Best 4 Poulet Yassa Chicken Yassa From Africa Recipes
"Poulet Yassa" is a classic Senegalese dish that combines the vibrant flavors of West Africa with the convenience of easy preparation. This delectable dish features tender chicken marinated in a zesty blend of lemon juice, garlic, and spices, then simmered in a rich tomato sauce infused with caramelized onions and aromatic herbs. "Poulet Yassa" is typically served with fluffy steamed rice and a medley of colorful vegetables, making it a complete and satisfying meal that captures the essence of Senegalese cuisine. Whether you're a seasoned cook or a culinary novice, this article will guide you through the steps to prepare an exceptional "Poulet Yassa" that will transport your taste buds to the vibrant streets of Senegal.
Here are our top 4 tried and tested recipes!
POULET YASSA (CHICKEN YASSA) FROM AFRICA
This traditional chicken dish from the Casamance region of Senegal is one of the most famous African recipes and is found in Senegalese restaurants the world over. For best results let the chicken marinate overnight; in Africa, this is essential to tenderize the sometimes tougher African fowl. It is also very good when made with fish. For the simplest yassa, make the marinade from just oil, lemon juice, onions, and a little mustard.
Provided by Ed Gibbon
Categories Chicken
Time 4h45m
Yield 4-6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Mix all ingredients (except the optional vegetables), the more onions the better, and allow chicken to marinate in a glass dish in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.
- Remove chicken from the marinade, but save the marinade.
- Cook according to one of the following methods.
- Cooking method 1: Grill chicken over a charcoal fire (or bake it in a hot oven) until chicken is lightly browned but not done.
- Cooking method 2: Sauté chicken for a few minutes on each side in hot oil in a frypan.
- While chicken is browning: Remove onions from marinade and sauté them in a large saucepan for a few minutes.
- Add remaining marinade and the optional vegetables and bring to a slow boil, cooking the marinade into a sauce.
- Reduce heat.
- Add chicken to the sauce, cover and simmer until chicken is done.
- Serve with Rice, Couscous (couscous with chickpeas and raisins is very good), or Fufu.
CHICKEN YASSA
Popular across West Africa, chicken yassa coaxes deep flavor from a handful of simple ingredients: smoky grilled chicken, sweet caramelized onions, tangy lime, bright ginger and spicy Scotch bonnet chile. This version comes from "The Fonio Cookbook" by chef Pierre Thiam (Lake Isle Press, 2019). Mr. Thiam, who was born and raised in Dakar, is the chef and owner of Teranga, a West African restaurant in Harlem. His recipe calls for bone-in chicken legs, but, in southern Senegal, where the dish originated, you might be served other chicken parts, fish yassa or even lamb yassa. The cooking method is flexible: The chicken develops the best smoky char when grilled, but will still be delicious seared in a grill pan or cast-iron skillet.
Provided by Alexa Weibel
Categories dinner, poultry, main course
Time 1h
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken legs with the scallions, thyme, vinegar, 1/4 cup lime juice and 1 tablespoon oil. Marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
- If using a grill or grill pan, heat it over high; if using a cast-iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. (If cooking indoors, pat the chicken dry, discarding marinade, then brush the chicken lightly with oil.) Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. Working in batches if necessary, grill or sear the chicken until browned on both sides, 6 or 7 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high. When the oil is hot, add the onions in an even layer, season with salt and pepper, and let sear without stirring for 3 to 4 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir occasionally to prevent onions from burning at the bottom of the pot, and allow onions to cook until they start to caramelize and take on some color, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Add the bell pepper, chile, garlic, ginger, bay leaves and the mustard (if using), and continue stirring, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of water as needed to avoid scorching at the bottom of the pot, another 5 minutes. Stir in another 1/4 cup lime juice, and season with 1 tablespoon salt and 2 teaspoons pepper.
- Add the grilled chicken into the pot, tucking it under the onions, then top with 1 cup water. Stir well, smooth mixture gently into an even layer, cover and simmer over medium until chicken is cooked through and tender, about 30 minutes.
- Season to taste and add more lime juice to taste, if desired. Serve chicken over rice, with onion mixture and sauce drizzled generously on top.
WEST AFRICAN CHICKEN YASSA
This Senegalese dish was cooked by Ashbell McElveen on the UK tv cooking show Good Food Live. Cooking time includes the marinating time.
Provided by Sarah_Jayne
Categories Chicken Breast
Time 1h25m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Place the chicken in a bowl and squeeze in the juice of 1½ lemons.
- Add the garlic and chilli.
- Mix to coat the chicken well and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat a hot barbecue, grill, griddle or dry frying pan.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and brush it with oil.
- Place the chicken, skin-side towards the heat, on the barbecue, under the grill, on the griddle or in the pan, and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side, until well colored and cooked through, but be careful not to let it dry out.
- While the chicken cooks, cut the onions into medium-thin slices.
- Heat a few drops of oil in a deep frying pan and fry the onions with the thyme for about 5-8 minutes until nice and brown, allowing their sweetness to come out.
- Remove the onions from the pan and set aside on a warm plate.
- Pour the juice of 1 lemon and the chicken stock into the pan, bring to the boil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Allow it to reduce slightly, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to get up all the taste.
- Arrange the chicken on a plate, top with the onions and pour the lemon sauce over it.
- Garnish with the remaining lemon half and serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 392.7, Fat 21.6, SaturatedFat 5.1, Cholesterol 95.6, Sodium 230.5, Carbohydrate 15.9, Fiber 2.7, Sugar 6.4, Protein 34.2
CHICKEN YASSA
This is my riff on yassa, a traditional Senegalese dish of chicken or other meat and onions marinated in a tart mixture of vinegar, citrus, chiles and spices. The flavors are entrancing, and it's a knockout for a dinner party. The chicken and most of the ingredients can marinate overnight, and the marinade becomes the sauce for the finished dish, so most of your prep is done ahead. Here I braise the chicken, making it a one-pot dish and an excellent choice if you want a spectacular dinner without a lot of hassle (or clean-up!).
Provided by JJ Johnson
Categories main-dish
Time 7h5m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, mustard, lemon zest, chile, black pepper, cayenne and salt to taste in a large nonreactive bowl or other container. Stir in the onions and bay leaf. Add the chicken to the marinade and toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, turning the chicken in the marinade if it's not completely covered, at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade; reserve the marinade. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot, add the chicken to the pot and sear until golden brown on both sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Add the allspice to the pot and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Spoon the solids from the marinade into the pot and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved liquid and chicken, making sure to spoon the sauce over the chicken to coat. Add about 1 cup of water to the pot. Cover and cook over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.
- Place the chicken on a serving platter. Spoon the onions and sauce from the pan over the chicken. (Simmer the sauce, uncovered, for 5 minutes on medium heat if there is too much liquid; it should be a rich sauce.) Season with salt and pepper and serve with the rice.
Tips:
- Use a whole chicken for a more flavorful dish. If you don't have a whole chicken, you can use chicken breasts or thighs.
- Marinate the chicken in the yassa sauce for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight. This will help the flavors to penetrate the chicken and make it more tender.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to cook the chicken. This will help to evenly distribute the heat and prevent the chicken from sticking.
- Cook the chicken over medium-low heat. This will help to prevent the chicken from drying out.
- Serve the chicken with rice, vegetables, or your favorite side dish.
Conclusion:
Poulet Yassa is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal. The chicken is marinated in a flavorful yassa sauce and then cooked until tender. The sauce is made with onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, peppers, and spices. Poulet Yassa is a popular dish in Senegal and is often served with rice, vegetables, or your favorite side dish.
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