Easy Chicken Yassa

Chicken yassa, also known as poulet yassa, is a slightly spicy dish prepared with an abundance of onions. The onions are traditionally marinated in Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and herbs and spices like cayenne, parsley, and garlic, then simmered into a thick comforting stew with grilled or roast chicken.

This dish originated in Senegal, but yassa is now eaten in many West African countries and can also be made with other meats such as lamb, beef or fish instead of chicken. Considered a hearty stew, it is also one of Senegal’s most famous home cooking.

Regarding the level of spice in this dish, how mild or spicy you want it is entirely up to you. Some people add Scotch Bonnet peppers or add extra cayenne pepper to Yassa stew to give it an extra kick. Feel free to adjust by adding more or less cayenne pepper, especially if you’re preparing this dish to entertain a family-friendly crowd.

This dish is usually served with white rice, but is just as delicious with other grains like quinoa, couscous, or bulgur. Other options include it with regular sweet potato or a mashed yam.

A chicken yassa recipe that’s quick, easy, and healthy

The recipe I created is a quicker and healthier version of the traditional chicken yassa. It’s also less hassle and doesn’t require you to hang around the stove for hours.

Traditionally, this is a one-pot meal where the chicken is first marinated in onions, lemon juice, and mustard for between 30 minutes and 1 hour. The chicken is then removed from the onion mixture, then sautéed or deep fried in a little canola oil while the marinated onions are simmered in another pan and caramelized until golden brown before the fried chicken is added back in with the onions and all the flavors are perfectly combined.

This is a much healthier way to cook this as the original recipe calls for the chicken to be fried. While we’re on the stovetop preparing our caramelized onion and mustard sauce. I find this method to be so much less labor intensive and less time consuming – it makes this a perfect weeknight dinner. You’ll have dinner on the table from start to finish in an hour (yes, that even includes prep).

After a long day at work or a busy day with the kids, this is a lively and satisfying comfort meal to help you end your day on a full and happy stomach.

A quick 10 minute rub

While this is a quick and easy weeknight meal, we still want to add as much flavor as possible, so we’re going to make a quick 10-minute rub for this dish. The rub for this chicken is very simple: Garlic granules or garlic powder, salt, black pepper, dried parsley, and some cayenne pepper for heat! If you rub the meat with the spices and let it work for a short time, the seasoning will penetrate the meat better and give it more flavor.

Make a good finger-licking caramelized onion and mustard sauce

Finally, the star of the dish is the rich onion and mustard sauce. The best part about this mustard sauce is how easy it is to make – you won’t believe it!

The sauce is made with caramelized onions generously coated in Dijon mustard, combined with a squeeze of lemon juice, fresh garlic, herbs and spices. The onion mixture is then simmered in a pan and once it has started to caramelize, add chicken broth or a bouillon cube and water to create a thick and rich sauce.

And for those who aren’t a huge mustard fan, I can say with confidence that it really doesn’t have any pungent mustard flavor at all, as it’s cooked in the onions and the chicken along with the broth gives an overall sweet taste.

Tips and tricks for preparing chicken yassa

While this recipe is pretty easy to make, there are a few things you should do to ensure you’re making the optimal version!

• You need quality Dijon mustard. The mustard brings the sauce together and therefore the quality of the mustard used is very important, I prefer to use the French brand Maille.
• Don’t be shy with onions. The amount of chopped onions before you start cooking may seem daunting and your first thought might be “I sure don’t need that many onions!” Wrong! Use any onions as they will shrink as they cook (similar to mushrooms or spinach).
• Cook your onions low and slow! This is a must – you might be tempted to rush the onions, but making sure they caramelize properly will bring out the natural sweetness.
• Score the chicken. This will ensure the spices get through the meat as the chicken will not be marinated for very long.

Make Ahead and Storage

This recipe is suitable for preparation the day before, preferably the day before, and to be eaten warmed up. In fact, I find that all of the flavors in the sauce intensify overnight and it usually tastes even better the next day.

To warm upyou can simply heat the Yassa in the microwave, alternatively put it in a deep pan with a splash of water (no more than 3-4 tablespoons) and let it steam over low heat for about 5-7 minutes.

For storage, this can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 to 5 days, otherwise I recommend freezing the Yassa. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Once taken out of the freezer, it can be thawed in the fridge overnight or stored at room temperature if you plan to eat within the next 3-4 hours.