Poulet Yassa is a Senegalese dish made of chicken that has been marinated in a mixture of garlic, lemon juice, dijon mustard, and spices. It has become very popular throughout West Africa and in other parts of the world.
The chicken is then cooked in a hot skillet with caramelized onions. Chicken broth is then added to the pot, and the dish is cooked until the chicken is tender. This delicious Poulet Yassa is so tasty and is sure to become your favorite African recipe!
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❤️ Why you'll love it
You will absolutely love the spiciness and flavor of this dish! The chicken is cooked to perfection, and the onions add a sweetness that takes this dish to the next level.
This recipe is perfect for those who love African food or want to try something new. You will absolutely love this easy chicken dish!
💭 What is Poulet Yassa?
Poulet Yassa, also known as Chicken Yassa, is a popular Senegalese dish made with chicken, caramelized onions, dijon mustard, and other spices. It has a tangy, smoky taste that is so finger-licking good!
The chicken is usually grilled, seared, or baked in the oven before sauteeing in a sauce rich in caramelized onions and other spices.
🧾 Ingredients Used
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- Chicken thighs: I prefer to use chicken thighs because they have more flavor. You can also use other chicken parts like chicken breasts or chicken legs.
- Olive oil: This will be used to cook the chicken and onions. You could also use avocado oil.
- Dijon mustard: This adds a great depth of flavor to the dish.
- Garlic cloves: I like to use freshly peeled garlic cloves, but you can also use pre-peeled garlic.
- Onions: You will need large onions for this recipe! I prefer to use yellow onions, but you can also use white onions.
- Lemon juice: This adds acidity and brightness to the dish.
- Chicken broth: This will be used to cook the chicken and add flavor. You could also use chicken stock.
- Spices: I like to use smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, bouillon powder, and salt. You can adjust the spices to your liking.
🔪 How To Make This Recipe
- Wash and pat dry the chicken, then cut the onions and mince the garlic. Then, place the chicken in a large bowl.
- Add the garlic, onions, lemon juice, mustard, and spices. Mix together and place in the fridge to marinate for 2 hours or overnight. Take the chicken out of the marinade and scrape off the onions and marinade, but don't toss it.
- Add some olive oil to a skillet or large dutch oven and place the chicken on it. Brown it for 4-5 minutes on both sides on medium-high heat.
- Take the chicken out, add the onions, and pour in the remaining marinade. Cook on low to medium-low heat for about 10 minutes till it is caramelized.
- Add the browned chicken pieces to the sweet caramelized onions. Then, pour in the chicken broth and cook for 15-20 minutes, till the chicken is fully cooked. Taste for salt and adjust if needed.
🥫 Storing and Reheating
You can store this tasty dish in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Just be sure to keep it in an airtight container with a lid or wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
When you're ready to reheat, simply place the leftover Senegalese chicken Yassa in a skillet over medium heat and cook until heated through. You may need to add a splash of chicken broth if the dish seems too dry.
💭 Tips and Variations
- Try using a different type of mustard, such as whole-grain mustard or spicy brown mustard, if you do not have any dijon mustard.
- Add some chopped bell peppers to the dish for extra color and sweetness. For a kick, add fresh habanero pepper or hot chile pepper.
- You can adjust the spice level by adding more or less cayenne pepper to this chicken Yassa recipe.
- Be sure to brown the chicken nicely before adding the onions.
- Make sure to use fresh lemon juice for the best results. If you can't find fresh lemons, you can use bottled lemon juice or lime juice.
- You can try adding some other spices for added flavor, such as black pepper or bay leaves.
🍽️ What can I eat this recipe with?
This Poulet Yassa Chicken recipe is traditionally eaten with rice, but I eat mine with cauliflower rice since I'm on a low-carb diet.
It also pairs wonderfully with some delicious side dishes such as Keto Mashed Cauliflower, Air Fryer Green Beans, or some simple Instant Pot Steamed Vegetables.
👩🍳 Frequently asked questions
Chicken Yassa has a unique flavor that is tangy, sweet, and spicy. The chicken is usually very tender, and the onions are caramelized, which gives them a sweet taste.
