Yassa Chicken Breasts With Lemon And Onion

Yassa Chicken Breasts With Lemon And Onion

The Oven Coven version of a favorite West African dish.

Medium 4
2 hrs 30 mins
 Main Dish, Recipe Of The Week  West African  Chicken

Submitted by Melissa Green

Ingredients

  • 2 large onions, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 fresh hot peppers, chopped and seeded if desired
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 cup lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp peanut oil or olive oil + 4 tbsp for frying
  • 2 pounds boneless chicken breast (4 breasts) or thighs, skin on

Directions

Marinating

  1. Combine onions, garlic, hot peppers (if used), ginger, black pepper and salt in a large glass or non-metallic dish
  2. Add lemon juice, 1 cup of water and 1 tbsp oil. Mix well.
  3. Add chicken breasts, and arrange so pieces are evenly coated. Marinate for 2 hours at room temperature, or longer in the fridge.

Cooking

  1. Heat 4 tbsp oil in a 12in skillet. Remove chicken from the marinade, reserving marinade. Fry chicken on medium high heat until well browned on both sides and cooked to an internal temperature of 165F. Remove from pan and keep covered.
  2. Strain marinade through a sieve, reserving both onions and liquid.
  3. Add the strained onions to the skillet and fry over medium heat until golden brown.
  4. Add 1/2 cup of the marinade and 1/4 cup water to the skillet. Bring to a simmer. Add chicken back to the skillet and simmer until sauce is slightly reduced.
  5. Serve over rice.

Notes

This recipe is closely adapted from one in "South of the Sahara" by Elizabeth A. Jackson.

Comments