Traditional Yeye Recipe

Prepare and season chicken

Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and black pepper on all sides. Let rest 10 minutes while you prepare other ingredients.

Brown the chicken

Heat 4 tbs oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add chicken pieces skin side down in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Brown until deep golden, about 5–7 minutes per side. Transfer browned chicken to a plate and reserve drippings.

Sauté aromatics

Lower heat to medium and add remaining 2 tbs oil to the pot if it looks dry. Add the chopped onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute until fragrant.

Build the sauce

Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, 2 minutes to reduce acidity. Add chopped tomatoes and diced red bell pepper; simmer 4–6 minutes until tomatoes begin to break down. Stir in scotch bonnet (start with half if unsure), dried thyme, curry powder, and crumble in the bouillon cube. Mix well.

Simmer the stew

Return the browned chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot, nestling pieces into the sauce. Pour in 400–500 ml hot water or chicken stock to mostly cover the chicken (use 500 ml for more sauce). Add bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover partially, and cook 25–35 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender (internal temp 75°C / 165°F). Stir occasionally and adjust liquid so sauce is saucy but not watery.

Adjust seasoning and reduce

Remove the lid for the last 8–10 minutes to thicken the sauce if needed. Taste and adjust salt and heat (add more chopped scotch bonnet or a pinch of sugar to balance acidity if desired). Remove bay leaves.

While the stew is simmering, prepare rice: in a medium pot, bring 400 ml water to a boil with 1 tsp salt and 1 tbs oil. Add the washed rice, stir once, reduce heat to low, cover tightly and simmer 12–15 minutes until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes with lid on, then fluff with a fork.

Spoon rice onto plates, top with pieces of Yeye and plenty of sauce. Sprinkle chopped cilantro or parsley over the stew and serve with lime wedges alongside for squeezing over the chicken.