Senegalese Braised Chicken with Onions and Lime (Yassa Ginaar)

Makes
4 servings
Cook Time
1 1/4 hours
Active time plus cooling
plus marinating
Rating
4

With just a few ingredients, yassa ginaar delivers multiple layers of flavor—savory yet sweet with lightly caramelized onions, citrusy with lime zest and juice, meaty from the deeply browned chicken, and spicy from the heat of a habanero chili. Our version is based on a recipe in “Yolele!” by Pierre Thiam, who marinates then sears the chicken, then uses the marinade as a base for the flavorful sauce. Bouillon concentrate adds to the savoriness of the dish; our preferred brand is Better than Bouillon. Serve with steamed rice.

Tip

Don't marinate the chicken for longer than two hours; the acidity of the lime juice will soften the meat. Likewise, don't use an uncoated cast-iron pot. The lime's acidity will react with the metal, causing the sauce to taste metallic.

Ingredients

4
tablespoons peanut oil, divided
3
tablespoons grated lime zest, plus 6 tablespoons lime juice
1
habanero chili, seeded and minced
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
2
teaspoons chicken bouillon concentrate (see note)
2
pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, thighs or drumsticks, trimmed
3
medium yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
Finely chopped fresh chives, to serve

Step 1

In a large bowl, stir together 3 tablespoons of oil, the lime zest, habanero, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Transfer 2 teaspoons of the mixture to a small bowl and set aside. To the remaining oil-zest mixture, whisk in the lime juice, bouillon and ¼ cup water. Add the chicken and onions and toss. Cover and let marinate at room temperature for 1 hour or refrigerate up to 2 hours, stirring once.

Step 2

Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Set a colander over a large bowl and strain the onions, reserving both the marinade and the onions.

Step 3

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil until barely smoking. Add the chicken, skin side down, and cook until well browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and pour off and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the fat. Set the pot over medium heat and stir in the onions and ¼ cup water, scraping up any browned bits. Cover and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are softened and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 4

Stir the reserved marinade into the onions. Return the chicken, skin side up, to the pot, nestling the pieces in the sauce, then pour in any accumulated juices. Reduce to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until a skewer inserted into the thickest part of the meat meets no resistance, about 25 minutes.

Step 5