Best Senegalese Poulet Yassa Recipes

POULET YASSA RECIPE (SENEGALESE CHICKEN RECIPE)

Steps:

• Combine all of the ingredients except for the last 2 Tbsp. of oil in a large zip-close bag and allow chicken to marinate in the refrigerator 8 hours, or overnight. When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the bag, but save the marinade.
• Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat and add 2 Tbsp. peanut or vegetable oil once hot. Sauté chicken for two minutes on each side. Remove, and set aside on a plate.
• Use a slotted spoon to scoop the onions out of the marinade bag, add to the hot pan and cook for 5 minutes. Add the remaining marinade and bring to a boil. Cook at a boil for ten minutes.
• Continue to cook the marinade until it becomes a sauce (about 20 minutes). Reduce heat to medium, then return the chicken and drippings to the sauce, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through (about another 10-15 minutes). Serve with rice.

CHICKEN YASSA

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.

POULET YASSA (CHICKEN YASSA) FROM AFRICA

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.

SENEGALESE CHICKEN YASSA

Steps:

• In a large nonreactive bowl, prepare a marinade with the lemon juice, onions, salt, pepper, minced chile, and the 1/4 cup peanut oil. Place the chicken pieces in the marinade, making sure that they are all well covered, and allow them to marinate for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. Preheat the broiler. Remove the chicken pieces, reserving the marinade, and place them in a shallow roasting pan. Broil them until they are lightly browned on both sides. Remove the onions from the marinade. Cook them slowly in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a flameproof 3-quart casserole or dutch oven until tender and translucent. Add the remaining marinade and heat through.
• When the liquid is thoroughly heated, add the broiled chicken pieces, the pricked chile, olives, carrots, mustard, and water. Stir to mix well, then bring the yassa slowly to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve hot over white rice.