Chicken Yassa (Senegalese Caramelized Onion Braised Chicken) with Jollof Rice
Time to complete
2 hours
Serving size
6
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What You Need
Ingredients
Preparation
- Make the chicken: Combine water, salt and vinegar in a large bowl; stir to dissolve the salt. Add chicken pieces, making sure they are covered by the brine, and refrigerate, covered, 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Remove chicken from brine and pat dry. Heat ¼ cup oil in a HexClad 6.5 QT Hybrid Oval Dutch Oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in two batches, add the chicken and fry until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a large plate.
- Add the remaining ¼ cup oil to the Dutch oven and return it to medium heat. Add onion and cook until golden brown and caramelized, stirring occasionally, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Add fish sauce and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in stock, mustard and hot sauce; simmer until reduced slightly, 5 minutes. Nestle chicken in onion mixture. Cover and bake in oven 35 to 40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of each piece registers at least 165°F. For a thicker sauce, return Dutch oven to the stovetop after baking and simmer, uncovered, over medium-high heat until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes more.
- Meanwhile, make the rice: Heat oil in a HexClad 4.5QT/4.3 L Hybrid Deep Sauté Pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until paste thins and evenly coats the onion, about 1 minute. Add vinegar and simmer for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, bell peppers, habanero, bay leaves, salt and cayenne. Cook, stirring occasionally, until peppers and tomatoes have softened and most of their liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.
- Add water and bring to a simmer. Stir in rice and return to a simmer. Cover; reduce heat to medium-low and cook until rice has absorbed most of the liquid, 3 to 4 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and cook another 4 minutes to toast and crisp the rice on the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat, keep covered and let stand 15 minutes to allow the steam to finish cooking the rice. Fluff rice with a fork, then serve with the chicken and its sauce, garnished with lemon and parsley.
