Yassa Chicken Recipe | Africanbites.com

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Yassa Chicken Recipe | Africanbites.com

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Chicken yassa (poulet au yassa) is a super popular Senegalese dish with succulent chicken, zippy mustard, and the sweetness of caramelized onions. The vibrancy of fresh lemon juice makes this recipe mouthwateringly good.

If you like onions and lemons, then you’ll love the flavor extravaganza of this incredibly moist and savory dish. Use whatever chicken is on sale: a whole cut-up chicken, bone-in breasts, thighs, or legs.

We decide ahead of time if we’re grilling (which usually wins) or cooking it on the stovetop. If grilling, I make the sauce separately. However, on those crazy weeknights when I want an easy dinner, I pan-fry the chicken, then simmer it in the sauce until fall-off-the-bone tender. The kitchen smells so good.

What Is Yassa Chicken?

I have to admit, I’m not a big fan of most lemon chicken recipes because the lemon can be overpowering and acidic. Yet this recipe, originally from the Casamance region, is just right! The onions mellow the lemon juice for a perfectly balanced sweet, sour, and spicy.

The word yassa refers to the Senegalese onion lemon sauce that goes great with poultry, fish, pork, and lamb. I believe the word chicken is self-explanatory.

How to Make Chicken Yassa

Season the chicken, sear it, and set it aside. Then start sauteing the onions.

Add flavor, the broth and reserved marinade, and more spices.

Squeeze in the lemon juice, add hot pepper and olives, then add the chicken back and simmer, covered, until tender.

Recipe Tips

Feel free to swap a whole chicken for bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, breasts, or legs, depending on your preference and what’s on sale. The cooking time will change depending on what you use.
If grilling the chicken, shake off the excess marinade and pat it dry for crispier skin.
You can adjust the lemon to suit your taste buds. Hot pepper and bay leaves give the chicken a flavorful kick, but feel free to leave out the scotch bonnet for a kid-friendly version.
To shake things up, try marinating fish or shrimp in the same yassa sauce for a tasty coastal twist.

Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions

This spicy chicken recipe is fantastic, versatile enough for a fast weeknight meal or an elegant dinner. Save yourself some stress by doing the prep work the day before (also called marinating and tenderizing time). Raw marinated chicken will last a day or two in a cold 40℉ (5℃) fridge or in the freezer for 3-5 months.

While the skin won’t be as crispy if you cook it the day before, it will still taste amazing. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2-4 months. Remove the chicken skin if desired (it will be soggy), reheat it, and serve it over couscous.

What to Serve With Yassa Chicken

Serve it over white rice or couscous to soak up that mouthwatering sauce. And for a full meal, round it out with a side of fried plantains and crusty bread or injera to mop up every last drop of that impressive sauce because nothing should go to waste!

More Sensational Senegal-Inspired Recipes

Watch How to Make It

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This blog post was first published in May 2017 and has been updated with more tips, gorgeous photos, and a video.

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Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 50 minutes

Marinating Time: 2 hours

Total: 3 hours 5 minutes

African

Trim the chicken pieces of excess fat and pat dry with a cloth or paper towel, then season with salt, pepper, ginger, garlic, parsley, and bouillon powder. Squeeze the juice of one of the lemons over the chicken, and mix well to season the chicken thoroughly.
Put the chicken in a zip-lock bag or a glass bowl, and optionally let it marinate in the fridge for 2 hours or up to overnight if you have time.
Drain the chicken, and reserve the marinade for the sauce.
Preheat a frying pan and add the oil. Place the chicken pieces skin-side down and sear them for 5 minutes, then flip them and sear them on the other side for another 5 minutes. If grilling, oil the grates and cook them 5-6 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Heat a saucepan (or a skillet) over medium heat, then add the cooking oil. Sauté the sliced onions and the rest of the minced garlic until the onions are translucent.
Add the bay leaves, mustard, broth, reserved marinade, Scotch bonnet, and green olives. Adjust seasonings to taste with optional garlic and onion powder, more bouillon, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes.
Squeeze in the juice of the other lemon, add the chicken to the saucepan, and bring it to a simmer over low heat, spooning the sauce over the chicken to coat it.
Cover and cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165℉ (75℃) (18-20 minutes). If using just thighs, an internal temperature of 175℉ (80℃) delivers more tender results. You could also finish it in the oven if your skillet is oven-proof.
Adjust seasonings to taste. Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves, and arrange the chicken on a plate.
Drizzle the sauce over it and optionally garnish it with the lemon slices. Serve over rice or couscous, and enjoy.

Let the chicken come to room temperature for 30 minutes before searing for more even cooking.
Please remember that the nutritional data is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the ingredients used in the recipe.