Kuku Paka (Coconut Milk Chicken)
Kuku paka is a popular Kenyan dish highlighting it’s Indian influence. Kuku in Swahili means chicken, while Paka in Bengali means delicious. Yes, this is delicious chicken. Chicken pieces are marinated in a heavily spiced coconut milk marinade. Traditionally the chicken is grilled over charcoal to add smokiness to the flavor, but you can roast the pieces in the oven if you don’t have a grill. Once the chicken is cooked through, it simmers for a few minutes in a reduction of the marinade. The chicken is best served with rice and sweet potatoes.
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken pieces skinned
- 2 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 Roma tomatoes chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2” ginger minced
- 3 bird’s eye chilies minced
- 3 cups coconut milk
- 2 limes juiced
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Purée the onions, garlic, tomatoes, chilies, and ginger in a food processor. Mix together with the spices, coconut milk, and lime juice.
- Marinate the chicken with half of the marinade for 8 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the chicken on a rack on a baking sheet lined in foil.
- Bake the chicken for 45 minutes.
- While the chicken is roasting, heat up coconut oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add in the remaining marinade. Simmer for 20 minutes until thickened.
- Place the roasted chicken pieces in the sauce.
- Simmer for 5 minutes.
