Gambian Yassa Poulet

1. In a large bowl combine the lemon juice, half the olive oil, the dijon mustard, garlic, ginger, black pepper and a generous pinch of salt, then add the chicken and half of the sliced onions and turn to coat.
2. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight, turning the pieces once so they soak up the tangy marinade evenly.
3. Lift the chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off, and sear the pieces under a hot grill or in a heavy pan until well browned on both sides; reserve the marinade and onions.
4. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large heavy pot and cook the rest of the sliced onions slowly over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes until very soft and golden, stirring often.
5. Add the reserved marinade with its onions, the bay leaves and the whole chili, then bring to a gentle simmer and let it cook for 5 minutes to mellow the raw lemon edge.
6. Nestle the seared chicken into the onions, cover, and simmer gently for 30 to 40 minutes, turning once, until the chicken is tender and cooked through to an internal temperature of 75 C (165 F).
7. Remove the whole chili and bay leaves, taste the onion sauce and adjust salt and lemon, then serve the chicken over steamed white rice with plenty of the soft onion sauce spooned on top.

You'll use: Grill / broiler · Pan · Large pot · Saucepan · Steamer