Grilled Chicken in Caramelized Onion Sauce (Yassa Poulet)
This classic Senegalese dish utilizes the marinade by cooking it down into a sweet-tart sauce for the grilled chicken. Get the recipe ». Todd Coleman
SHARE

This classic Senegalese dish utilizes the marinade by cooking it down into a sweet-tart sauce for the grilled chicken. This recipe first appeared in our May 2012 issue along with John O’Connor’s story A Feast For All.

Yassa Poulet (Grilled Chicken in Caramelized Onion Sauce) Yassa Poulet (Grilled Chicken in Caramelized Onion Sauce)
This classic Senegalese dish utilizes the marinade by cooking it down into a sweet-tart sauce for the grilled chicken.
Yield: serves 4-6

Ingredients

  • 1⁄3 cup cider vinegar
  • 1⁄3 cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 tbsp. minced ginger
  • 1 tbsp. lime zest
  • 2 tsp. coarsely cracked black peppercorns, plus more to taste
  • 1 tsp. cayenne
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
  • 1 habanero or Scotch bonnet chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • 1 tsp. whole allspice
  • 2 lb. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
  • 2 tbsp. peanut or canola oil, plus more for brushing
  • Cooked white rice, for serving

Instructions

  1. Combine vinegar, juice, ginger, zest, pepper, cayenne, garlic, onions, chile, bay leaf, and salt in a large resealable plastic bag; add chicken and seal bag. Refrigerate, tossing chicken with marinade occasionally, for at least 4 hours.
  2. Heat oil in a 6-qt. Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade, and working in batches, add to pot and cook, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 8 minutes; transfer to a plate. Add allspice to pot, and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Pour marinade through a fine strainer, reserving liquid, and transfer solids to pot; cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes. Add reserved liquid and chicken, and cook, covered and stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.
  3. Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Continue cooking onions until liquid evaporates and onions are lightly caramelized, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and pour onions over chicken; serve with rice.

MORE TO READ