Best 4 Poulet Yassa Chicken Yassa From Africa Recipes

Tantalize your taste buds with Poulet Yassa, a delectable dish originating from the vibrant West African country of Senegal. This flavorful chicken dish, pronounced as "poo-lay ya-sa," is a harmonious blend of tender chicken, tangy lemon, caramelized onions, and a medley of aromatic spices. Savor the unique flavor profile of Poulet Yassa, a dish that perfectly embodies the culinary heritage of Senegal.

This recipe collection offers a diverse range of Poulet Yassa variations, each capturing the essence of this beloved dish while adding a unique twist. From the classic Poulet Yassa, bursting with lemon and onion flavors, to the innovative Poulet Yassa with Peanut Sauce, which introduces a rich and nutty dimension, these recipes cater to various tastes and preferences.

For those seeking a traditional experience, the Poulet Yassa with Mustard Sauce stays true to the original recipe, allowing the vibrant flavors of lemon and onion to shine through. Alternatively, the Poulet Yassa with Sweet Potato Mash adds a touch of sweetness and creaminess to the dish, creating a harmonious balance of flavors.

Seafood enthusiasts will delight in the Poulet Yassa with Fish, a delightful variation that showcases the bounty of the Senegalese coast. This recipe ingeniously combines the flavors of chicken and fish, resulting in a tantalizing seafood medley.

Vegetarians can relish the Poulet Yassa with Tofu, a plant-based rendition that captures the essence of the classic dish without compromising on taste. This recipe skillfully recreates the aromatic and flavorful experience of Poulet Yassa using tofu as the main protein source.

Whichever recipe you choose, Poulet Yassa promises an explosion of flavors that will transport you to the vibrant streets of Senegal. Embark on a culinary journey and savor the unique taste of this West African treasure.

Here are our top 4 tried and tested recipes!

POULET YASSA RECIPE (SENEGALESE CHICKEN RECIPE)

Poulet Yassa Recipe (Senegalese Chicken Recipe) image

A popular, Senegalese dish, this tender chicken is marinated in an onion-lemon-vinegar mixture that then cooks down into a completely delectable sauce that is amazing.

Provided by The Wanderlust Kitchen, adapted from The Africa Cookbook

Categories Main Dish

Time 9h

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

1/2 cup peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
3 boneless (skinless chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally to make two thin fillets)
4 large yellow onions (roughly chopped)
8 Tbsp. lemon juice
8 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 bay leaf
4 cloves garlic (minced)
2 Tbsp. Dijon or stone-ground mustard
1 jalapeno pepper (seeded and finely chopped (optional))
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. peanut or vegetable oil

Steps:

Combine all of the ingredients except for the last 2 Tbsp. of oil in a large zip-close bag and allow chicken to marinate in the refrigerator 8 hours, or overnight. When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the bag, but save the marinade.
Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat and add 2 Tbsp. peanut or vegetable oil once hot. Sauté chicken for two minutes on each side. Remove, and set aside on a plate.
Use a slotted spoon to scoop the onions out of the marinade bag, add to the hot pan and cook for 5 minutes. Add the remaining marinade and bring to a boil. Cook at a boil for ten minutes.
Continue to cook the marinade until it becomes a sauce (about 20 minutes). Reduce heat to medium, then return the chicken and drippings to the sauce, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through (about another 10-15 minutes). Serve with rice.

Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 serving, Calories 351 kcal, Carbohydrate 12 g, Protein 21 g, Fat 24 g, SaturatedFat 4 g, Cholesterol 51 mg, Sodium 588 mg, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 5 g, UnsaturatedFat 19 g

CHICKEN YASSA

Chicken Yassa image

This is my riff on yassa, a traditional Senegalese dish of chicken or other meat and onions marinated in a tart mixture of vinegar, citrus, chiles and spices. The flavors are entrancing, and it's a knockout for a dinner party. The chicken and most of the ingredients can marinate overnight, and the marinade becomes the sauce for the finished dish, so most of your prep is done ahead. Here I braise the chicken, making it a one-pot dish and an excellent choice if you want a spectacular dinner without a lot of hassle (or clean-up!).

Provided by JJ Johnson

Categories main-dish

Time 7h5m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons Dijon or grain mustard
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 Thai bird chile, stemmed, seeded and minced
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon cayenne
Kosher salt
4 large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced into half-moons
1 bay leaf
2 pounds chicken thighs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
Cooked white basmati rice, for serving

Steps:

Whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, mustard, lemon zest, chile, black pepper, cayenne and salt to taste in a large nonreactive bowl or other container. Stir in the onions and bay leaf. Add the chicken to the marinade and toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, turning the chicken in the marinade if it's not completely covered, at least 6 hours or overnight.
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade; reserve the marinade. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot, add the chicken to the pot and sear until golden brown on both sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Add the allspice to the pot and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Spoon the solids from the marinade into the pot and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved liquid and chicken, making sure to spoon the sauce over the chicken to coat. Add about 1 cup of water to the pot. Cover and cook over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.
Place the chicken on a serving platter. Spoon the onions and sauce from the pan over the chicken. (Simmer the sauce, uncovered, for 5 minutes on medium heat if there is too much liquid; it should be a rich sauce.) Season with salt and pepper and serve with the rice.

