Chicken Yassa

Yassa is an onion and lemon based Senegalese dish which has become very popular throughout all of West Africa. I have not met anyone – including outside the continent – who tried this dish and did not enjoy it. Yassa is typically accompanied with white rice. Yassa can be made with any type of protein, though the most popular Yassa is chicken Yassa. I am sharing with you my take on the dish in this recipe where I included Dijon mustard. I’ve been told that Dijon mustard is not used to make Yassa traditionally; however, I have never made Yassa without it. It is an easy recipe, but it requires a lot of wait time. It is worth it!

Ingredients

For the chicken:

  • 5 pieces of chicken wings
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1/8 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

 

For the stew:

  • 2 large onions, sliced
  • 2 scallions stalks, chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • 1/3 cup oil
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed, please)
  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 3 tablespoons green seasoning
  • Salt, as needed
  • Water, as needed
  • 1 scotch bonnet pepper (optional)

Tools

  • Medium size pot
  • Skillet
  • Spatula
  • Knife
  • Large bowl
  • Baking sheet
  • Oven drying rack
  • Parchment paper
  • Paper towel
  • Aluminum foil

Directions

Step 1 : Chicken first.

  • Clean the chicken wings, using lemon or vinegar if possible. Make small cuts in the wings using a knife to allow the seasoning to penetrate
  • Pat dry the chicken wings with paper towel, and transfer to a bowl
  • Add salt, black pepper, white pepper, and combine well. Let sit for at least one hour.
  • After seasoning has penetrated well, heat the oil in a medium skillet and over medium high heat
  • Add the all-purpose flour in the chicken and mix well to coat

  • Place the chicken wings in the skillet and cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side. This is not intended to cook the chicken thoroughly
  • Remove from pan and set aside

 

Step 2 : Cook the Yassa.

  • In a medium bowl, combine 2/3 of the oil, the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and green seasoning

  • Add the chicken wings and 2/3 of the sliced onions in the mixture and combine well. Let sit for 3 hours or more

      

  • When ready to cook the Yassa, pre-heat the oven to 400 F
  • Place the chicken wings in the oven . To do this, line the baking sheet with aluminum foil, place the oven drying rack on top, and line with parchment paper.
  • Reserve the onion mixture
  • Bake for about 20 minutes until light brown, flipping halfway for even color throughout. Set aside

       

  • Heat the remaining oil in a medium pan under medium high heat. Add the remaining 1/3 onions, the garlic and scallions. Sauté for a couple minutes
  • Add the onion mixture and reduce the heat to medium low. Season with salt, black pepper, cumin, and all-purpose seasoning
  • Cook for about 30 minutes, while stirring every now and then to avoid sticking. Add water little by little as needed. A little water goes a long way

  • Add the chicken pieces and the scotch bonnet pepper. Add water if needed; then, cook for another 10 minutes

  • Serve with white rice and enjoy!

Notes

  • You can also make Yassa with red meat or fish

Share this recipe !

Facebook
Pinterest
Email
WhatsApp
Twitter
Tumblr

Make sure to tag me @theblvckgourmet on Instagram if you try this recipe and use hashtag #bgrecipe.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest recipes

April 10, 2022
I’ve been thinking a lot of about a street food in Benin typically called “pain viande hachee,” which…
November 3, 2021
This Baobab juice recipe is from one my grandmothers who is originally from Senegal. It is easy to…
September 13, 2021
Ginger is one of my favorite ingredient to use in the kitchen, and it only makes sense that…