Senegalese Poulet Yassa

Ingredients

• 120 ml (½ cup)freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 60 ml (¼ cup)apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)Dijon mustard
• 60 ml (¼ cup), dividedpeanut oil or another cooking oil
• 5 cloves, mincedgarlic
• 10 ml (2 teaspoons) or 2 cubesbouillon powder
• 1, finely choppedhabanero
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon)ground ginger
• 5–7.5 ml (1–1½ teaspoons), or to tastesalt
• 10 ml (2 teaspoons)black pepper
• 6 pieceschicken thighs
• 4, thinly sliced into half-moonswhite or yellow onions
• 2bay leaves
• 30–45 ml (2–3 tablespoons)oil
• 180 ml (¾ cup)chicken stock or water
• 180 ml (¾ cup), optionalgreen olives
• To taste, if desiredparsley

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the marinade

   In a medium bowl, combine the lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, 2 tablespoons of oil, garlic, bouillon powder, habanero, ginger, salt and black pepper. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

2. 2

   Marinate the chicken

   Put the chicken in a large bowl with the sliced onions, bay leaves and marinade. Mix well, cover tightly with a lid or cling film, and refrigerate for a few hours, preferably overnight.

3. 3

   Set aside marinade

   When you are ready to cook, lift the chicken pieces out of the marinade and reserve the marinade.

4. 4

   Brown the chicken

   Heat 2–3 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Working in batches if needed so the pan is not crowded, brown the chicken on both sides over medium heat for 7–10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

5. 5

   Fry the onions

   Lift the onions out of the marinade, keeping the marinade for later. Fry the onions for about 5–10 minutes, until well reduced.

6. 6

   Simmer until tender

   Add the browned chicken, remaining marinade and chicken stock or water to the pot with the onions. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for a further 15–20 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the sauce has reduced to your liking.

7. 7

   Add the olives

   Stir in the olives and simmer for 3–5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

8. 8

   Garnish and serve

   Add parsley if desired, then serve over rice or mashed potatoes.

What is Poulet Yassa?

Poulet Yassa is a Senegalese chicken dish associated with the Casamance region of southern Senegal and enjoyed more widely across West Africa. Its characteristic combination is chicken, plenty of onions and a tangy marinade.

This version uses lemon, vinegar and mustard for sharpness, with optional habanero and olives. Marinating the chicken ahead gives the flavours time to mingle, while cooking the onions down helps form the base of the sauce.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 208 calories, 3g protein, 12g carbs, 17g fat.

The supplied nutrition figures are listed per serving, but they do not align with the quantities here: the chicken is the main protein source, the onions and accompanying rice or potatoes provide most of the carbohydrate, and the oils contribute much of the fat. For a balanced plate, serve a measured portion with plenty of vegetables alongside.

The marinade’s role

Citrus and vinegar: lemon juice and vinegar give the marinade its bright, tangy character, while Dijon mustard adds savoury depth. Garlic, ginger, black pepper and bouillon powder round it out.

Habanero: a finely chopped chilli brings heat, so use it according to your preference. The recipe includes it as an optional flavour choice rather than a requirement for the marinade to work.

Make time for marinating

Overnight rest: the recipe recommends leaving the covered chicken, onions and marinade in the fridge for a few hours, preferably overnight. If you are short on time, the stated method still allows for a few hours of marinating.

Keep the liquid: separate the chicken and onions when you start cooking, but reserve the marinade. It goes into the pot later with the browned chicken and stock or water.

Brown in batches

Give the chicken room: brown it on both sides over medium heat for 7–10 minutes, working in batches if the pan is crowded. Browning in an uncrowded pan helps the pieces colour rather than steam.

Set it aside once browned; it finishes cooking later in the sauce. The recipe does not specify a separate browning time for each side, so use the stated total cooking window as a guide.

Cook the onions down

Reduced onions: fry the reserved onion slices for about 5–10 minutes before adding the chicken and liquids. They should look noticeably reduced rather than remain raw and bulky.

Sauce consistency: simmer the combined ingredients over medium-low heat for 15–20 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the sauce has reduced to your liking. The final amount of reduction is a matter of preference.

Choose your accompaniments

Rice: serve the chicken and onion sauce over rice, as suggested in the recipe, so the grains can take up some of the tangy cooking liquid.

Mashed potatoes: these are the other suggested accompaniment and make a soft base for the sauce. Parsley is an optional fresh garnish, and the olives can be left out if you prefer.

Recipe notes & tips

• Marinate the chicken in a tightly covered bowl in the refrigerator.
• Keep the reserved marinade; it is added back to the pot during cooking.
• Brown the chicken in batches if needed to avoid crowding the pan.
• Slice the onions into even half-moons so they cook down at a similar rate.
• Add the habanero to suit your preferred level of heat.
• Taste the sauce after simmering and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Variations

• Swap the vinegar: use red wine vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar as listed.
• Omit the olives: leave them out for a version without their briny flavour.
• Adjust the chilli: use less habanero for a milder sauce.
• Choose the liquid: use water instead of chicken stock.
• Change the side: serve with mashed potatoes instead of rice.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowding the pan: the chicken may not brown well; cook it in batches.
• Discarding the marinade: reserve it after removing the chicken and add it to the pot later.
• Skipping the onion reduction: fry the onions for 5–10 minutes before adding the other ingredients.
• Cooking too quickly: keep the heat at medium-low during the 15–20-minute simmer.
• Adding olives too early: stir them in near the end and simmer for 3–5 minutes.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and use within 3 days. Reheat gently in a pan until piping hot throughout, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.

Frequently asked questions