Yassa is a dish that originated in Senegal, specifically from the Casamance region, which is in Southern Senegal. It is a very popular dish throughout Western Africa.
The most popular recipe in Senegal is thieboudienne, which is a rice and fish dish. Of course, Chicken Yassa is also a very popular dish, as well as Firire, Domoda, and other popular dishes.
📚 Related Recipes
Need more healthy African recipes? Check these out!
📖 Recipe
Poulet Yassa - Senegalese Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 large onions thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon bouillon powder
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
- Wash and pat dry the chicken, then cut the onions and mince the garlic.
- Place the chicken in a large bowl.
- Add the garlic, onions, lemon juice, mustard, and spices.
- Mix together and place in the fridge to marinate for 2 hours or overnight.
- Take the chicken out of the marinade and scrape off the marinade and onions, but don't toss it.
- Add some olive oil to a skillet or large dutch oven and place the chicken on it.
- Brown it for 4-5 minutes on both sides on medium-high heat.
- Take the chicken out, add the onions, and pour in the remaining marinade.
- Cook on low to medium-low heat for about 5 minutes till it is caramelized.
- Add the browned chicken pieces to the sweet caramelized onions.
- Add the chicken broth to the hot pan, and cook for 15-20 minutes, till the chicken is fully cooked.
- Taste for salt and adjust if needed.
Notes
- Try using a different type of mustard, such as whole-grain mustard or spicy brown mustard, if you do not have any dijon mustard.
- Add some chopped bell peppers to the dish for extra color and sweetness. For a kick, add fresh habanero pepper or hot chile pepper.
- You can adjust the spice level by adding more or less cayenne pepper to this chicken Yassa recipe.
- Be sure to brown the chicken nicely before adding the onions.
- Make sure to use fresh lemon juice for the best results. If you can't find fresh lemons, you can use bottled lemon juice or lime juice.
- You can try adding some other spices for added flavor, such as black pepper or bay leaves.
Tried this tonight and it was a success with my whole family (me, hubby, 13yo and 10yo) thank you!
Yay, I'm so glad it was a hit with your family, Alyse!
Absolutely LOVED this! My husband and I enjoy spiced food but I can't handle highly spicy food, so I reduced the cayenne pepper quite a bit. It was still very flavorful and we look forward to trying many of your other recipes.
I'm so glad you both enjoyed the chicken recipe! I hope you find more recipes you love 🙂
I’m looking forward to making this! What side dishes would you recommend to serve with this?
Hi Bobbie, if you are not on a low carb diet, this goes perfectly with rice.
Toya, this recipe is amazing! Made as published and would not change a thing. Thank you for opening my eyes to the tastes of Africa❤️
So glad you loved it, Nick!
I’m taking chicken out to thaw tonight so I can make this tomorrow or the next day. Looks delicious and comments back that up. Can’t wait to try it!
Awesome! Hope you enjoy it!
I don't remember when I first made this, but it's become one of our family's go-to weeknight meals. I liked serving it with braised greens and mashed potatoes/cauliflower - the oniony sauce makes a nice gravy. I just realized looking at the pictures that I've been using boneless, skinless chicken thighs and it looks like yours are probably bone-in, skin-on, but it's still delicious with boneless/skinless.
It's great to hear that this recipe has become a staple for your weeknight meals, Heather. Using boneless, skinless chicken thighs is a fantastic twist, and I'm glad it's been turning out wonderfully for you!
I made this tonight for I r dinner. Mmm mmm mmph!! Delicious. A gentle savory dish, that makes you wonder why it is so good.
So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing!
This looks delicious! Is it made using bone-in? With skin or without? Will boneless and skinless work??
I use bone-in but boneless will work as well, with or without the skin.
Your recipe popped on Google and for me the presentation drew me in. It look soooo good, however, I am a vegan and I use my homemade seitan instead of chicken. Let me tell , this recipe will now be one of my go to meals, although you have to wait for the dish to marinate, it is well worth the wait?? It was soooooo delicious!! Thank you for sharing!
I'm so glad you made the recipe work for you!