Chicken Yassa
- Gluten Free
- Lactose Free
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 15 min
- Cook time: 1 h 20 min
- Serving: 6
- Note + the marinating time in the fridge (6-8 h)
PRESENTATION
Yassa chicken brings a bold mix of flavors from Senegal right to your table. This West African chicken dish stands out because of its special marinade. Really good stuff. Chicken legs soak in plenty of onions, sharp mustard, vinegar, fresh lemon juice, and a handful of spices. You get a blend that's tangy, sweet, and a little spicy, all in one bite. The onions? They don’t just add flavor—they become so tender and almost golden while cooking. Seriously good. You'll want to scoop them up with every forkful. The strong, lively tastes in this Senegalese chicken recipe make it totally unique. It's way better compared to other African foods like piri piri chicken or spicy peanut chicken stew. People usually serve yassa chicken on a bed of basmati rice, which is great. It has a light aroma and soaks up all that awesome sauce, making every spoonful super tasty and satisfying.
What’s cool about this chicken yassa recipe is how it captures the heart of traditional Senegalese cuisine. Plus, the marinade, especially the combo of onions and sharp lemon, is a classic move in Senegalese cooking. It gives the dish that rich, moist finish. And makes every bite an adventure. Folks sometimes tweak things depending on what region they’re from. Some go heavier on the mustard, others add more chilies for extra heat. But no matter how it’s made, you always get that special mix of tangy and sweet from the onions and lemon, balanced with just enough spice to wake up your taste buds. Trying a Senegalese chicken recipe like this feels like a warm invite to explore more African flavors. And look, it’s easy to get hooked on the real, down-to-earth style of food from Senegal. After tasting this, you might feel inspired to check out other dishes from West Africa. They all have their own spin, but the love for big, punchy flavors is something they all share. The cultural richness and culinary diversity found in these dishes are what make exploring West African cuisine such a rewarding experience.
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INGREDIENTS
- for the chicken
- Chicken legs 4.4 lbs (2 kg) - with skin
- White onions 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg)
- Green olives ½ cup (100 g) - pitted
- Garlic 2 cloves
- Dijon mustard 2 tbsp (30 g)
- Sweet Paprika 1 tsp
- Fresh chili pepper 1
- Cumin seeds 1 spoonful
- Fresh ginger to taste
- Chicken broth 3.3 cups (800 g)
- Lemon juice 1
- Sunflower seed oil ⅓ cup (80 g)
- Red wine vinegar 1 ½ tbsp (20 g)
- Fine salt to taste
- For the rice
- Basmati rice 1 ½ cup (300 g)
- Water 2.7 cups (650 g)
- Cinnamon sticks ½
- Cloves 2
- Cumin seeds to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp (30 g)
- Coarse salt to taste
- For garnish
- Coriander to taste
How to prepare Chicken Yassa
To prepare chicken yassa, first clean and finely slice the onions 1, then cut the garlic 2 and chili pepper 3 into thin slices.
If the chicken thighs are large, cut them into 2 parts 4. Put the onions in a large baking dish, then place the chicken pieces 5 and sprinkle with cumin seeds 6.
Add the garlic 7, chili pepper 8, and red wine vinegar 9.
Pour in the seed oil 10, lemon juice 11, and mustard 12.
Finally, grate the fresh ginger 13, mix with a wooden spoon 14 and let it marinate for 6-8 hours in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap 15.
After marinating time, remove the chicken, transfer it to a non-stick pan 16 and brown it skin side down for 3 minutes, then turn it and brown for another 3 minutes on the other side 17. Once toasted, set the chicken aside 18.
In the same pan, pour the onions, after draining them from the marinade liquid 19. Salt and cook over medium-high heat for about ten minutes; when the onions are golden, add the paprika 20 and stir for a few minutes, then cover with hot chicken broth 21.
Cook for about 30 minutes 22. After this time, add the chicken 23 and green olives 34. Cover with the lid and cook for another 30 minutes over medium-low heat.
In the meantime, prepare the rice: pour the water into a pot, then season with the cinnamon stick 25, cloves, cumin seeds 26, and coarse salt 27.
Add the oil 28 and turn on the heat. When the water is almost boiling, pour in the rice 29 and cook over medium heat for 12 minutes; the water should simmer 30.
After the cooking time, turn off the heat, cover with the lid, and let it rest for 2 minutes 31 so that it absorbs all the water 32. In the meantime, the chicken's cooking time will also have elapsed; check that it has absorbed almost all the broth 33.
Plate the rice 34 and the chicken with its sauce 35, then garnish with a few coriander leaves. Your chicken yassa is ready to be served 36!