Shelia's Chicken Yassa

Yassa is originally from Senegal but is very much a part of the Gambian cuisine experience. It can be prepared with fish or chicken. It is marinated overnight with lots of lemons, spices, pepper, and onions and then traditionally cooked the next day on a charcoal grill. I often say yassa is a lemon-pepper and onion lover's delight.

• Preparation Time: 40 mins
• Cooking Time: 60 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins
• Calories: 951 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup lemon juice
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3 cups cooked white rice
• ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• ½ cup pitted green olives
• 1 medium green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 tablespoon lemon-pepper seasoning
• 2 medium lemons, halved
• ¼ cup spicy brown mustard
• 3 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 3 pounds skinless chicken leg quarters
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced diagonally

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Stir together lemon juice, oil, mustard, and garlic for marinade in a small bowl. Stir together black pepper, cayenne, lemon-pepper seasoning, and salt in another small bowl. Rub spice mixture all over chicken and transfer to a large zip-top plastic bag. Add lemon juice mixture. Seal the bag and turn to coat. Chill up to 8 hours or overnight.

Step 3

Prepare an outdoor grill for indirect grilling, lighting burners on one side only or pushing lit coals to one side. Heat grill to medium heat, 325 to 375 degrees F (165 to 190 degrees C). Lightly oil the grill grate.

Step 4

Transfer chicken to unlit side of grill, discarding marinade. Grill, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest parts registers 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), 40 to 50 minutes.

Step 5

Meanwhile, grill lemon halves, cut-sides down, over lit side of the grill until grill marks appear, about 8 minutes.

Step 6

Heat 1/4 cup oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat until hot. Stir in onions, bell peppers, carrot, garlic, and lemon juice; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid evaporates and vegetables are tender and starting to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Add chicken broth; cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in olives.

Step 7

Arrange grilled chicken over vegetables in the skillet.

Step 8

Cover and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Serve over cooked rice with grilled lemon halves.