POULET YASSA (CHICKEN YASSA) FROM AFRICA

Poulet Yassa (Chicken Yassa) from Africa image

This traditional chicken dish from the Casamance region of Senegal is one of the most famous African recipes and is found in Senegalese restaurants the world over. For best results let the chicken marinate overnight; in Africa, this is essential to tenderize the sometimes tougher African fowl. It is also very good when made with fish. For the simplest yassa, make the marinade from just oil, lemon juice, onions, and a little mustard.

Provided by Ed Gibbon

Categories Chicken

Time 4h45m

Yield 4-6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

1/2 cup peanut oil (or any cooking oil)
1 chicken, cut into serving-sized pieces
4 -6 onions, cut up
8 tablespoons lemon juice
8 tablespoons vinegar (cider vinegar is good)
1 bay leaf
4 cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (optional)
1 tablespoon maggi seasoning sauce (or Maggi cubes and water or soy sauce) (optional)
1 chili pepper, cleaned and finely chopped (optional)
cayenne pepper or red pepper
black pepper
salt
1 small cabbage, cut into chunks (optional)
2 carrots, cut into chunks (optional)

Steps:

Mix all ingredients (except the optional vegetables), the more onions the better, and allow chicken to marinate in a glass dish in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.
Remove chicken from the marinade, but save the marinade.
Cook according to one of the following methods.
Cooking method 1: Grill chicken over a charcoal fire (or bake it in a hot oven) until chicken is lightly browned but not done.
Cooking method 2: Sauté chicken for a few minutes on each side in hot oil in a frypan.
While chicken is browning: Remove onions from marinade and sauté them in a large saucepan for a few minutes.
Add remaining marinade and the optional vegetables and bring to a slow boil, cooking the marinade into a sauce.
Reduce heat.
Add chicken to the sauce, cover and simmer until chicken is done.
Serve with Rice, Couscous (couscous with chickpeas and raisins is very good), or Fufu.

CHICKEN YASSA

Chicken Yassa image

Popular across West Africa, chicken yassa coaxes deep flavor from a handful of simple ingredients: smoky grilled chicken, sweet caramelized onions, tangy lime, bright ginger and spicy Scotch bonnet chile. This version comes from "The Fonio Cookbook" by chef Pierre Thiam (Lake Isle Press, 2019). Mr. Thiam, who was born and raised in Dakar, is the chef and owner of Teranga, a West African restaurant in Harlem. His recipe calls for bone-in chicken legs, but, in southern Senegal, where the dish originated, you might be served other chicken parts, fish yassa or even lamb yassa. The cooking method is flexible: The chicken develops the best smoky char when grilled, but will still be delicious seared in a grill pan or cast-iron skillet.

Provided by Alexa Weibel

Categories dinner, poultry, main course

Time 1h

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken legs (2 1/2 to 3 pounds)
4 scallions, trimmed, whites and greens finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried)
1 tablespoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup lime juice (from 3 or 4 limes), plus more as needed
4 tablespoons peanut, vegetable or canola oil, plus more as needed
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 pounds yellow onions, halved and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 green bell pepper, halved, seeded and cut into thin matchsticks
1 whole Scotch bonnet chile, poked with a fork (or 1 whole habanero chile, 1 to 2 minced jalapeños, or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes)
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
3 fresh or dried bay leaves
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (optional)
Cooked rice or fonio, for serving

Steps:

In a large bowl, combine the chicken legs with the scallions, thyme, vinegar, 1/4 cup lime juice and 1 tablespoon oil. Marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
If using a grill or grill pan, heat it over high; if using a cast-iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. (If cooking indoors, pat the chicken dry, discarding marinade, then brush the chicken lightly with oil.) Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. Working in batches if necessary, grill or sear the chicken until browned on both sides, 6 or 7 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high. When the oil is hot, add the onions in an even layer, season with salt and pepper, and let sear without stirring for 3 to 4 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir occasionally to prevent onions from burning at the bottom of the pot, and allow onions to cook until they start to caramelize and take on some color, 10 to 12 minutes.
Add the bell pepper, chile, garlic, ginger, bay leaves and the mustard (if using), and continue stirring, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of water as needed to avoid scorching at the bottom of the pot, another 5 minutes. Stir in another 1/4 cup lime juice, and season with 1 tablespoon salt and 2 teaspoons pepper.
Add the grilled chicken into the pot, tucking it under the onions, then top with 1 cup water. Stir well, smooth mixture gently into an even layer, cover and simmer over medium until chicken is cooked through and tender, about 30 minutes.
Season to taste and add more lime juice to taste, if desired. Serve chicken over rice, with onion mixture and sauce drizzled generously on top.

Tips:

Use a whole chicken for the most flavorful results. You can also use chicken parts, but the cooking time may need to be adjusted.
If you don't have a mortar and pestle, you can grind the garlic and onion in a food processor.
Add the lemon juice to the onion mixture at the end of cooking, to prevent the lemon juice from losing its flavor.
Serve Poulet Yassa with steamed rice or couscous.
Garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro.
Leftover Poulet Yassa can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Conclusion:

Poulet Yassa is a delicious and flavorful African chicken dish that is surprisingly easy to make. With its zesty lemon flavor and tender chicken, it's sure to be a hit with your family and friends. So next time you're looking for a new and exciting dish to try, give Poulet Yassa a try. You won't be disappointed!