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1
Marinate the Chicken
4 Hours (mostly hands-off)
Refrigerated, about 4°C (40°F)
Massage the marinade into the chicken pieces and bury them under the sliced onions in a large non-reactive bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Turn the chicken once halfway through so every piece spends time in the lemon juice.
Marinate in glass, ceramic or plastic — lemon juice reacts with aluminium and taints the flavour.
Done when: The onions have softened and the chicken smells of lemon and mustard.
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2
Grill the Chicken
12 Mins
Grill or broiler, about 220°C (425°F)
Lift the chicken out of the marinade, shaking off the onions, and reserve the marinade and onions. Grill the chicken over charcoal or under a hot broiler for 5–6 minutes per side until it is blistered and blackened in patches — deliberately not cooked through. It finishes in the braise.
Char is flavour here: the blackened edges are what make yassa taste grilled, not boiled.
Done when: Skin is blistered and charred in patches; the meat is still pink inside.
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3
Caramelise the Onions
20 Mins
Medium-low heat, about 150°C (300°F)
Heat the remaining oil in a large heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the reserved marinade onions and cook, stirring often, for 15–20 minutes until they collapse, turn golden and smell sweet. Add the reserved marinade liquid and the stock and scrape up the browned bits.
Patience is the whole step — pale, crunchy onions make a thin sauce; golden, collapsed onions make yassa.
Done when: The onions have shrunk to about a quarter of their raw volume and are soft and golden.
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4
Braise Until Tender
25 Mins
Low simmer, about 95°C (200°F)
Nestle the grilled chicken into the onions, add the bay leaves, the whole scotch bonnet and the crushed bouillon cube. Cover and simmer gently for 20–25 minutes until the chicken is tender and the thickest part reads 74°C (165°F), and the sauce has thickened into a glossy, tangy blanket.
Taste before adding salt — the marinade, mustard and cube are already salty.
Done when: The chicken reads 74°C (165°F) and the sauce coats a spoon.
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5
Cook the Rice and Serve
20 Mins (alongside the braise)
Boiling, 100°C (212°F)
While the chicken braises, cook the rinsed rice in 700 ml of lightly salted boiling water, covered, on the lowest heat for 15 minutes, then rest it off the heat for 5 minutes and fluff with a fork. Spoon the rice onto plates, lay the chicken on top, ladle over the onion sauce and scatter the olives and lemon wedges.
Start the rice when the chicken goes into the pot — the two finish at the same time.
Done when: The rice is tender and separate, and the sauce sits proudly on top of it.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Spoon the rice onto plates, lay the chicken on top, ladle over the onion sauce, and scatter the olives and lemon wedges. Serve hot, with extra mustard on the table for anyone who wants more bite.
Gambia
30m
France
Vietnam