Chicken Yassa

From “The Africa Cookbook Tastes of a Continent” by Jessica B. Harris. - Senegal

• Ready In: 4 hrs 10 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 4  large onions, thinly sliced
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1⁄8 teaspoon  fresh habanero pepper, minced
• 5  tablespoons  peanut oil
• 2 1⁄2-3 1⁄2 lbs frying chickens, cut into serving pieces
• 1  habanero pepper, pricked with a fork
• 1⁄2 cup  pimento stuffed olive
• 4  carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1  tablespoon dijon-style mustard
• 1⁄2 cup water

Directions

1. In a large nonreactive bowl, prepare a marinade by mixing the lemon juice, onions, salt, pepper, minced chile, and 4 tbsp of the peanut oil.
2. Place the chicken pieces in the marinade, making sure that they are all well covered. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the chicken to marinate for at least 3 hours in the refrigerator.
3. Preheat the broiler.
4. Remove the chicken pieces, reserving the marinade and onions, and place the chicken in a shallow pan. Broil the chicken until it is lightly browned on both sides.
5. Remove the onions from the marinade.
6. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a 5 quart pot or dutch oven and cook the onions slowly until tender and translucent.
7. Add the reserved marinade. When liquid is thoroughly heated, add the chicken pieces, pricked chile, olives, carrots, mustard, and water.
8. When the dish has reached the desired degree of hotness, remove the chile and reserve (it can be served separately to the chile heads).
9. Stir to mix well, then bring the yassa slowly to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
10. Serve hot over white rice.