish nuggets)
  • 1 pound (450g) large shrimp, cleaned and deveined

Instructions

  • Boil chicken with salt, pepper, paprika, chicken bouillon, and one chopped onion in a medium pot until the chicken is tender. Cooking time varies according to the size of the chicken pieces.
  • Reserve the broth for later (the excess is great for freezing).
  • In a food processor or blender, puree tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, garlic, ginger, hot pepper, basil, and parsley.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy-duty pot, then add the pureed bell pepper blend and tomato paste.
  • Sauté for 10-15 minutes to blend all the flavors and reduce the tomato sauce's acidity. Stir frequently as the sauce simmers, adding reserved chicken broth or water as needed to keep it from burning.
  • Next, add the chicken and fried fish sticks with about 2 cups of stock. Simmer for another 10 minutes.
  • Toss in shrimp if using, and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
  • Adjust seasonings. Then, adjust consistency with reserved broth.

Tips & Notes:

The basic ingredients for this stew are some sort of protein (chicken, fish, beef, shrimp), tomatoes, tomato paste, and spices according to taste. You can omit the fish.
Ingredient Selection
  1. Tomatoes: Canned tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, or both work fine. Roma tomatoes are preferable because they’re drier for a more flavorful and thicker stew with less acidity
  2. Onions: Any variety works, coupled with green onions. Chop or puree together with tomatoes.
  3. Spices: There are a few spices that are often used in stews depending on one’s preference – curry, white pepper, paprika, garlic, bay leaf, and ginger
  4. Herbs: Basil, parsley, celery, and thyme are the most common
  5. Vegetables: Any vegetable, like carrots, green beans, and bell peppers
Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 240g| Calories: 668kcal (33%)| Carbohydrates: 16g (5%)| Protein: 58g (116%)| Fat: 41g (63%)| Saturated Fat: 9g (56%)| Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g| Monounsaturated Fat: 19g| Trans Fat: 0.3g| Cholesterol: 271mg (90%)| Sodium: 886mg (39%)| Potassium: 1109mg (32%)| Fiber: 3g (13%)| Sugar: 9g (10%)| Vitamin A: 3381IU (68%)| Vitamin C: 109mg (132%)| Calcium: 116mg (12%)| Iron: 3mg (17%)
Author: Imma
Course: Main
Cuisine: African
Diet: Gluten Free
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Comments & Reviews

  1. Juliet says

    I love, love, love your recipes. As an Ugandan-American girl with zero cooking skills, checking your website for recipes has become part of my weekly meal prep. I’m trying this one with check rice next weekend.

    Reply

    • ImmaculateBites says

      Wow, thank you so much Juliet! That makes my day, really. ๐Ÿ™‚ I appreciate you! I hope you enjoy the this chicken gravy and rice as well.

      Reply

  2. Mysha says

    5 stars
    This was my first Liberian dish! My husband and kids loved it. This is a keeper. Thank you so much!

    Reply

  4. Alisa says

    This is a beginner’s dumb question but I really don’t know the answer…when boiling the chicken, how much water should I be using to create the stock?

    Reply

    • ImmaculateBites says

      No dumb questions here. I usually add about 3 cups or more cups. Add more if needed. If I have extra I freeze and use it later.

      Reply

  5. Ericka says

    Love this! Please post more recipes. I couldn’t see any other ones. My husband is Liberian and I am in the process of learning how to make all these delicious dishes for him. I was taught how to make dry rice a few weeks ago but I don’t remember how now because I didn’t get a chance to write everything down. Please let me know if you have any videos also!

    Reply

  6. Naomi says

    Love the combination of chicken and shrimp..cant wait to try this..how about eating it with plain rice..does it go well with the stew.?

    Reply

    • ImmaculateBites says

      You blend it with the other ingredients or you throw it in with the tomatoes blend-if you want the flavor and not the heat.

      Reply

  9. Abisola says

    Hi Immaculate,
    I’ve been following you for a while and I really have to leave a comment this time. Thanks for all you do and the wonderful recipes.
    Just made this for dinner with the check rice and everyone’s asking for am extra serving despite our new strict diet!
    Great job ma’am

    Reply

  12. Nagi@RecipeTin Eats says

    5 stars
    Wow, this is really similar to the marinade for Portuguese Chicken Burgers! Incredibly similar actually, so I know it’s a winner ๐Ÿ™‚ I never thought to us that type of sauce / marinade to cook the chicken in like you have! I must give it a go…well, I’ll probably end up using your recipe instead!

    Reply