Chicken yassa

The great Senegalese classic: chicken marinated in lemon and simmered with a generous amount of softened onions. Tangy, fragrant and comforting, it is a sociable dish that is high in protein.

Prep: 20 min  |  Cooking: 40 min  |  Servings: 4  |  Difficulty: Easy

Calculated per serving from the Anses Ciqual 2025 values for each ingredient, based on the quantities in the list. Household measures (spoonfuls, pieces) use average weights. 409 kcal · 38 g protein · 8 g carbohydrate · 23 g fat

Ingredients

• 4 chicken thighs
• 4 onions
• 3 lemons
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 bay leaf

Method

1. Marinate the chicken in the lemon juice, garlic and onions for 1 hour.
2. Brown the chicken, then set aside.
3. Soften the onions from the marinade.
4. Return the chicken to the pan, add the marinade and simmer for 30 minutes.

Nutritional benefits

Chicken provides lean protein, onion (in large quantity) fibre and antioxidants, and lemon vitamin C and plenty of flavour without fat. Simmered rather than fried, this yassa stays a balanced, fragrant dish, naturally gluten-free, to serve with rice.

Variations and substitutions

• With fish (fish yassa).
• With olives and mustard.
• Spicier: add chilli.
• With traditional broken rice.

Storage and make-ahead

Even better reheated; keeps for 3 days and freezes well. Excellent for batch cooking.

💡 Good to know

A long lemon marinade tenderises the chicken and gives it all its flavour, so do not skip this step.

Related reading

Discover more high-protein recipes · healthy & balanced recipes · gluten-free recipes · dairy-free recipes.

Foods in this recipe: chicken thighs · onions · lemons · garlic · olive oil.

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