Chicken yassa (poulet au yassa) is a super popular Senegalese dish with succulent chicken, zippy mustard, and the sweetness of caramelized onions. The vibrancy of fresh lemon juice makes this recipe mouthwateringly good.
If you like onions and lemons, then you’ll love the flavor extravaganza of this incredibly moist and savory dish. Use whatever chicken is on sale: a whole cut-up chicken, bone-in breasts, thighs, or legs.
We decide ahead of time if we’re grilling (which usually wins) or cooking it on the stovetop. If grilling, I make the sauce separately. However, on those crazy weeknights when I want an easy dinner, I pan-fry the chicken, then simmer it in the sauce until fall-off-the-bone tender. The kitchen smells so good.
What Is Yassa Chicken?
I have to admit, I’m not a big fan of most lemon chicken recipes because the lemon can be overpowering and acidic. Yet this recipe, originally from the Casamance region, is just right! The onions mellow the lemon juice for a perfectly balanced sweet, sour, and spicy.
The word yassa refers to the Senegalese onion lemon sauce that goes great with poultry, fish, pork, and lamb. I believe the word chicken is self-explanatory.
How to Make Chicken Yassa
- Season the chicken, sear it, and set it aside. Then start sauteing the onions.
- Add flavor, the broth and reserved marinade, and more spices.
- Squeeze in the lemon juice, add hot pepper and olives, then add the chicken back and simmer, covered, until tender.
Recipe Tips
- Feel free to swap a whole chicken for bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, breasts, or legs, depending on your preference and what’s on sale. The cooking time will change depending on what you use.
- If grilling the chicken, shake off the excess marinade and pat it dry for crispier skin.
- You can adjust the lemon to suit your taste buds. Hot pepper and bay leaves give the chicken a flavorful kick, but feel free to leave out the scotch bonnet for a kid-friendly version.
- To shake things up, try marinating fish or shrimp in the same yassa sauce for a tasty coastal twist.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
This spicy chicken recipe is fantastic, versatile enough for a fast weeknight meal or an elegant dinner. Save yourself some stress by doing the prep work the day before (also called marinating and tenderizing time). Raw marinated chicken will last a day or two in a cold 40℉ (5℃) fridge or in the freezer for 3-5 months.
While the skin won’t be as crispy if you cook it the day before, it will still taste amazing. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2-4 months. Remove the chicken skin if desired (it will be soggy), reheat it, and serve it over couscous.
What to Serve With Yassa Chicken
Serve it over white rice or couscous to soak up that mouthwatering sauce. And for a full meal, round it out with a side of fried plantains and crusty bread or injera to mop up every last drop of that impressive sauce because nothing should go to waste!
More Sensational Senegal-Inspired Recipes
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was first published in May 2017 and has been updated with more tips, gorgeous photos, and a video.