Mauritian Chicken Daube: The Authentic Recipe

In Mauritius, chicken daube — daube poulet — is the tender, comforting dish above all others: a mild tomato-and-onion sauce, scented with thyme, that simmers gently until the chicken is meltingly soft. Unlike a curry, a daube contains no curry powder at all: it's a milder, slightly sweeter dish, served with rice and brèdes (stewed leafy greens).

Here is the authentic Mauritian chicken daube, explained step by step for 4 people. And above all, the ingredient that makes all the difference: the chicken.

Curry or daube? The difference

The two are often confused, but a curry and a daube are quite distinct dishes. A curry is built on curry powder (massala) that you roussir (sear) in oil: it's spicier, more pungent, tinged golden with turmeric. A daube contains no curry powder at all. Its sauce comes from melted onions and fresh tomatoes, scented with thyme and sometimes softened with a touch of sugar or tamarind. The result is milder and rounder on the palate — a dish even children love. If you prefer the spicier version, see our Mauritian chicken curry recipe.

The ingredients (for 4)

• 1 free-range chicken (~1.5 kg), cut into pieces
• 2 onions, sliced
• A crushed garlic-and-ginger paste (a generous tablespoon of each)
• 3 to 4 ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 1 good sprig of thyme
• 1 tsp sugar (or a little tamarind), depending on the family
• 2 to 3 potatoes (optional), halved
• A handful of fresh coriander, chopped
• Oil, salt, pepper

The recipe, step by step

1. The onions. Heat a little oil in a pot and fry the sliced onions until translucent and lightly golden. Add the garlic-and-ginger paste and the thyme, then let it become fragrant for a minute.
2. The chicken. Add the chicken pieces and let them colour gently on all sides. No curry powder here: that's the one real difference from a curry, and the whole character of a daube.
3. The tomatoes. Add the chopped tomatoes, crush them with a spoon and let them melt down into a soft, red sauce.
4. The sweet touch. Add a pinch of sugar (or a little tamarind, depending on the family), season with salt and pepper. This is what gives a daube its mild, gently sweet taste.
5. The potatoes. If you're using them, add them now, then pour in water to halfway up and stir.
6. The simmer. Cover and simmer gently for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Stir now and then and adjust the seasoning.
7. To serve. Off the heat, scatter over the fresh coriander. Serve hot with white rice and brèdes.

The secrets of a good daube

No curry powder. This is what makes a daube. Its mildness comes only from melted onions, fresh tomatoes and thyme — add massala and you'll have a curry instead. A daube is recognised by its lighter sauce and its round, gentle taste.

The right hint of sweetness. A simple pinch of sugar, or a little tamarind depending on the family, is enough to round off the acidity of the tomato. Add it a little at a time and taste: a daube should stay mild, never dessert-sweet.

Gentle cooking. Like any good braise, a daube takes its time. Over low heat, the chicken grows tender and the sauce thickens. This is where free-range chicken earns its place: its firm flesh holds up to the simmer, where an industrial chicken would fall apart and weep water.

Why free-range chicken changes everything

You can make a daube with any chicken. But with a real free-range chicken, the dish steps up a level. Raised outdoors for 81 days and halal certified, it has firm flesh that holds up to long cooking, without falling apart or weeping water — and a clean, full flavour that carries right through the sauce. It's the foundation of a daube with real character.

• Free-range chicken, outdoors for 81 days, halal certified — from Rs 425/kg, VAT included.
• Vacuum-sealed and cut to order: just ask for it "cut for daube" on WhatsApp.
• Thighs, drumsticks, whole chicken jointed — just tell us what you'd like.
• Price confirmed by weight, before delivery — every chicken weighs a little differently.

Pay on delivery (cash or Juice MCB) · nothing is paid online · free delivery from Rs 1,500, anywhere in Mauritius.

Frequently asked questions