African-style Braised Chicken in Peanut Sauce

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 lbs chicken pieces
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 to 1 long red or green chili pepper, minced
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cracked black peppercorns
• 1/2 cup condensed chicken broth, undiluted
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 2 tbsp sherry or lemon juice
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

1. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a skillet.
2. Brown the chicken pieces (on all sides) in batches and transfer to the slow cooker.
3. Reduce heat to medium and add the onions to the skillet
4. Cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
5. Add the garlic, chili pepper, curry powder, oregano, salt, and peppercorns and cook for 1 minute.
6. Stir in the chicken broth, tomato sauce, and bay leaf, and pour the mixture over the chicken pieces in the slow cooker.
7. Cover the slow cooker and cook until chicken is tender and juices run clear (about 3 hours on high, or 6 hours on low).
8. Combine the peanut butter and sherry in a bowl and add a little of the liquid from the slow cooker and stir to blend. 
9. Add the mixture to the slow cooker along with the red bell pepper.
10. Cover and cook on high until the pepper is tender (about 15 minutes)
11. Serve hot over rice