Senegalese Yassa Chicken

Method

1. 01

   Do not wash the chicken. Mix in a non-reactive container the onion, the juice of the four lemons, the white vinegar, 30 ml of vegetable oil, the Dijon mustard, 1½ teaspoons of salt, black pepper, the bay leaf, and, if using, the habanero with a small opening. Add the thighs and turn them until covered.

2. 02

   Cover the container and marinate the chicken for 4 hours in the refrigerator at 4 °C or lower, never on the countertop. Keep the container on a lower tray to prevent raw juices from dripping onto other foods.

3. 03

   Remove the chicken with tongs and place it on a tray. Strain the marinade into a bowl, reserving the onion and aromatics separately from all the liquid that touched the raw chicken. Dry each thigh very well with paper towels; discard the paper and clean contaminated hands, surfaces, and utensils.

4. 04

   Heat the remaining 30 ml of oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken in two batches, skin side down for 5 to 6 minutes and on the other side for 3 to 4 minutes, until achieving a deep hazelnut color; transfer to a clean plate with clean tongs.

5. 05

   Reduce to medium heat, add the reserved onion and aromatics, and cook for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes and scraping the bottom, until the onion loses volume, becomes very soft, and starts to take on a golden color at the edges.

6. 06

   Pour into the pot all the reserved liquid from the marinade and 150 ml of purified water. Bring to a vigorous boil and maintain it for 2 minutes before returning the chicken. Cover, reduce to medium-low heat, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until each thigh reaches at least 74 °C at the thickest part without touching the bone.

7. 07

   While the chicken cooks, combine in another pot the 400 g of white rice, the remaining 800 ml of purified water, and the remaining teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to the lowest heat, and cook for 15 to 18 minutes until the water is absorbed; turn off the heat and let it rest covered for 10 minutes.

8. 08

   Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean plate. Remove the bay leaf and the habanero, if used; boil the sauce uncovered over medium-high heat for 8 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion is glossy and the liquid coats the back of a spoon. Return the chicken and heat it for 2 minutes in the sauce.

9. 09

   Fluff the rice with a fork and serve it tall on a wide platter. Arrange the thighs on top or to the side and generously scatter the onion and sauce; bring the platter and the pot to the center of the table to share.