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Orange chicken peanut stew with visible chicken and sweet potato chunks, chopped greens and crushed peanuts in a white bowl

Photo: A Healthier Michigan / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0

Instant Pot Family Dinners

Instant Pot Ghanaian-Style Chicken Peanut Stew with Sweet Potatoes

Tender chicken and sweet potatoes cook in a light tomato broth before peanut butter and spinach transform it into a creamy, savory family stew without scorching the pressure-cooker base.

Developed for DishGal · Updated 2026-10-05

Instant Pot Family DinnersEasy Chicken Recipes
Prep20 min
Cook20 min
Total65 min
Cost$3.35

Directions

  1. Season the chicken

    Pat chicken dry and toss with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and black pepper. Keep chilled while the cooker heats, then wash hands and sanitize every surface that touched the raw poultry.

  2. Brown in two rounds

    Select Sauté on High on a 6-quart electric pressure cooker and add oil. Brown chicken in two batches for 3 minutes per batch; color one side without cooking through. Transfer to a clean plate.

  3. Deglaze the thin base

    Reduce Sauté to Normal. Cook onion for 4 minutes, then stir in garlic, ginger, coriander and cumin for 30 seconds. Pour in 1 cup broth and scrape until the base is completely smooth. Add the remaining cup of broth.

  4. Layer the stew

    Return chicken and its juices and stir once. Add sweet potatoes in an even layer, then spoon diced tomatoes over the top without stirring. Keep the contents below the maximum-fill line. Do not add peanut butter yet; thick nut paste can scorch under pressure.

  5. Pressure-cook and release

    Lock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 6 minutes; allow 12 to 15 minutes to reach pressure. Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then vent the remainder in short controlled pulses. Open only after the float valve drops.

  6. Check the chicken

    Test several chicken pieces at their centers; each must reach 165°F. If any is cooler, select Sauté Low and simmer until safe. Sweet potatoes should be tender but retain visible chunks.

  7. Add peanut butter safely

    Whisk peanut butter with 1 cup hot liquid ladled from the pot until smooth, then stir that mixture into the stew. Add spinach and simmer on Sauté Low for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until wilted and the sauce coats a spoon.

  8. Balance and serve

    Stir in lime juice, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and honey only if the tomatoes taste sharp. Ladle over rice, scatter with peanuts and offer cayenne or hot sauce at the table so the shared stew remains gentle.

Why this works

Why it worksBroth reaches the heating plate first and peanut butter waits until after pressure, preventing thick nut paste from triggering a burn warning.
Why it worksLarge sweet-potato chunks finish tender in the same short cycle that cooks bite-size chicken thigh pieces safely.
Why it worksTempering peanut butter with hot broth creates a smooth emulsion instead of oily clumps.

Useful kitchen gear

Tools that make this easier.

Compare the function and specifications first; skip anything your kitchen already handles well.

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Compare on Amazon6-quart electric pressure cookerThe two-cup thin-broth base, six-minute cycle and ten-minute natural release are calibrated for this family capacity.See current options → Compare on AmazonInstant-read thermometerCheck several chicken-thigh pieces at their centers for 165°F before finishing the peanut sauce.See current options → Compare on AmazonHeat-safe silicone whiskWhisk hot broth into peanut butter smoothly without scratching the pressure cooker's inner pot.See current options →

Swaps & notes

Easy swaps

  • Use boneless chicken breast cut into 2-inch pieces; pressure-cook 5 minutes and verify 165°F to limit drying.
  • For a nut-free variation, use sunflower-seed butter and roasted sunflower seeds; the flavor will differ but the method remains sound.
  • Replace spinach with chopped collard greens and simmer them 8 to 10 minutes after pressure until tender.

Cook notes

  • Total time includes browning, 12 to 15 minutes to pressurize, the 6-minute cycle, a 10-minute natural release and the peanut-spinach finish.
  • Written for a 6-quart electric pressure cooker. Follow your model manual for minimum liquid, maximum fill and venting, and never force the lid.
  • This recipe stays well below the maximum-fill line. Do not double it in a 6-quart cooker because foamy peanut sauce needs headroom during the finishing simmer.
  • Keep cayenne and hot sauce out of the shared pot; diners can add heat bowl by bowl.

Storage

Cool in shallow containers within 2 hours and refrigerate up to 4 days. Freeze without rice for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat gently to 165°F, stirring often and loosening with broth because peanut sauce thickens as it stands.

Questions

Why is the peanut butter added after pressure cooking?

Peanut butter is thick and can settle against the hot base before enough steam forms. Whisking it in afterward gives the stew its body without risking a scorch notice.

Will the sweet potatoes dissolve?

Pieces smaller than 1 1/2 inches can break apart. Cut consistent large chunks, set them above the chicken and use the stated 10-minute release rather than leaving the pot sealed indefinitely.

Can I make this ahead?

Yes. The flavor deepens overnight. Reheat slowly with extra broth and add a fresh squeeze of lime and peanuts just before serving.

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Instant Pot Ghanaian-Style Chicken Peanut Stew with Sweet Potatoes
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1. Season the chickenPat chicken dry and toss with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and black pepper. Keep chilled while the cooker heats, then wash hands and sanitize every surface that touched the raw poultry.
2. Brown in two roundsSelect Sauté on High on a 6-quart electric pressure cooker and add oil. Brown chicken in two batches for 3 minutes per batch; color one side without cooking through. Transfer to a clean plate.
3. Deglaze the thin baseReduce Sauté to Normal. Cook onion for 4 minutes, then stir in garlic, ginger, coriander and cumin for 30 seconds. Pour in 1 cup broth and scrape until the base is completely smooth. Add the remaining cup of broth.
4. Layer the stewReturn chicken and its juices and stir once. Add sweet potatoes in an even layer, then spoon diced tomatoes over the top without stirring. Keep the contents below the maximum-fill line. Do not add peanut butter yet; thick nut paste can scorch under pressure.
5. Pressure-cook and releaseLock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 6 minutes; allow 12 to 15 minutes to reach pressure. Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then vent the remainder in short controlled pulses. Open only after the float valve drops.
6. Check the chickenTest several chicken pieces at their centers; each must reach 165°F. If any is cooler, select Sauté Low and simmer until safe. Sweet potatoes should be tender but retain visible chunks.
7. Add peanut butter safelyWhisk peanut butter with 1 cup hot liquid ladled from the pot until smooth, then stir that mixture into the stew. Add spinach and simmer on Sauté Low for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until wilted and the sauce coats a spoon.
8. Balance and serveStir in lime juice, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and honey only if the tomatoes taste sharp. Ladle over rice, scatter with peanuts and offer cayenne or hot sauce at the table so the shared stew remains gentle.