Poulet Yassa (Senegalese Chicken)

Serves

4

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

90 minutes

Ingredients

For the chicken:
  1.8 lbs (800 g) chicken legs, bone in & skin on
  1 tsp sea salt
  1 tbsp olive oil
For the marinade:
  1 onion, chopped
  4 garlic cloves, peeled
  handful of fresh parsley
  1 tsp cayenne pepper
  zest & juice of 1 lemon
  2 tsp Dijon mustard
For the sauce:
  2 tbsp olive oil
  3 onions, sliced
  1 red bell pepper, sliced
  2 garlic cloves, minced
  juice 2 lemons
  2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  10 fl oz (300 ml) chicken broth
  6 sprigs fresh thyme
  1 bay leaf
  1 tsp red pepper flakes
  ½ tsp sea salt
  ½ tsp black pepper

Nutrition

(Per Serving)

Calories

504

Fats

37 g

Protein

34 g

Carbs

7 g

Instructions

  • Make a few diagonal slashes across the chicken skin, season with the salt (massaging it into the chicken), and place the chicken in a large bowl.
  • Place the marinade ingredients in a food processor, blitz to combine, then add to the chicken and massage thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  • Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to allow the meat to come to room temperature. Set the oven to broil.
  • Take the chicken out of the marinade and set the marinade aside for later. Drizzle the chicken with a tablespoon of olive oil and arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer, skin-side up. Grill the chicken on each side for 10 minutes, until browned, then set aside to rest.
  • Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large pot and add the onions along with the leftover marinade. Cover the pot and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 10 minutes, remove the lid and continue cooking for another 15–20 minutes, until the onions begin to caramelize. Add a splash of water, if needed, to prevent burning.
  • Now add the bell pepper to the onions and cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic cooking for a further 2-3 minutes. Pour in the lemon juice and add the Dijon mustard, chicken broth, thyme, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer.
  • Place the chicken, skin-side up, in the sauce. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the sauce has reduced and the chicken is cooked through.
  • Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve.