Chicken Potjie

What is a ‘potjie’ (pronounced ‘poikee’)? It’s a traditional South African meal consists of meat and vegetables and cooks slowly in a round cast iron ‘potjie’ over an open fire. This dish may look similar to a stew, but the main difference is that you do not stir a potjie (while you may stir a stew from time to time).

Put it on the table:

On our recent visit to the Addo Elephant National Park, Berto made a delicious chicken potjie. The Addo was the perfect place to sit outside next to the fire, listening to the different animal calls while watching the African sunset.

Note: You can actually use any vegetable of your choice. We alter it often, but the veggies we show in today’s recipe are our favourites in a chicken potjie.

Ingredients for a chicken potjie

Chicken pieces (4 legs + 4 thighs)

1 large onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

2-3 carrots, chopped

1 can (410g) whole kernel corn

1 punnet (250g) mushrooms, sliced

4 garlic cloves, chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

chicken spice, to taste

mixed herbs (dry), to taste

olive oil (to fry)

butter (to fry)

¾ cup chicken stock

1½ cup raw pasta (screws)

¾ cup cream

We always use wood for our fire, but when we make a potjie we use charcoal. This is just more convenient, but you can also make two fires if you have the space – one with wood to make coals and the other to cook your potjie on.

Charcoal fire for our chicken potjie

Start by melting a little olive oil and butter in the pot over the fire. Add the sliced ​​mushrooms and fry until cooked. Remove from the pot and set aside.

Olive oil and butter

Fry mushrooms until cooked

Fry chicken pieces in the same oil and butter until brown. Once done, remove chicken from the pot and set aside.

Fry chicken until brown

Fry the chopped onion, green pepper and garlic. Once soft, place the chicken pieces back into the pot. Add salt, pepper & chicken spice and then the chicken stock. Cover the pot and cook for approximately 45 minutes. (When a potjie has beef or lamb as main ingredients, cooking time can take 2-3 hours).

Remember now: Do NOT stir the potjie

Fry onion, green pepper and garlic, add chicken

Add spices and chicken stock

Cover the potjie

As we sat by the fire, we witnessed the most beautiful sunset. We had a wonderful day seeing so many wild animals on our drive through Addo Elephant National Park. And now, being able to sit next to a fire while we could hear the animals nearby was special – we are well and truly in Africa.

African sunset

After 45 minutes, add the chopped carrots. Cover the pot and cook until carrots are soft. Add the corn and mushrooms, cover and cook for another 10-15 minutes.

Add carrots and cook until soft

Add corn and mushrooms

Meanwhile, cook the pasta on the stove for about 6 minutes. Add the cream to the potjie and cook until it begins to bubble gently. Add the cooked pasta and mix lightly. Cook for a few minutes more until everything is heated through.

Cook pasta

After adding the cream, add cooked pasta and mix lightly

Berto removed the potjie from the fire but kept it warm. Because now it was time to throw a few pieces of wood on the fire and listen to the sounds of nature … and then it was time to enjoy the chicken potjie.

Pure tranquility

Chicken potjie – it’s ready