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Yassa poulet
Lemon onion chicken
Chicken yassa from Casamance, braised in lemon and slow-cooked onions
Yassa comes from Casamance, the green, rice-growing south of Senegal, and has become the dish Dakar families cook for guests and naming ceremonies. Chicken spends a night in lemon juice, mustard and a huge pile of sliced onions, is grilled or browned until charred at the edges, then braised in those same onions until they collapse into a sharp, sweet, jammy sauce. It is served over plain white rice with a green olive or two on top. A common mistake is rushing the onions; if they are still crunchy the sauce tastes raw and harsh, so give them the full half hour. Chef's tip: keep the marinade, because it becomes the sauce; just boil it well with the onions so it is safe to eat.
- Total time
- 100 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 3 ⅛ lb chicken thighs and drumsticksbone in, skin on
- 2 ¼ lb onionsabout 6, halved and thinly sliced
- 4 lemonsjuiced (about 160 ml)
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 4 garlic clovescrushed
- 1 scotch bonnet chillipricked once with a knife
- 1 chicken stock cubecrumbled
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 ½ tsp salt
To cook
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
- 12 green olives (optional)pitted, optional
- 14 oz long-grain ricecooked, to serve
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Slash each piece of 3 ⅛ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks twice to the bone. In a large bowl mix 2 ¼ lb onions, 4 lemons, 2 tbsp Dijon mustard, 4 garlic cloves, 1 chicken stock cube, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 ½ tsp salt, squeezing the onions with your hands so they soften.
Step 2: Add the chicken and 1 scotch bonnet chilli, turn to coat, cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. Never leave it at room temperature.
240 minStep 3: Lift the chicken out of the marinade and shake off the onions. Grill under a hot grill or on a barbecue for 8–10 minutes a side, until the skin is charred in places. It does not need to be cooked through yet.
20 minStep 4: Meanwhile lift the onions out of the marinade with a slotted spoon, keeping all the liquid. Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy casserole over a medium heat and cook the onions for 25–30 minutes, stirring often, until soft, golden and sweet.
30 minStep 5: Pour in the reserved marinade and 1 cup water and boil hard for 3 minutes; this makes the raw-chicken marinade safe.
3 minStep 6: Add the grilled chicken and the chilli, cover and simmer gently for 25 minutes, turning once. The chicken is done when the thickest piece reaches 165°F, or the juices run clear and the meat pulls from the bone.
25 minStep 7: Add 12 green olives for the last 5 minutes if using. Taste the sauce: it should be tangy and sweet; add salt or a squeeze more lemon if needed. Take the chilli out before serving unless someone wants the heat.
Step 8: Rest for 5 minutes off the heat, then serve over 14 oz long-grain rice. Yassa tastes even better the next day; cool and chill within 2 hours and keep for 2 days.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does yassa poulet take?
- About 100 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 75 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of lemons?
- Lime, or 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice per lemon (no zest from bottled juice).
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