Shelia's Chicken Yassa

5.0
(1)

Yassa is originally from Senegal but is very much a part of the Gambian cuisine experience. It can be prepared with fish or chicken. It is marinated overnight with lots of lemons, spices, pepper, and onions and then traditionally cooked the next day on a charcoal grill. I often say yassa is a lemon-pepper and onion lover's delight.

Prep Time:
40 mins
Cook Time:
1 hr
Additional Time:
8 hrs
Total Time:
9 hrs 40 mins
Servings:
4
Yield:
4 servings
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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings

For the Marinade:

  • cup lemon juice

  • ¼ cup olive oil

  • ¼ cup spicy brown mustard

  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic

  • 1 tablespoon black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

  • 1 tablespoon lemon-pepper seasoning

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 3 pounds skinless chicken leg quarters

For the Vegetables:

  • 2 medium lemons, halved

  • ¼ cup olive oil

  • 3 medium onions, thinly sliced

  • 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

  • 1 medium green bell pepper, cut into thin strips

  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced diagonally

  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic

  • cup lemon juice

  • ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth

  • ½ cup pitted green olives

  • 3 cups cooked white rice

Directions

  1. Stir together lemon juice, oil, mustard, and garlic for marinade in a small bowl. Stir together black pepper, cayenne, lemon-pepper seasoning, and salt in another small bowl. Rub spice mixture all over chicken and transfer to a large zip-top plastic bag. Add lemon juice mixture. Seal the bag and turn to coat. Chill up to 8 hours or overnight.

  2. Prepare an outdoor grill for indirect grilling, lighting burners on one side only or pushing lit coals to one side. Heat grill to medium heat, 325 to 375 degrees F (165 to 190 degrees C). Lightly oil the grill grate.

  3. Transfer chicken to unlit side of grill, discarding marinade. Grill, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest parts registers 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), 40 to 50 minutes.

  4. Meanwhile, grill lemon halves, cut-sides down, over lit side of the grill until grill marks appear, about 8 minutes.

  5. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat until hot. Stir in onions, bell peppers, carrot, garlic, and lemon juice; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid evaporates and vegetables are tender and starting to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Add chicken broth; cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in olives.

  6. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

  7. Arrange grilled chicken over vegetables in the skillet.

  8. Cover and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Serve over cooked rice with grilled lemon halves.

Cook's Note:

You can use peanut oil instead of olive oil.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

951 Calories
51g Fat
58g Carbs
69g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 951
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 51g 65%
Saturated Fat 10g 48%
Cholesterol 215mg 72%
Sodium 1494mg 65%
Total Carbohydrate 58g 21%
Dietary Fiber 7g 25%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 69g 138%
Vitamin C 128mg 142%
Calcium 145mg 11%
Iron 7mg 37%
Potassium 1087mg 23%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.