Obe Ata

Active Time:

50 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 50 mins

Servings:

A tomato sauce glistening with habanero-infused oil boosts the flavor of tender chicken thighs in Obe Ata, a heat-packed stew from Simileoluwa Adebajo, chef of Eko Kitchen in San Francisco. Fresh ginger adds an underlying brightness to complement the sweet and mildly acidic canned tomatoes.

This Nigerian stew is built in a way that shows a fundamental Nigerian approach of “triple cooking” meat and chicken. “Hydrate, dehydrate, and then rehydrate,” Adebajo explains. “The flavor is better.” First, you boil bone-in chicken thighs (or whatever meat you are using) with spices and aromatics. Then you put the meat in the oven to crisp. Finally, you put the chicken in the stew.

The finished Obe Ata is a hearty and flavorful dish with a complex interplay of savory, sweet, and sour flavors. It’s rich and robust from the fatty chicken thighs, curry powder, and tomato sauce but brightened at the end with the addition of herbs. The heat from the habanero is balanced when you eat it with sweet plantains and rice to make a complete (and super comforting) meal. This dish is the perfect project for a cold winter day spent at home.

Frequently asked questions

What is Obe Ata?

This West African tomato- and pepper-based stew is a staple in Nigerian cuisine. It’s always made with a duo of plump tomatoes, red bell peppers, and chile peppers for heat. This recipe also calls for bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, but you may also find Obe Ata mae with beef, game meat, or offal. The spices in this recipe, which include curry powder, Nigerian ata gigun, and dried thyme, build even more flavor.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Find Nigerian ata gigun, a spicy ground pepper, at West African grocery stores or online at ekoaketefoods.com. Reserve the remaining spicy oil for frying eggs for breakfast the next morning or tossing with root vegetables before roasting.

Suggested pairing

We recommend serving this stew with a peppery, Rhône-style red, such as McPrice Myers High on the Hog Red.

Make ahead

This dish reheats well on the stovetop. Heat the chicken and stew in a Dutch oven or similar heavy-duty pot slowly over medium-low heat until warmed through. Keep it covered while reheating to trap in the moisture and heat.

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Ingredients

1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes (undrained)
2 large red bell peppers, roughly chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 cups finely chopped red onion (about 2 onions), divided
1/4 cup finely chopped peeled fresh ginger (about 1 [4-inch] piece), divided
2 to 3 fresh habanero chiles, stemmed and seeded, if desired
5 garlic cloves, peeled
3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 8 small thighs)
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided
4 cups water
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon Nigerian ata gigun (dry red pepper)
Steamed white rice and fried sweet plantains, for serving (optional)

Directions

Puree canned tomatoes with juices, bell peppers, 1 1/2 cups red onion, 2 tablespoons ginger, habanero chiles, and garlic in a blender until well combined and mostly smooth, about 1 minute. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange chicken in an even layer in a large Dutch oven. Top with 3/4 cup red onion and remaining 2 tablespoons ginger. Sprinkle evenly with curry powder, thyme, and 2 1/2 teaspoons salt. Add 4 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, uncovered, until chicken is no longer pink on the outside, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Transfer chicken, skin side up, to an aluminum foil–lined large baking sheet. Roast in preheated oven until golden brown and a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 155°F, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and set aside.
Meanwhile, pour broth in Dutch oven through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a large bowl; discard solids. Set broth aside. Wipe Dutch oven clean. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium. Add remaining 3/4 cup red onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste, and cook, stirring constantly, until tomato paste darkens, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in reserved pureed tomato mixture. Bring to a simmer over medium. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced by half and thickened, about 30 minutes.
Add roast chicken, drippings from baking sheet, and 2 cups reserved broth to Dutch oven. (Reseve remaining broth for another use.) Stir in Nigerian ata gigun and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened and a large amount of oil rises to the surface, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool 10 minutes. Skim off the layer of oil on surface to yield about 1/2 cup oil; reserve for another use (see Note). Serve chicken with white rice and fried sweet plantains, if desired.