Yassa Chicken — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Grilled chicken smothered in a tangy caramelized onion and lemon sauce, seasoned with mustard and olives in this beloved Senegambian classic.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
6 large onions, thinly sliced
Juice of 6 lemons
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 cup pitted green olives
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 Scotch bonnet peppers
2 Maggi cubes
Salt and black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 cup water

Instructions

1 Marinate chicken pieces in lemon juice, half the sliced onions, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper for at least two hours.
2 Remove chicken from marinade, reserving the liquid and onions. Grill or pan-fry chicken until golden brown on all sides.
3 Heat oil in a large pot. Add remaining onions and cook until deeply caramelized, about fifteen minutes.
4 Add the reserved marinade with onions to the pot. Add olives, bay leaf, Scotch bonnet, and Maggi cubes.
5 Nestle the browned chicken into the onion sauce. Add water and bring to a simmer.
6 Cover and cook on low heat for thirty minutes until chicken is tender and sauce has thickened. Serve with rice.

Did You Know?

Yassa originated in the Casamance region shared by Senegal and The Gambia, and spirited debates about which country makes it better are a beloved regional pastime.