Tonight's dinner

Nigerian Suya Chicken Wraps

Chicken coated in a peanut and cayenne suya rub, seared hard, and wrapped with raw onion and tomato.

  • 30 min
  • Serves 2
  • Chicken

Nigerian Suya Chicken Wraps, plated as a finished dinner

Ingredients

  • 1 lb chicken breast or thigh, cut into thin strips
  • 1/3 cup roasted peanuts, ground to a powder
  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika
  • 1 to 2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 3 tbsp neutral oil, divided
  • 1 large onion, half sliced raw and half diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
  • 4 flatbreads or wraps
  • 2 lemons, 1 juiced and 1 cut into wedges
  • 1 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
  • 2 tbsp chopped cilantro or parsley

Steps

  1. Grind the roasted peanuts to a fine powder in a spice grinder, then tip them onto paper towels and press to blot the oil. Oily peanut powder clumps instead of coating.
  2. Mix the peanut powder with the paprika, cayenne, ground ginger, garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon salt to make the suya spice.
  3. Toss the chicken strips with 1 tablespoon of the oil, the fresh garlic, and two-thirds of the suya spice until evenly coated, and leave for 15 minutes.
  4. Heat the remaining oil in a heavy skillet or grill pan over high heat until it is almost smoking.
  5. Lay half the chicken in a single layer and leave it undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes, until deeply browned, then turn and cook 2 minutes more, until it reaches 165F (74C). Cook the rest in a second batch.
  6. Cook in batches rather than crowding the pan; crowded chicken releases water and steams grey instead of charring.
  7. Toss the hot chicken with the remaining suya spice off the heat, so the last of it clings without burning in the pan.
  8. Warm the flatbreads, fill them with the chicken, raw sliced onion, tomato, and cilantro, squeeze lemon over, roll tightly, and serve with lemon wedges.

Allergen note: Contains peanuts and gluten.

Use the listed quantities as a guide, adjust seasoning to taste, and cook proteins to a safe internal temperature.

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