Winter

Chicken Yassa with mixed citrus

by:
February  5, 2011
4.3
3 Ratings
  • Serves 4-6
Author Notes

I had a considerable amount of wonderful grapefruit, lemon and lime juice left from making ceviche with flounder. I wanted to incorporate that juice in a cooked dish while it was still fresh. So I revisited my traditional yassa recipe and came up with this fresh take. This yassa version makes a great stand-alone stew, but will also work really well over couscous, or rice for a whole meal. I used fresh Meyer's juice and zest to marinate the chicken, but then cooked everything in a blend of citrus. —Sagegreen

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Ingredients
  • 2-3 pounds free range chicken, with skin and bones, cut up
  • 3 large Spanish onions, sliced thin
  • 1/2 cup Meyer's lemon juice
  • zest of Meyer's lemon
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, to taste
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil (or other type- your choice)
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 cup green olives, pitted
  • 1/2 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup fresh pink grapefruit juice (or orange)
  • 1/4 fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 cup Meyer's lemon juice
  • Serve as stew or on top of rice or couscous
  • Garnish with additional Meyer's lemon zest and twist, fresh herb such as cilantro or parsley
Directions
  1. In a glass or ceramic bowl roll the cut up chicken pieces in with the lemon juice and zest, olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh ginger. Let this marinate for at least 3 hours in the fridge.
  2. Then in a large Dutch oven heat @ 2 tbl. of the peanut oil. Brown the chicken pieces top to bottom. Remove these from the pan. Add and heat more peanut oil if needed. Saute the onions over medium heat until soft and caramelized, about 20 minutes.
  3. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Return the chicken to the pan. Add the marinade and everything still in it, green olives and a bit more salt, to taste. Bring to a slow simmer.
  4. Whisk the mustard in with the water. Pour this into the pan along with the mixed citrus juices. Simmer slowly for about half an hour. Remove from heat. De-bone the chicken when this cools. Taste and adjust seasoning. The broth should already taste great, but this dish is best left to sit in the fridge overnight and be served the next day. Serve heated with cilantro or parsley, additional lemon zest and lemon twists if desired over rice or couscous.

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2 Reviews

ed O. February 11, 2011
I sounds good but a Alot more complicated than my cooking
Sagegreen February 12, 2011
Thanks. This can be simplified down to the chicken, onions and lemons; it is really worth it, too: you get your chicken bathed in a lemony wonderfulness! Hope you do try it sometime.