Chicken yassa
Non-vegetarian
Chicken marinated in lemon, mustard and a mountain of onions, then grilled and simmered in the onions until they turn sweet and tangy. A Senegalese favourite served over rice.
Chicken yassa is a Senegalese main course, ready in about 3 hours 30 minutes and made with chicken pieces, skin-on, onion and lemon juice. It serves 6 and is rated easy to cook.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 h 10 min
- Rest
- 2 h
- Total
- 3 h 30 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Easy
- Calories
- 526
Marinate at least 2 hours; overnight is better.
Method
Step 1
Combine the onions (opens in a new tab), lemon juice (opens in a new tab), mustard, garlic (opens in a new tab), half the oil, pepper (opens in a new tab) and salt. Add the chicken, massage everything together, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- 15 min
Food safety: Marinate raw chicken in the fridge, not at room temperature.
Step 2
Lift the chicken out of the marinade and grill or broil until browned on both sides. Reserve the onions (opens in a new tab) and marinade.
- 15 min
- high heat
- Grill / barbecue (opens in a new tab)
How it looks · Photo: Ip Photographer on Pexels Step 3
Heat the remaining oil in a heavy pot and cook the onions (opens in a new tab) from the marinade until soft and golden, about 20 minutes.
- 20 min
- medium heat
- Dutch oven / casserole pot (opens in a new tab)
How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels Step 4
Pour in the leftover marinade and stock, add the bay leaves (opens in a new tab), scotch bonnet and browned chicken. Cover and simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- 30 min
- low heat
Food safety: Bring the leftover raw marinade to a full simmer; the chicken should reach 74 °C.
Step 5
Stir in the olives, if using, adjust the seasoning and serve over rice.
- 2 min
- low heat
About this dish
- Origin
- Casamance, Senegal · Commonly attributedMore food from Senegal
- Dish
- Lunch · Dinner · Main courses · Stews & braises
- Cooking method
- Marinated / cured, Grilled, Braised
- Taste
- tangy, sweet & savoury, citrusy, spicy (chilli heat)
- Diet
- No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb · High-proteinWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
All labels
Non-vegetarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · High-protein - Good for
- Make-ahead
- Cook more with
- Chicken pieces, skin-on · Onion · Lemon juice · Prepared mustard · Garlic · Fresh red chilli
- Techniques
- Grilling · Broiling · Charcoal grilling · Simmering · Braising
Allergens
- Contains: Mustardfrom prepared mustard
- May contain: Celeryfrom chicken stock
- May contain: Sulphitesfrom prepared mustard
Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.
Nutrition
526 kcal per serving
Calculated1 serving ≈ 399 g · recipe makes 6
Where the energy comes from
- Protein 26%
- Carbohydrate 14%
- Fat 60%
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 g* |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 526 kcal | 132 kcal |
| Protein | 34.2 g | 8.6 g |
| Carbohydrate | 18.4 g | 4.6 g |
| Net carbohydrate | 15.4 g | 3.9 g |
| Sugars | 7.7 g | 1.9 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fibre | 3 g | 0.7 g |
| Fat | 35.1 g | 8.8 g |
| Saturated fat | 8.1 g | 2 g |
| Trans fat | — | — |
| Cholesterol | 126 mg | 32 mg |
| Sodium | 823 mg | 206 mg |
| Salt equivalent | 2.1 g | 0.5 g |
Vitamins & minerals per serving
- Potassium
- 624 mg
- Calcium
- 65 mg
- Iron
- 2.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 55 mg
- Vitamin A (RAE)
- 70 µg
- Vitamin C
- 24 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 µg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.5 µg
- Folate (DFE)
- 46 µg
How these numbers were made
- Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
- *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
- Optional ingredients are not included: green olives, long-grain white rice.
- “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
- Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.
Good to know
Tips
- Remove the scotch bonnet before serving if it was added whole.
Common mistakes
- Rushing the onions — they need the full 20 minutes to turn sweet and golden.
Serve with
- Serve over plain white rice or with crusty bread.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 3 days.
Reheating
- Reheat gently, covered, until piping hot.
Variations
- Fish yassa: Made with grilled whole fish or fillets instead of chicken.
Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated
Recipe DNA
How this dish is built
Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.
What the dish is built around
Main ingredient
- Chicken pieces, skin-on, thighs and drumsticks1000 g
- Onion, thinly sliced900 g
- Lemon juice120 ml · 124 g
- Fresh red chilli, whole, pricked (or chopped)1 piece · 6 g
- Green olives, pitted (optional)40 g
- Long-grain white rice (optional)400 g
Reviews & corrections
Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.
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