Poulet Yassa

Senegal is the gateway to West African cooking for a lot of people, and yassa is the dish I keep seeing named as the one to start with because the ingredients are already in an American kitchen: onions, lemons, mustard, chicken. What I want to learn is the onion technique. Four big onions sound absurd for three people, but every account of yassa describes them cooking down to a fraction of their volume and becoming the sauce itself. It is weeknight-feasible because the chicken broils while the onions cook, the whole thing finishes in one pan, and the rice takes care of itself. It is also naturally mild, so I expect to keep my son's plate as it comes out of the pot and reserve the chile for the adults.

• Onions, lots of them: Yellow onions are right. Slice them thin and do not be alarmed by the volume; they cook down by more than half and become the sauce.
• Dijon mustard: The tang that defines yassa. A plain Dijon (Maille, Grey Poupon) is what Senegalese recipes mean by "moutarde"; skip anything honey-sweetened or grainy.
• Fresh lemons: Three lemons for the marinade and finish. Limes are a common swap in Senegal too.
• A whole habanero or Scotch bonnet: Dropped into the sauce whole and unbroken, it adds fruit and aroma, not heat. Pierce it only if the adults want fire. Skip it and the dish is still yassa.
• Bone-in chicken thighs: The traditional choice; they survive the broiler and the simmer without drying out. Boneless thighs work; cut the simmer by 5 minutes.

1. Halve and thinly slice all four onions. Mince the garlic. Juice two lemons (about 1/3 cup); cut the third into wedges for the table.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the lemon juice with the mustard, garlic, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Add the chicken and about a third of the onions and turn to coat. Marinate at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or overnight in the fridge.
3. If using carrots, peel and slice into thin coins. Chop the parsley.
4. Start the rice about 25 minutes before you want to eat: rinse 1 1/2 cups rice, cook with 2 1/4 cups water and a pinch of salt according to the package.

1. Heat the broiler to high with a rack 6 inches from the element. Lift the chicken out of the marinade, shake off the onions back into the bowl, and arrange skin-side up on a foil-lined sheet pan. Broil 10–12 minutes until the skin is deeply browned and spotted with char; it does not need to be cooked through. Turn and broil 4 minutes more.
2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add all the onions, including the marinated ones, with the carrots if using and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, 15–18 minutes, until soft, golden and reduced by more than half. They should not crisp or brown hard; lower the heat if needed.
3. Pour the marinade left in the bowl into the onions along with the stock, bay leaves and the whole chile. Bring to a simmer, scraping up anything stuck to the pan.
4. Nestle the broiled chicken into the onions, skin-side up, with any juices from the sheet pan. Cover partially and simmer 15–18 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F and the sauce has thickened to a loose, spoonable consistency.
5. Remove the chile and bay leaves. Taste the sauce: it should be bright and sharp. Add the vinegar or more lemon if it tastes flat, and salt as needed. Stir in most of the parsley.

Spoon rice onto each plate, lay a thigh on top and cover generously with the onion sauce; the onions are the point. Lemon wedges and parsley go on the table. My son's plate is the same as ours since the whole chile leaves no heat behind; if the adults want more bite, press a piece of the softened chile into their sauce. Leftovers improve overnight and keep three days; reheat gently with a splash of water. Cold yassa chicken pulled from the bone also makes a good baguette sandwich.