Recipe: Senegalese Chicken Yassa: A Healthy and Flavorful Option

Senegalese Chicken Yassa, or better still Poulet Yassa, is a peculiar Senegalese dish traditionally prepared with tender chicken, lots of caramelized onions, dijon mustard, lemony sauce, hot peppers, olive oil, and other spices. It has a tangy, smoky taste that’s irresistible!

Usually, you’ll marinate and grill the chicken in the oven before sautéing it in a sauce rich in caramelized onions and other spices. The most significant ingredients in Senegalese Chicken Yassa are onions and Dijon mustard. This adds a remarkable depth of flavor to the dish, giving it a mouthwatering, sweet taste.

If you’re salivating already, hold on! Here’s how to prepare Senegalese Chicken Yassa.

How to Prepare Senegalese Chicken Yassa.

With this dish, you’ll need chicken thighs since they’re more tender and contain more meat. However, you can use other parts of the chicken according to your preference. 

Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need:

Ingredients

• Spices
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 Hot pepper
• 2 tsp Olive Oil 
• 1 Lemon, juiced
• 1 tsp Black pepper
• 3 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1 tsp Chicken Stock
• 1 ½ cup Chicken Broth
• 4 Large Onions, Sliced
• 1 ½  kilo Chicken Thighs
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 3 Cloves Of Garlic, Peeled

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Wash your chicken and place it in a large bowl.  Make a few slits on the chicken to allow the spices to penetrate easily.
2. You can chop the garlic or blend it with other spices, and add salt.
3. In a large bowl, mix the garlic, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, other spices and salt with the sliced onions, olive oil, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard.
4. Use the mixture to marinate the chicken. You can also choose to marinate the chicken with just the spices. 
5. Leave it in the fridge for 2 hours to properly marinate. For the best result, it’s best to leave your chicken in the mixture and let it marinate in the fridge overnight.
6. Take the chicken out of the mixture and place it aside.
7. Preheat the oven to 400°F. You can choose to use a skillet or grill.
8. Place the chicken on a sheet pan and bake at 400°F for 30 minutes until golden brown. You can insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken, and it should read between 165°F-175°F.  
9. In a pan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Then add the onion mustard mixture. Saute, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. The onions should be gauzy and start to take on a golden-brown color.
10. Add the chicken stock, to the onions. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. The onions should be golden and caramelized. You’ll also notice that the stock should have thickened slightly.
11. Add cooked chicken to the onion mustard sauce using tongs since it’s still hot. Place the chicken thighs in the onion mustard sauce and let it simmer for another 10 minutes then turn the heat off. 

Your nutritious Senegalese Chicken Yassa is ready and you can serve it hot with rice.

People Also Read:Recipe: Saka Saka Recipe (Congolese Cassava Leaf Soup)

What Can I Eat Senegalese Chicken Yassa Recipe With?

You can eat the Senegalese Chicken Yassa recipe with rice. It also pairs wonderfully with some delicious side dishes such as keto mashed cauliflower, air fryer green beans, or some simple pot steamed vegetables. 

Tips and Tricks for Making Senegalese Chicken Yassa

Although this recipe is pretty easy to follow, there are some things you should do to ensure the highest quality!

Use Quality Dijon Mustard

The mustard is what brings the sauce together, so the quality of the mustard you use is very important. You can use the original French, which remains America’s favorite mustard. 

Use Enough Onions

The number of sliced onions before cooking may seem daunting. Your first thought might be, “I surely do not need so many onions!” But you need enough onions to prepare Senegalese Chicken Yassa. This is because onions shrink as they cook.

Join our Spotcovery Global Black Community Facebook Group for early access to exclusive content and share in a lively discussion.

Cook Your Onions on Low Heat

It’s important to keep the fire on low heat even if you feel tempted to rush the onions. However, making sure they caramelize properly will bring out the natural sweetness. 

Marinate Your Chicken for at Least 2 Hours

This may seem like forever, but the best you could do to kill time is to spice your chicken and marinate it overnight in the refrigerator.

Mrsdrewry’s Food is a food vlogger on Youtube and a content creator who is passionate about African Cuisine. She dedicates most of her time to trying new recipes in the kitchen to share with her audience. She speaks French, English and Twi.

Video Source: Mrsdrewry’s Food licensed under CC BY 2.0

Togolese Gboma Dessi

Togolese Gboma Dessi, also called sauce feuille, is a sauce traditionally prepared with spinach, beef, chicken, shrimps, and smoked fish. You can eat Togolese Gboma Dessi with akoume or rice.

Check out this recipe

Nearly 80% of consumers turn to directories with reviews to find a local business. List your business for free in our exclusive Spotcovery Black-Owned Business Directory.