Poulet yassa is a famous Senegalese and Gambian dish that has become popular throughout Western Africa. Giving the chicken a long marinade in lemon juice helps to tenderize the sometimes tough poultry found in the region. It also gives yassa its incomparable flavor, with the bright acidity of the citrus rounded out by the sweetness of the caramelized onions. A dollop of Dijon mustard shows the influence of the French colonial past.
Adding an acidic punch
Lemon juice provides the primary flavor to yassa and tenderizes the chicken during its long marinade. If you like, you can use a mixture of lemon and lime juice. Or use all lime juice if that’s what you have. Both types of citrus are used for yassa in Senegal. Many people also add a splash of white or cider vinegar to the marinade to heighten the dish’s punch even more. Once the yassa has finished cooking, another good squeeze of lemon will give a final flourish to its flavor. Serve lemon or lime wedges on the side so people can season to their taste.
Onions, lots of onions!
A good rule of thumb for how many onions you’ll need for yassa is two or three medium onions for every pound of chicken. That may seem like a lot, but the onions cook way down, slowly taking on a jammy texture and subtle sweetness. Yellow, white and red onions all work for yassa, and a mixture of two or three types can add complexity to the flavor.
Adding vegetables to your yassa
Vegetables are sometimes added to the pot to stretch the chicken. They also add nutrition and broaden its flavor and texture. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, stir in two or three chopped carrots, half a head of chopped cabbage or a handful of green olives.
How to serve poulet yassa
Yassa is traditionally served communally from a large round platter. First, cooked rice is spread over the platter. Next, the cooked chicken pieces are placed attractively over the rice. Finally, the caramelized onions and sauce are sprinkled over the chicken and rice. Each diner eats from their own, pie-shaped zone of the platter. Everyone gathers a bit of rice, some onions and a little chicken with their right hand and then works it into a bite-sized ball. Then they pop it into their mouths, marvelling at the deliciousness and complimenting the cook. For a less traditional presentation, just give everyone their own plate, a fork and a knife!
Poisson yassa, or yassa with fish
Fish yassa is the most popular type of yassa after chicken. Substitute 2 or 3 pounds of firm fish fillets or whole, cleaned fish for the chicken. Marinating time only needs to be 30 minutes to an hour for the fish, and the fish is cooked separately from the onions. First, saute the fish or grill it over a wood or charcoal fire until it is cooked through, and then set the fish aside to keep warm. Next, follow the recipe directions for sauteing and cooking down the onions in the marinade until they are soft and sweet. Then serve the grilled fish over rice and topped with the lemony, caramelized onions.
Poulet Yassa
Course: PoultryCuisine: Senegal, Mali, Gambia4 to 6
servingsIn this West African chicken dish, a long marinade in lemon juice tenderizes the chicken and gives it an incomparable flavor.
Ingredients
Chicken thighs and legs — 2 to 3 pounds
Onions, thinly sliced — 4 to 6
Scotch bonnet or habanero chile peppers, whole — 1 to 3
Lemons, juice only — 4 or 5, about 1 cup
Dijon mustard (optional) — 2 or 3 tablespoons
Salt and pepper — to season
Oil — 1/4 cup
Directions
- Add all the ingredients except for the oil to a large non-reactive bowl and mix together well, making sure the chicken pieces are well buried in the onions. Refrigerate and marinate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
- Remove the chicken pieces from the onions and marinade, reserving the marinade and onions. Wipe the chicken pieces dry. Add the oil to a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat and then brown the chicken pices in the hot oil, turning once or twice, until well browned on both sides. Remove from the skillet or pot and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Remove the onions from the marinade and add them to the pot. Saute, stirring often, until they are well wilted and starting to brown, around 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the browned chicken pieces back to the skillet or pot and pour the remaining marinade over everthing. You may need to add a cup or so of water to make sure everything is moist and the onions don’t burn. Reduce heat to medium-low heat and simmer, covered loosely, until the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Adjust seasoning and serve with rice or couscous and wedges of lemon for squeezing.
Poulet Yassa Notes and Variations
- Flavor additions: Add two or three tablespoons of minced garlic to the marinade. You can also add a tablespoon of fresh or dried ginger. For some people, a tablespoon of curry powder makes their yassa taste like home. Stir some dried or fresh thyme or chopped parsley into the simmering onions.
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