Yassa Poulet (Senegalese Chicken)
Yassa poulet is a popular dish that can be found throughout West Africa, though it specifically originated from Senegal. It has a unique, sweet taste.
- Prep
- 46 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 47 min
- Total
- 2 hr 33 min
- Servings
- As written in source
- Difficulty
- Advanced
Timings are approximate — worked out from the method, not measured in a test kitchen.
Ingredients
Quantities are retained as written by the source and do not scale automatically. Tap an ingredient to check it off as you go.
Cooking instructions
Procedure
Wash the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels.
Procedure
Put the chicken in a large bowl with the garlic, onions, dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, bouillon powder, cayenne pepper and smoked paprika. Mix together well and place in the fridge to marinate for 2–12 hours.
Procedure
Take the chicken out of the marinade, and scrape off the marinade and the onions. Reserve the marinade.
Procedure
Heat the olive oil in the large Dutch oven over medium heat, and add the chicken. Let it brown on both sides for 5 minutes. Take out and set aside the chicken.
Procedure
To the pot, add the onions and remaining marinade. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes until browned.
Procedure
Return the browned chicken pieces to the sweet caramelized onions.
Procedure
Add the chicken broth, and simmer for 20 minutes over medium heat until the chicken is fully cooked.
Procedure
Taste for salt and other ingredients and make any necessary adjustments.
Notes, tips, and variations
If you cannot eat it all at once, you can store it in the fridge for four days and in the deep freezer for up to 6 months.
Notes, tips, and variations
You can reheat this dish in a skillet over medium heat—if you notice it is too dry you can add a splash of chicken broth to make it moist.
Notes, tips, and variations
Try using a different type of mustard like whole grain or spicy brown if Dijon is not readily available.
Notes, tips, and variations
You can adjust the spice level to your taste. You can add some extra spice such as black pepper to improve its flavour.
Notes, tips, and variations
Try to brown the chicken well, as this improve the look and flavor.
Notes, tips, and variations
Make sure you use fresh lemon to get a nice taste—if this is not available, you can make use of bottled lemon or lime juice.
Notes, tips, and variations
It can be eaten with rice or cauliflower rice.
Photo: Alweaver2 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 · Photo source and licence
Wikibooks contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ · Adapted; quantities retained as written. · Original source
Read it through first
Skim all 15 steps before you start — it is the difference between cooking and firefighting.
Scale it
Use the quantities listed in the original recipe. Adjust them manually if making a different batch size.
Storage
Cool completely, then keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Reheating
Reheat gently with a splash of water in a covered pan, rather than blasting it, so nothing dries out.
Approximate values per serving. Worked out from the ingredient list — treat them as a guide, not a measurement.
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