The Easy Chicken Yassa 786

Roasted Chicken Yassa is a simple, quick, and delicious twist on Senegalese chicken yassa. Roasted chicken quarters are simmered in a pan while a sauce of caramelized onion, mustard and lemon juice brings everything together. HOW TO MAKE

Chicken yassa or chicken yassa poulet is a mild spicy stew made with lots of onions. Traditionally, the onion is marinated with Dijon mustard and lemon juice and herbs and spices like cayenne pepper and parsley and garlic before being cooked into a thick hearty stew that can be served over grilled or fried chicken.

Yassa originated in Senegalese cuisine but is now consumed in many West African nations. It can also be made with other meats such as lamb, beef or fish instead of chicken. Yassa is a popular stew and one of Senegalese’s most popular comfort foods.

This dish is made with caramelized onions that give it a sweet, slightly spicy but creamy sauce that you can spoon on your chicken.

You’ll get a citrusy taste from lemons, a spicy kick from cajune pepper, and a sweet-earthy flavor from the slow-cooked onions. Olives give it a slightly bitter taste that pairs well with the onion, mustard, and lemon juice in the sauce.

You can adjust the spice level to make it as mild or spicy as you want, like adding scotchbonnet peppers or adding extra cayenne to the stew. Serve it with white rice but it’s also great with other grains, like quinoa or couscous. You can also have it with regular sweet potatoes or yams.

Chicken Yassa

Chicken Yassa recipe is very delicious taste

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 2 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 22 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 314 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1/4 cup green olives
• 2 bay  leaves
• 11/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lemon juiced
• 4 chicken legs (thighs and drumsticks attached)
• 1 teaspoon  kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic granules or garlic powder
• 2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
• 2 teaspoon dried parsley, divided
• 4 large  onions, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons  Dijon mustard

Instructions

 

• Heat the oven at 400°F, then score the chicken.

  Make 2 slits in your chicken: one on the bottom of the leg and one on the top of the thigh. This will allow the seasoning to seep into the chicken more deeply.
• To season and marinade the chicken, mix together the following ingredients:

  1/2 teaspoon salt

  Cayenne pepper

  Garlic granules

  1/4 teaspoon black pepper

  Dried Parsley

  Place the chicken in a large bowl and season on both sides. Place the chicken in the spice mixture and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside for 10 minutes.
  
• Prepare the onions:

  Mix the onions in a large bowl with minced garlic, minced onion, minced garlic, and minced onion.

  Add the Dijon Mustard and season with 1 teaspoon of dried parsley.

  Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of black pepper and season with lemon juice.
• Roast the chicken:

  Heat the oven to 400°F. Place the chicken quarters in a baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown on the outside and crispy on the inside. If you use a fork near the joints, you should see clear juices coming out of the joints. If you use an instant-read thermometer, place it into the center of the thickest portion of the chicken. The thermometer should read 165°F to 175°F.
• Make the onion mustard sauce:

  In a large pan, heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion mustard mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, for approximately ten minutes. The onions will be translucent and begin to acquire a golden-brown hue.

  Transfer the onions to the chicken stock mixture, along with bay leaves and olives. Simmer for five minutes at medium-low heat, until the onions are golden and caramelized, and the stock is slightly thickened.
• Add cooked chicken to onion mustard sauce:

  After the chicken is cooked, use tongs to place the chicken quarters in the onion-mustard sauce. Simmer the chicken for 5 to 7 more minutes, then turn off the heat. You now have what appears to be a thick stew.
• Serve:

  Chicken yassa can be served with white rice, or any grain of your choice.

  Have you enjoyed this yassa recipe? Please leave a review below.
  

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Even though this is a very easy recipe, there are a few things you need to do to make it the best it can be!

First, you need to use Dijon. Dijon is the glue that holds the sauce together, so the quality of Dijon mustard is very important. I like to use Maille, which is a French brand.

Don’t be afraid to use onions. You may be thinking, “I don’t need that many onions!” You don’t! Use all of the onions, as they will shrink as they cook, just like mushrooms or spinach.

Cook the onions low and slow. You may be tempted to cook the onions quickly, but don’t. Let the onions caramelize properly, as this will bring out their natural sweetness.

Finally, score the chicken. This will ensure that the seasoning is evenly distributed throughout the meat, as the chicken won’t stay marinated for long. for more