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Poulet Yassa Guinéen (Braised Chicken in Spicy Mustard and Caramelized Onion Gravy)

Name: Poulet Yassa Guinéen (Braised Chicken in Spicy Mustard and Caramelized Onion Gravy)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Guinea
Ingredients: 1.4 kg whole bone-in chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces; 1.2 kg yellow onions, sliced into thin 3mm half-moons; 120 ml freshly squeezed lime juice; 60 g Dijon mustard; 80 ml peanut oil; 6 cloves garlic, finely grated; 30 g fresh ginger, finely grated; 15 g ground soumbala (fermented locust bean powder); 2 pieces fresh Scotch bonnet chillies, pierced once with a knife tip; 2 pieces dried bay leaves; 200 ml unsalted chicken stock; 1.5 tsp freshly cracked black pepper; fine sea salt, to taste

Crisply charred marinated chicken braised in a luscious mountain of caramelized onions laced with Dijon mustard, fresh lime, and habanero.

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poulet-yassabraised-chickenmustard-onionsurban-guinean

The story

Poulet Yassa is an indispensable centerpiece at baptisms, weddings, and high-profile social banquets across urban Guinea from Conakry to Mamou. While having Senegambian roots, the Guinean preparation is distinguished by a heavier incorporation of caramelized sweet local onions, crushed fermented soumbala, and intense charcoal sear before braising. Pitmasters and master home cooks rely on searing the bone-in bird over hot charcoal embers to impart a profound smoky bitterness that cuts through the intense citrus acid of the lime marinade.

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