Zimbabwe hard chicken stew (huku yechibhoyi)
In Zimbabwe we call it huku yechibhoyi or road-runner. It is also known as hard chicken or stewing hen. They are often free range chickens with minimal processing and no artificial ingredients.
In Zimbabwe, hard chickens are often found in the rural areas and a visit to the village especially during the Christmas holiday is usually accompanied by kubatirwa jongwe ( slaughtering of a hard chicken) to make one feel special and welcome because it’s not something that one can easily come by in the urban areas.
Here in the USA, they are not found in regular supermarkets but are usually found in Asian or South American supermarkets. I buy my hard chicken at a Vietnamese Grocery Store, frozen.
Now you may be asking, what’s so special about these hard chickens? Well, hard chicken, as the name implies, has a tough texture and has to be cooked for a long period in order for it to become nice and tender. Hard chickens also have really hard bones, and if you’re like me and you like to chew on your chicken bones (Yes I do! Don’t judge ) you will not be able to unless you have some super strong canines. Most importantly, hard chicken is also so much tastier than regular chicken and if you have never tried it before, I suggest you do.
Like I mentioned before, hard chicken takes longer to cook, and it also doesn’t require a lot of spices and seasonings. In fact, I only add salt to my hard chicken stew and no spices at all. Here’s how I make my hard chicken stew.I hope you give it a try. Let me know if you do. Cheers!
Ingredients
- 2 whole hard chickens (about 4.5lbs/2kg each)
- 6 small tomatoes diced or pureed
- ½ large yellow onion, diced
- 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 3 cups water/chicken stock
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Cut the chickens like you normally would. I cut into about 10 pieces per chicken.
- In a large pot, heat the vegetable oil on medium heat and saute the onions until transluscent.
- Add the tomatoes, water/stock, chicken pieces and salt ( I used about 1 tsp and a half). Mix everything up using a large spoon and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a lower heat setting and let simmer for up to 2 hours. Continue to check on your stew while it's cooking and add a little more water/stock if necessary.
- Serve with your favourite starch or sadza.
Hi Vimbai
Approximately how long can i boil the chicken for on high heat ?
Hi Tafadzwa. On high heat between an hour and an hour and a half. Make sure to check on it often so it doesn’t burn. Thanks for stopping by 😊