Zanzibar-Spiced Chicken with Coconut and Sweet Potatoes
Tender chicken thighs slow-cooked in a fragrant coconut-spice sauce with roasted sweet potatoes for a balanced, aromatic meal. This East African-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 65 minutes, pairs chicken thighs, coconut milk, sweet potatoes for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken thighs
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 large onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F. Pat 1.5 lbs chicken thighs dry, then rub with 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground cardamom, and 1/4 tsp cayenne. Let sit 15 minutes.
- Step 2: Dice 1 large onion and mince 4 garlic cloves. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion until translucent (5 minutes), then add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Step 3: Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, then add 1.5 lbs chicken thighs skin-side up. Pour 1 cup coconut milk and 1/2 cup chicken broth over chicken. Add 2 medium peeled and cubed sweet potatoes around chicken.
- Step 4: Cover skillet with lid and bake for 45 minutes, or until chicken reaches 165°F internally and sweet potatoes are fork-tender. Uncover and broil for 3 minutes to slightly caramelize the surface.








