The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
CHICKEN YASSA
Chicken Yassa is considered one of the national dishes of Senegal. The chicken is grilled or roasted, then cooked in a rich onion and olive sauce until it falls off the bone. Served atop a big dish of jasmine rice, it’s traditionally eaten with the fingers, each diner dipping only into the portion directly in front of him or her. Ndiaye garnishes his finished dish with slices of bell pepper in green, yellow and red, mimicking the colors of the flag of Senegal.
4 chicken thighs
4 chicken legs
1 pound yellow onions, diced
1 bunch green onions, diced
1 bunch parsley
6 garlic cloves, divided
Juice of 3 limes, divided
Juice of 3 lemons, divided
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided
Salt and pepper
1 pound yellow onion, sliced
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
4 bay leaves
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon sugar
10 ounces whole pimento-stuffed
green olives
1 cup vegetable broth, or as needed 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, or to taste,
finely minced
Red, yellow and green bell pepper,
sliced, for garnish
Fonio (see recipe) or jasmine rice, for serving
Use a paring knife to cut slits all around the meat of the chicken thighs and legs. Put chicken in a large bowl.
Make marinade paste: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the diced yellow onion, green onion, parsley, 3 garlic cloves, half the lime juice, half the lemon juice, 2 tablespoons oil,
1 ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard, a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Process until smooth. Rub marinade paste onto chicken, making sure to get the paste into all the slits cut into the chicken. Put chicken in a bowl or foodsafe plastic bag and refrigerate at least 8 hours, up to overnight.
When ready to cook, preheat oven to 400 degrees or preheat grill. When oven or grill is ready, cook chicken until cooked through, turning the chicken after 10 minutes. When done, remove from oven or grill and set aside.
While chicken is cooking, make sauce. In a very large skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Mince remaining 3 cloves garlic. Add garlic, sliced onion and cook over medium heat 10 minutes. Add remaining
1 ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard, vinegar, soy sauce, bay leaves, Cajun seasoning and sugar. Stir to combine and season to taste. Saute 5 minutes, then stir in olives and 1 cup vegetable broth and Scotch bonnet pepper. Add chicken and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover skillet and cook 45 minutes, adding more vegetable broth, if needed. When ready to serve, serve over fonio or jasmine rice and garnish with red, yellow and green bell pepper slices. Serves 8.
— Adapted from a recipe provided by Cheikh Ndiaye of Teranga Without Borders.
Per serving: 284 calories (percent of calories from fat, 49), 14 grams protein, 23 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, 16 grams fat (3 grams saturated), 35 milligrams cholesterol, 1,138 milligrams sodium.