Entree: Mauritania – National Cuisine – ياسا دجاج ➤ Yassa Dajaj (Yassa Chicken)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 1 hr 5 min

Additional 4 hrs

Total 5 hrs

Ingredients

- 3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil
- 6 bone-in chicken thighs, approx. 6 oz (170 g) each
- 4 large onions, thinly sliced, about 1 lb (450 g) total
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) Dijon mustard
- 4 garlic cloves, minced (about 12 g)
- 1 small Scotch bonnet or habanero, seeded and finely chopped (or 1/2 tsp (1 g) cayenne for less heat)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) white vinegar
- 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp (5 g) sugar
- 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil for browning (vegetable or peanut)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) butter (optional, for richer finish)
- Cooked long-grain rice, for serving (about 3 cups cooked / 600 g)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl combine lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, chopped Scotch bonnet, white vinegar, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and 3 tbsp vegetable oil; whisk until smooth.
2. Add the chicken pieces to the marinade, turn to coat, cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight for best flavor.
3. Remove chicken from marinade (reserve marinade); pat pieces dry. Heat 2 tbsp neutral oil in a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the chicken on all sides, about 6–8 minutes total; transfer browned chicken to a plate.
4. In the same pan reduce heat to medium, add a touch more oil if needed and add the sliced onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply softened and caramelized, about 20–25 minutes. Add 1 tsp sugar halfway through to assist caramelization.
5. Return the reserved marinade to the pan with the caramelized onions; add the bay leaves and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
6. Nestle the browned chicken pieces into the onion-sauce, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 25–35 minutes (internal temp 165°F / 74°C). Stir occasionally and baste chicken with sauce.
7. If desired, stir in 1 tbsp butter at the end for a silkier sauce; taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice for brightness.
8. Serve Yassa Poulet hot over cooked long-grain rice, spooning plenty of the caramelized onion sauce over the chicken and rice.
9. Garnish with reserved thinly sliced raw onion or chopped parsley if desired and serve immediately.