I love exploring cuisines from other cultures. When I read about chicken yassa, a Senegalese braised chicken featuring caramelized onions, I just had to try it. Since Scotch bonnet peppers (the traditionally used pepper) are hard to come by in my area, and the next closes option, habaneros, are spicier, I decided to use my fermented habanero sauce to bridge the divide. The sweetness from the caramelized onions, paired with the habanero sauce then slowly reduced as the chicken cooks, created a deep flavourful sauce that coated the chicken and soaked into the bed of cauliflower rice it was served on, making for a soul-satisfying meal.
Keto Chicken Yassa Recipe
Marinade Ingredients:
- 1½ teaspoons and ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1½ pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken legs
- ⅓ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- ½ cup yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 3 tablespoons homemade fermented habanero hot sauce
Chicken Yassa Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 cup yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2½ cups chicken bone broth
- 2-3 tablespoons homemade fermented habanero hot sauce (to taste)
- 1 bay leaf
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Lime or lemon wedges, for serving
Directions:
Pat the chicken legs dry then place on a rack on a baking tray. Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt over all sides of the chicken. Put in the fridge for at least 4 hours (or overnight).
Stir together the marinade ingredients and add to a flat glass container or large zip bag. Cover the container or seal the bag, then marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4-8 hours.
Remove chicken from the marinade, scraping off any onions; discard the marinade. Using paper towels, pat the chicken dry. In a Dutch oven, heat oil to medium-high until shimmering. Add chicken, skin-side down, and cook until well browned, around 5-6 minutes. Using a thin metal spatula, turn chicken and cook on second side until browned, about 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat and transfer chicken to a plate.
Lower heat to medium, add onions, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are softened, about 7 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring and scraping frequently, until onions are dark brown and caramelized, about 12-15 minutes. Stir in garlic and mustard and cook until fragrant and slightly softened, around 1 minute.
Add 1/2 cup chicken bone brothr the pan and scrape with a spatula or wooden spoon to deglaze the pan, scraping up all the browned bits. Add the remaining bone broth, habanero sauce, bay leaf, and chicken along with any accumulated juices, nestling chicken pieces anongst the onions. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, gently stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and beginning to fall from the bone, around 1 hour. Season with more salt, if needed. Serve over cauliflower rice with lemon or lime wedges.
Did you make this keto chicken yassa (Senegalese braised chicken with caramelized onions) recipe? If so, please let me know how it turned out in the comments. Or if you share pics of your creations on Instagram, please tag me so I can see them. Enjoy! :)
