Slow-cooked chicken with root vegetables and aromatic herbs, steamed in a traditional earth oven or closed pot.
Mumu is Papua's ancient earth-oven cooking method, and when applied to chicken with sweet potato, taro, and fragrant herbs, it creates fall-apart tender meat infused with earthy, smoky undertones. This is festival food, celebration food — layers of protein and starches cooked together until they marry into one harmonious dish. Rooted in the everyday cooking of Papuan kitchens, Papuan Mumu Chicken balances technique and tradition: the chicken, cut into pieces is treated with care, drawing on time-honoured ratios that locals have refined across generations. The dish carries an unmistakable sensory signature — aromas that fill the kitchen as it cooks, layered textures that reveal themselves bite by bite, and a depth of flavour that comes from patient seasoning rather than shortcuts. Whether served as a weeknight dinner or as the centrepiece of a celebratory table, it reflects a regional pantry where local produce, seasoning habits and cooking vessels shape the final result. Home cooks who make this dish often note how forgiving it is once the core method is understood, and how a few small choices — the freshness of the chicken, cut into pieces, the order of additions, the resting time at the end — separate a good version from a memorable one. This recipe walks through those choices so the dish arrives with the character it has on its home turf.
Sirve 6
In a large, covered pot, layer sweet potato, taro, and onion on the bottom.
Place chicken pieces on top. Scatter herbs and drizzle coconut oil.
Cover tightly and cook on low heat (or low oven at 160°C) for 90 minutes until chicken is very tender.
Everything should be fall-apart tender. Serve family-style, spooning cooking juices over the top.
Don't open the lid — the steaming is crucial.
The vegetables will partially break down and thicken the juices — this is perfect.
Low, slow heat is essential.
Source the freshest chicken, cut into pieces you can find — it is the flavour anchor of the dish.
Condimente en capas mientras avanza; probar en cada etapa previene un resultado final plano o demasiado salado.
Add root vegetables like cassava or yams
Include leafy greens on top in the last 20 minutes
Use pork or beef instead of chicken
Vegetariano: reemplace la proteína principal con hongos, queso paneer, tofu o legumbres abundantes para una versión sin carne.
Más picante: agregue chile fresco, pasta de chile o una pizca de cayena con los aromáticos para un perfil más cálido.
Refrigerate for 3 days. Reheats beautifully. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat with a splash of water or stock to loosen, or microwave at 60% power covered so it warms without drying. Freezes well for up to 2 months in portioned containers; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Dishes built on dairy or fried elements may shift in texture after freezing — refresh with a crisp garnish.
Mumu cooking dates back centuries in Papua, a method of slow-cooking in pits that was adapted to modern kitchens. Like many Papuan classics it evolved through home kitchens before earning a place on restaurant menus, and regional cooks still argue good-naturedly about the 'right' way to prepare it. The version below reflects the most widely cooked template, with notes where local practice diverges.
Yes, cover tightly and bake at 160°C for 90 minutes.
Taro is a starchy root vegetable common in the Pacific. Substitute with yam or cassava.
Sí—la mayoría de los componentes se mantienen bien en la nevera durante un día o dos. Recaliente suavemente con un poco de líquido para revivirlo.
If chicken, cut into pieces is hard to find, the closest substitutes share its texture and water content. Adjust seasoning slightly since substitutes often carry less character of their own.
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