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Recipe Detail Page
Chicken Yassa From Senegal
Early Summer 2011
The heat in this mouth-watering traditional dish comes from chilies and you can use less or more, as you prefer. For a hotter dish do not seed the chilies. You can make it with any parts of the chicken, but legs and thighs on the bones have extra juiciness when cooked this way. In Senegal they would serve this with rice or a bean called niebe or cow peas, which have a similarity to black beans. I prefer quinoa for its nuttiness which complements the flavours in this dish.
Serves 4
MARINADE
½ cup (125 mL) lemon juice
2 tsp (10 mL) grated lemon rind
2 tbsp (25 mL) vegetable oil
2 tsp (5 mL) minced chili pepper, seeded if preferred
6 chicken legs with thighs, separated
5 to 6 cups (1.25 to 1.5 L) thinly sliced red onions
Salt and freshly ground pepper
SAUCE
2 cups (500 mL) chicken stock or water
2 tbsp (25 mL) Dijon mustard
1 tsp (5 mL) chopped fresh red chili, seeded
1½ cups (375 mL) thinly sliced carrots
½ cup (125 mL) pimiento-stuffed olives cut into thirds
2 tbsp (25 mL) vegetable oil
1. Combine lemon juice and rind, vegetable oil and minced chili. Place chicken pieces and marinade in a bowl and cover with onions. Toss the chicken with the onions. Cover bowl and leave to marinate refrigerated for 4 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
3. Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add marinade and onions into an ovenproof skillet on medium heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 10 minutes or until onions are soft and browned. Add stock, Dijon and chili and stir until combined. Stir in carrots and olives. Bring to a boil, boil 1 minute and remove from heat. Reserve.
4. Heat 2 tbsp (25 mL) oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add chicken pieces and cook, turning once, for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until lightly golden. Remove chicken from pan and add, skin-side up, in the vegetable mixture.
5. Bake chicken for 25 to 30 minutes or until juices run clear. Serve chicken with the sauce.
Serves 4
