Chicken Yassa

Servings

Serving size

4 ounces chicken with vegetables and sauce

COOKING TIME

45 minutes

CHILLING TIME

overnight

This recipe can be multiplied and makes fantastic leftovers.

Serve with Brown Rice or Coconut Brown Rice or Coconut Rice or Coconut Rice – Low Sodium Version or Low Sodium Plain Mashed Potatoes or Plain Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

1 lemon yields Lemon juice

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp. Olive oil

5 clove Garlic, raw (finely minced)

1 pepper Peppers, hot chili, red, raw (1 habanero pepper)

1/2 tsp. Ground ginger

1 tsp., ground Black pepper

16 ounces Boneless, skinless chicken thighs

3 large White onions (yellow onions are best)(sliced into half rounds)

2 tsp. Olive oil

3/4 cup No salt added vegetable stock (or no salt added chicken stock)

1/2 tsp. Salt

2 leaf Bay leaves

12 olive Olives, pickled, canned or bottled, green (green olives, thinly sliced)

Instructions

Place the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, olive oil, garlic, habanero, ginger, and pepper in a large glass or nonreactive bowl.

Mix together well.

Add the chicken thighs and onions and fold together.

Cover and marinate at least an hour (overnight is best).

When ready to cook, place the olive oil in a dutch oven or large sauce pan over medium high heat.

Remove the onions from the marinade and add them to the pan.

Cook for about 7 to 10 minutes until the onions are slightly limp.

Add the chicken and remaining marinade to the pan.

Stir and add the stock, salt, and bay leaves.

Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Before serving, use two forks to shred the chicken in the stew and stir well.

Serve over Brown Rice and sprinkle the olives on top.

Serve this recipe with one of these starch side dishes.

Brown Rice

In a medium sauce pan, heat the water and salt. When the water boils, stir in the brown rice. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 40-45 minutes. Do not boil away all of the liquid and do not stir the rice. When a very small amount of…

Coconut Brown Rice

Shake the can of coconut milk very well before opening. (Tip: a can of coconut milk will contain about 1 1/2 cups of coconut milk. Separate the remaining two 1/2 cups of coconut milk into two small ziplock bags and freeze for a later use.) In a medium sauce pan,…

Coconut Rice

Prior to opening the can of coconut milk, shake very well. In a medium sauce pain, heat the coconut milk, water and salt. When the liquid boils, stir in the jasmine rice. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 20-30 minutes. Do not boil away all of the…

Coconut Rice – Low Sodium Version

Low Sodium Plain Mashed Potatoes

Place the water in a large stock pot over high heat. Quarter the potatoes and add to the stock pot. Cover with water by about an inch. Bring to boil and then reduce heat until the water is simmering. Cook the potatoes about 15 – 20 minutes until slightly soft…

Plain Mashed Potatoes

Print Recipe

Would you like to print or download the document?

Add To My Recipe Box

Special Diet Information

Click on the icon for information.

GERD / Acid Reflux

This recipe contains GERD triggers and those with GERD may wish to avoid it.

Lactose

This recipe is safe for those who are lactose intolerant.

Coumadin® (Warfarin)

This recipe is safe for Coumadin (warfarin) users.

Gluten Sensitivity

This recipe is safe for those who are sensitive to gluten.

Sodium

This is NOT a low sodium recipe.

Recipe Notes

There are as many recipes for Chicken Yassa as for any other stew. There are the basics for this recipe – chicken, onions, mustard, an acid (usually lemon juice but some call for vinegar), some stock and a variety of possibilities for peppers. There are versions that don’t call for any peppers, some that call for one or more, those that call for different varieties and even those that call for peppers as well as cayenne.

The amount of heat in this adaptation of a Senegalese dish is entirely up to you. This version with a single habanero will be just about right for most people. Some tongue-tingling heat, but not too much. For a very gentle version use 4 ounces of seeded and diced jalapenos in place of the habanero.

You will also see versions of this stew with caramelized onions. This is an option, but the stew will be sweeter and take a lot longer to cook.

"If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced."

Vincent Van Gogh