Kuku paka is a Swahili coastal East African dish that combines lightly grilled chicken with a fragrant coconut sauce.
The chicken picks up broad grill marks before finishing gently in a blended tomato, ginger, garlic, spice, and coconut base.
Keep the coconut sauce below a hard boil so it stays smooth and the chicken remains tender.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with basmati rice, chapati, or simple vegetables and extra lime.
Recipe Notes
Marinate the chicken and blend the sauce ahead; finish the chicken in the sauce shortly before serving.
Kenyan Kuku Paka
Kenyan coastal grilled chicken simmered in a smooth coconut, tomato, ginger, garlic, chile, and lime sauce.
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Grill pan or outdoor grill
- Large shallow skillet
- Blender
Ingredients
Chicken
- 3 lb skinless bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
- 2 tsp fine salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsp neutral oil divided
Coconut Sauce
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
- 12 oz ripe tomatoes chopped
- 2 tsp mild curry powder
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground cayenne or to taste
- 14 fl oz full-fat coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves chopped
- 2 whole limes cut into wedges
Instructions
Marinate and Grill:
- Season chicken with salt, pepper, lime juice, and half the oil. Rest 30 minutes.
- Grill over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes per side until lightly marked but not fully cooked. Transfer to a tray.
Make the Sauce:
- Heat the remaining oil in a shallow skillet. Cook onion for 8 minutes, then add garlic and ginger for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, and cayenne and cook 8 minutes.
- Blend the tomato mixture with coconut milk and water until smooth. Return it to the skillet and bring to a gentle simmer.
Finish the Chicken:
- Add the grilled chicken and simmer gently, partly covered, for 25 to 30 minutes until the thickest pieces reach 165 F (74 C). Turn once and avoid a hard boil.
- Stir in half the cilantro, adjust salt, and finish with lime wedges and the remaining cilantro.
Notes
- A gentle simmer keeps the coconut sauce smooth and prevents the chicken from toughening.
- Refrigerate for up to three days and reheat slowly; add a splash of water if the sauce thickens.
Nutrition
Calories: 590kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 39gFat: 41gSaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 820mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6g