A perfect choice for Karamu, the central feast of Kwanzaa, this fragrant, slow-cooked chicken casserole is served at weddings, initiations, and other tribal gatherings by the Senegalese people of Equatorial Africa. African chickens are lean little birds with a gamey flavor; Cornish hens make a good substitute. Serve piled high on a dish, with mashed yam, white rice, and fried plantains.
Yassa (Pot-Roast Chicken With Greens And Peanuts)
Rate this recipe!
Ingredients
- 2 Cornish hens or 1 chicken, cut into serving pieces with bone
- Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup sesame or peanut oil
- 1/2 cup crushed peanuts or sesame seeds or crunchy peanut butter
- 2-3 hot chili peppers, seeded and finely chopped for example, jalapeño, serrano, malagueta
- 2 large onions, finely sliced
- 2-3 large ripe tomatoes, sliced
- 1 pound tender okra, trimmed
- 4 handfuls mustard greens or spinach leaves, well washed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°. Rinse chicken pieces, pat dry, and season generously with coarse salt and black pepper. Have ready a roomy casserole dish or Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid.
- Heat oil in a frying pan and fry chicken pieces, turning to brown on all sides. Remove and reserve.
- Add crushed nuts to remaining oil and fry for a moment. (If using sesame seeds, keep a lid handy to catch seeds that jump; if using peanut butter, no need to fry.) As soon as nuts begin to brown, add a splash of water and stir in chopped peppers. Remove from heat.
- In casserole dish, layer chicken with onions, tomatoes, okra, and mustard greens, sprinkling layers with nut sauce and seasoning with salt and pepper as you go. Cover tightly and transfer to oven. Cook for 30 minutes at 300°, then reduce heat to 275°. Continue cooking for 2 more hours.
- Remove dish from oven. Turn layers over so top is on the bottom. If more liquid is needed, add a little boiling water. Cover, return dish to oven, and cook for 1 1/2 hours more (4 hours total cooking time).
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Facts
Yassa (Pot-Roast Chicken With Greens And Peanuts)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 463
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Calories 463,Fat 34,Perfat 64,Cholesterol 52,Carbo 21,Protein 23
