Tahitian Sunday classic: bone-in chicken pieces slow-cooked in coconut milk with finely chopped taro leaves (fafa), onion, garlic, and salt. The taro leaves wilt into a silky sauce that coats the chicken; served over white rice. The Tahitian household centerpiece, especially on Sundays.
Poulet fafa is part of the Tahitian Sunday-meal tradition. The fafa (chopped young taro leaves) are foundational; the dish is simple but requires the right taro-leaf preparation. Sold at every traditional Tahitian restaurant; made at home for weekly family gatherings.
Spoon up poulet fafa over rice — chicken fall-off-bone tender, taro leaves silky-soft and dark-green coating the meat. Coconut milk's richness is the canvas; ginger gives subtle warmth; lime brightens at the end. The dish is simpler than Mauritian cari but with a distinct Polynesian taro-leaf character. The Tahitian Sunday-meal centerpiece.
Pre-boiling taro leaves leaches out calcium oxalate. Long slow simmer breaks down chicken collagen and integrates the taro-leaf flavor into the coconut milk. Lime added at the end retains brightness.
Variations
Pork fafa uses pork shoulder — celebration version. Fish fafa uses firm white fish — coastal version. Spicy fafa adds bird's eye chili. Vegetarian uses jackfruit or chickpeas.
On the Palate
Where Poulet Fafa sits in the Tahitian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 6
How it's made
10 steps · 30 min active + 1 hour waiting
- 117 min
Cut 1.4 kg whole chicken into 8 bone-in pieces. Season with 1 tsp salt + ½ tsp black pepper. Rest 15 min.
- 212 min
Prep 800 g fresh taro leaves (or substitute spinach + collard mix). Pre-boil 10 min in salted water; drain; squeeze; chop finely.
Watch outAfter blanching, squeeze the leaves hard until no more dark liquid runs out — that liquid carries the oxalate.
- 39 min
In a heavy pot, heat 2 tbsp coconut oil. Brown chicken pieces 8 min total. Remove; reserve.
- 46 min
Same pot: cook 2 chopped onions 5 min until soft. Add 5 minced garlic cloves + 1 tbsp grated ginger; cook 1 min.
- 52 min
Add chopped fafa (taro leaves); toss to coat.
- 63 min
Return chicken pieces. Add 400 ml coconut milk + 100 ml water + 1 tsp salt + ½ tsp black pepper.
- 731 min
Bring to a simmer. Cover; cook 30 min on low.
Watch outKeep the surface at a lazy simmer under the lid — small bubbles at the edge, never a full boil.
- 811 min
Uncover; simmer 10 min more to reduce sauce.
Watch outUncovered, the sauce should thicken enough to coat the chicken and pull back slowly when stirred.
- 92 min
Stir in 2 tbsp lime juice + 2 tbsp chopped cilantro.
- 103 min
Serve hot over white rice. Garnish with a few additional cilantro leaves.
