Entree: Madagascar – National Cuisine – Akoho sy voanio (Chicken with coconut)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 15 min

Cook 40 min

Total 55 min

Ingredients

- 4 bone-in chicken thighs, approx. 6–8 oz (170–225 g) each
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced — about 1 cup (150 g)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced — about 1 tbsp (9 g)
- 1 tbsp (15 g) fresh ginger, minced
- 1 small hot pepper (bird's eye or Scotch bonnet), seeded and finely chopped (optional)
- 1 tsp (2 g) turmeric (ground) or 1 inch (3 g) fresh turmeric, minced
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped — about 1 1/2 cups (240 g)
- 2 cups (480 ml) canned full-fat coconut milk
- 1 cup (240 ml) water or chicken stock
- 1 tsp (6 g) salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lime juice (about 1/2 lime)
- 2 tbsp (8 g) chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
- 1 stalk (about 1 tbsp / 6 g) green onion, thinly sliced (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Pat the chicken thighs dry and season lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper. In a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the vegetable oil until shimmering and brown the chicken thighs skin-side down for 4–5 minutes until golden; flip and brown the other side 3–4 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add the sliced onion to the pan and sauté 4–5 minutes until translucent. Stir in the garlic, ginger, chopped hot pepper (if using), and turmeric; cook 1 minute until aromatic.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook 3–4 minutes until they begin to break down. Return the browned chicken thighs to the pan, nestling them into the tomato mixture.
4. Pour in the coconut milk and the water or stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover partially, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 25–30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender (internal temperature 165°F / 74°C).
5. Uncover and simmer 3–5 minutes more to thicken the sauce slightly if needed. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and lime juice.
6. Stir in the chopped cilantro or parsley. Serve hot, garnished with sliced green onion, alongside steamed rice or boiled cassava.