Poulet DG

About This Recipe

Poulet DG — short for Poulet Directeur Général (Director General's Chicken) — earned its name from its association with wealth and celebration; this was the dish ordered at upscale restaurants by the country's elite. Today it is a staple of Cameroonian households and restaurants worldwide, its rich combination of crispy fried chicken, golden plantains, and a bright, vegetable-laden tomato sauce making it irresistible to everyone. The dish showcases the French-influenced cuisine of urban Cameroon — a vibrant blend of African ingredients with French cooking technique. Despite the grand name, it is a dish of pure joy and abundance.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 wholechicken (about 1.5 kg), cut into 8–10 pieces
• 2 largeripe yellow plantains, peeled and cut diagonally into 2 cm slices
• 3 mediumtomatoes, diced
• 1 largered bell pepper, diced
• 1 largegreen bell pepper, diced
• 1 largeonion, diced
• 4 clovesgarlic, minced
• 1 tbspfresh ginger, grated
• 1 bunchcelery stalks with leaves, sliced
• 2 mediumcarrots, sliced
• 1 cubechicken Maggi or bouillon cube
• 1 tsppaprika
• 1/2 tspwhite pepper
• 1 tspsalt
• 4 tbspvegetable oil, divided
• 2 tbspfresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. 1

   Season and fry the chicken

   Season chicken pieces with salt, white pepper, paprika, half the garlic, and ginger. Marinate 15 minutes. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and fry chicken in batches until deep golden on all sides, about 6–8 minutes per batch. Set aside.

2. 2

   Fry the plantains

   In the same pan with remaining oil, fry plantain slices for 2–3 minutes per side until golden. Remove and set aside.

3. 3

   Build the sauce

   In the same pan, sauté onion until translucent, 4 minutes. Add remaining garlic and cook 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes, bell peppers, carrots, and celery. Crumble in the bouillon cube. Cook over medium heat, stirring, for 10 minutes until vegetables soften.

4. 4

   Return chicken and simmer

   Return fried chicken to the pan, nestling pieces into the sauce. Add a splash of water if needed to prevent sticking. Cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

5. 5

   Add plantains and finish

   Gently fold in the fried plantains in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Adjust seasoning and stir in fresh parsley.

6. 6

   Serve

   Serve directly from the pan with white rice or baguette on the side.

Variations

• •

  Substitute chicken with whole prawns for a seafood DG version.

• •

  Add mushrooms and courgette to the vegetable mix for extra bulk.

• •

  For a spicier version, add a diced Scotch bonnet with the tomatoes.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered pan with a splash of water to prevent sticking.

Frequently Asked Questions