West African Spicy Grilled Chicken
Poulet braisé (grilled chicken) is one of the iconic foods of my husband’s home country, Côte d’Ivoire. The recipe is deceptively simple. However, the result is intensely aromatic and flavourful.
Grilled chicken is every bit as popular in Côte d’Ivoire as it is where I grew up, in the southern United States. Every bistro, roadside stall, and family has its own secret ingredients for succulent, juicy grilled chicken.
Despite the numerous differences in seasoning, attiéké (fermented cassava couscous) and a salad of thinly sliced tomatoes and onion are standard accompaniments. In Côte d;Ivoire, grilled chicken is also often served with a thick, flavourful tomato sauce called soutrou.
About this Recipe
Needless to say, I’ve sampled a number of different versions of this recipe over the years. However, our family recipe is still my favorite — bar none. It’s also super easy to prepare.
Please don’t be alarmed at the amount of garlic in the recipe. I know it sounds like a lot. However, the acidity of the mustard reduces the garlic’s pungency, and it cooks on the grill. So, the end result is flavoured with garlic, not overwhelmed by it.
This recipe calls for habañeros (or Scotch bonnet) peppers, which are the chili of choice throughout West Africa. In Côte d’Ivoire, the colour of the chili is usually a good indication of its heat — with green chilis being the mildest and red being the hottest. Elsewhere, the mild green habañeros are often unavailable and the heat level of the chilis that are available varies widely — from mild during cool seasons to fiery in the summer.
If you are inexperienced with chilis, take it easy. One chili (as opposed to the four I call for) will probably suffice. However, if you are a chili fanatic, or your chilis are mild, you may want to use many more. Play with the quantity until you arrive at a number that is right for you. However, don’t eliminate the habañero chili altogether, as its flavour is unique. Leaving the chili out will change the flavour of the recipe dramatically.
A Note on Grilling
For grilled chicken, I find it’s best to set up your grill for 2-zone cooking. Start the chicken over the drip tray in the cool zone and cook with the grill cover on.
If you use a Weber kettle grill, keep the vent holes on the lid open and positioned over the chicken. This will draw the smoke over the cooking chicken. You can regulate heat, if necessary, using the bottom vent.
Once the chicken is cooked through (30-45 minutes), you can shift it to the hot side of the grill to sear it for about 5 minutes per side over the open flame. This will crisp up the skin and add flavour, while avoiding unpleasant flare-ups.
I hope your family enjoys this succulent grilled chicken as much as mine does and wish you all a magical 2018! Bon appétit!
West African Spicy Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
- 1.8 kg chicken parts (about 16 pieces)
For the marinade
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup crushed garlic
- 4 habanero chilis, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
For the salad
- 6 tomatoes, seeded and thinly sliced
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2-4 green habañero chilis, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1/2 chicken stock cube, crumbled
- drizzle of neutral oil
Instructions
- Place the marinade ingredients in a blender jug, adding oil as needed to facilitate blending. Purée.
- Toss the chicken pieces in the mixture and marinate (if desired) for an hour or two or overnight. Else, you can simply leave the chicken to come to room temperature and absorb the marinade ingredients while you heat the grill.
- Meanwhile, toss the tomatoes, onions, and chilis (if using) with the crumbled stock cube and drizzle lightly with oil (about 1 tablespoon). Set aside to juice up while you cook the chicken.
- Cook the chicken over a hot grill until cooked through and juices run clear.
- Serve immediately with salad and attiéké or your preferred starch.
Notes
If attiéké is not available where you live, you could easily serve the chicken with couscous or any other starch of your choice.
I have not recommended dry brining the meat because some Dijon mustards are very salty. If you're using a good French brand, such as Maille, you may wish to dry brine the chicken for 30 minutes by using 1/2 teaspoon of salt for each 450 grams of chicken. Massage it into the meat and leave to "brine". Then, proceed with the marinade and the rest of the recipe as written.
Just recently bought habanero pepper to make a flower for food decor, it is so pretty shape and color to make a flower! I was thinking to find a recipe to try this pepper in my cooking, get busy and forgot about. Now I found the recipe on your website and want to try. This recipe in my to do list! I am going to learn more about this peppers, so exotic for me ingredient. Thank you for sharing, Jeanette!
Thanks so much Gala. I love habanero peppers; but, they’re quite spicy. Do wear rubber gloves while you make your flower, your eyes and hands will thank you! In Abidjan, we used to grind the peppers on a stone. Trust me when I say your hands burn by the time you’re finished! This chicken is delicious though!! My all time favorite. Try maybe 1 pepper the first time to ensure it’s not too spicy for you and your family:-) In the meantime, I look forward to your flower inspiration. I will definitely use it when I serve!!!
Jeannette, Thank you for a great recipe! I tried it! I Love it! For 9 chicken thighs, I used 1.5-inch without seeds orange habanero. Marinated overnight and baked 350F took with my oven about 60 minutes. I was so tired yesterday to take photos. