Chicken Yassa, a classic Senegalese dish, is a flavor journey that tantalizes taste buds with its vibrant blend of spices, ingredients, and cooking techniques. Bursting with umami-rich flavors, this dish features succulent chicken marinated in a savory concoction of onions, lemon juice, black pepper, garlic, Dijon mustard, and a symphony of aromatic spices. Transported to a pot, the chicken simmers in a broth infused with the essence of these ingredients, creating a culinary masterpiece that embodies the essence of Senegalese cuisine. Prepare to embark on a culinary voyage as we delve into the secrets of crafting the perfect Chicken Yassa, a dish that promises to transport you to the vibrant streets of Senegal with every bite.
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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.
POULET YASSA (CHICKEN YASSA)
This Poulet Yassa also called Chicken Yassa is chicken cooked in caramelized onions - one of West Africa's favorite dishes! Perfect with boiled rice for dinner.
Provided by Precious Nkeih of preciouscore.com
Categories Dinner
Time 55m
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Rinse chicken thoroughly and pat dry. Place in a bowl. Add the lemon juice, onions, garlic, salt, black or white pepper, chicken bouillon powder (if using), red pepper flakes or poked habanero pepper (if using). Mix everything together to combine. Cover the chicken with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and shake off the excess marinade. Place on a grill and oiled grill pan or just an oiled skillet and cook on each side for about 4 minutes until it assumes a nice sear.
- Caramelize the onions. Heat oil in a pan. Remove onions from the marinade and add to the oil and let it cook slowly on medium heat while stirring from time to time until the onions shrink and become slightly darker in color. About 20 minutes.
- Add the chicken to the onions and the remaining marinade, the bay leaves and a cup of water to the caramelized onions then cook for about 20 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through. Taste to ensure seasoning is perfect. Serve over white rice.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 287 kcal, Carbohydrate 8 g, Protein 19 g, Fat 20 g, SaturatedFat 2 g, TransFat 0.1 g, Cholesterol 86 mg, Sodium 657 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 3 g, UnsaturatedFat 17 g, ServingSize 1 serving
SENEGALESE POULET YASSA
Enjoy the flavors of West Africa with this Senegalese Poulet Yassa made from chicken pieces marinated overnight with lots of onions, some mustard, and a bit of lemon juice.
Provided by Lola Osinkolu
Categories Lunch/Dinner
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Prepare the marinade by combining the lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, 2 tbsp oil, minced garlic, bouillon powder, minced habanero, ginger powder, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Mix well and set aside.
- Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl, and add the onion slices, bay leaves, and the marinade. Mix well, then cover with a tight-fitting lid or a plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours, preferably overnight.
- When ready to cook, remove chicken pieces from the marinade (save the marinade).
- Add 2-3 tablespoons of oil to a pan, and brown the chicken on both sides for 7-10 minutes on medium heat (don't crowd the pan). Remove from heat and set aside.
- Scoop out the onions from the marinade (don't discard the marinade) and fry the onions until they are well reduced - about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add the browned chicken, remaining marinade, and chicken stock or water to the onion-based cooking pot. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking for 15 to 20 more minutes or until the chicken is tender and the sauce is well reduced to your preference.
- Stir in the olives and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- Garnish with parsley if desired and serve over rice or mashed potatoes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 187 kcal, Carbohydrate 12 g, Protein 3 g, Fat 15 g, SaturatedFat 2 g, Cholesterol 2 mg, Sodium 929 mg, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 5 g, ServingSize 1 serving
YASSA AU POULET II (CHICKEN YASSA)
Provided by Jessica B. Harris
Categories Chicken Olive Onion Poultry Marinate Dinner Hot Pepper Winter Dairy Free Wheat/Gluten-Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free No Sugar Added Kosher
Yield Serves 6
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- In a large nonreactive bowl, prepare a marinade by mixing the lemon juice, onions, salt, pepper, minced chile, and 4 tablespoons of the peanut oil in a large bowl. Place the chicken pieces in the marinade, making sure that they are all well covered. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the chicken to marinate for at least 3 hours in the refrigerator.
- Preheat the broiler. Remove the chicken pieces, reserving the marinade and onions, and place the chicken in a shallow pan. Broil the the chicken until it is lightly browned on both sides. Remove the onions from the marinade. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a flameproof 5-quart casserole or Dutch oven and cook the onions slowly until tender and translucent. Add the reserved marinade. When the liquid is thoroughly heated, add the chicken pieces, pricked chile, olives, carrots, mustard, and water. When the dish has reached the desired degree of hotness, remove the chile and reserve (it can be served separately to the chile heads). Stir to mix well, then bring the yassa slowly to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve hot over white rice.
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.
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.
SHELIA'S CHICKEN YASSA
Yassa is originally from Senegal but is very much a part of the Gambian cuisine experience. It can be prepared with fish or chicken. It is marinated overnight with lots of lemons, spices, pepper, and onions and then traditionally cooked the next day on a charcoal grill. I often say yassa is a lemon-pepper and onion lover's delight.
Provided by CookingWithShelia
Categories African Recipes
Time 9h40m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- Stir together lemon juice, oil, mustard, and garlic for marinade in a small bowl. Stir together black pepper, cayenne, lemon-pepper seasoning, and salt in another small bowl. Rub spice mixture all over chicken and transfer to a large zip-top plastic bag. Add lemon juice mixture. Seal the bag and turn to coat. Chill up to 8 hours or overnight.
- Prepare an outdoor grill for indirect grilling, lighting burners on one side only or pushing lit coals to one side. Heat grill to medium heat, 325 to 375 degrees F (165 to 190 degrees C). Lightly oil the grill grate.
- Transfer chicken to unlit side of grill, discarding marinade. Grill, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest parts registers 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), 40 to 50 minutes.
- Meanwhile, grill lemon halves, cut-sides down, over lit side of the grill until grill marks appear, about 8 minutes.
- Heat 1/4 cup oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat until hot. Stir in onions, bell peppers, carrot, garlic, and lemon juice; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid evaporates and vegetables are tender and starting to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Add chicken broth; cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in olives.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Arrange grilled chicken over vegetables in the skillet.
- Cover and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Serve over cooked rice with grilled lemon halves.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 951.4 calories, Carbohydrate 58.3 g, Cholesterol 214.8 mg, Fat 50.5 g, Fiber 7 g, Protein 69.2 g, SaturatedFat 9.6 g, Sodium 1493.9 mg, Sugar 7.6 g
Tips:
- Use fresh ingredients: The fresher the ingredients, the better the dish will taste. This is especially true for the chicken, vegetables, and spices.
- Marinate the chicken: Marinating the chicken in the lemon juice, garlic, and herbs will help to tenderize it and infuse it with flavor.
- Cook the chicken over medium heat: Cooking the chicken over medium heat will help to prevent it from drying out.
- Add the vegetables at the end: Adding the vegetables at the end of the cooking process will help to prevent them from becoming overcooked.
- Serve the dish with rice: Yassa au poulet is traditionally served with rice. You can use white rice, brown rice, or basmati rice.
Conclusion:
Yassa au poulet is a delicious and easy-to-make Senegalese dish. It is perfect for a weeknight meal or a special occasion. With its flavorful chicken, tender vegetables, and fragrant spices, Yassa au poulet is sure to please everyone at the table.
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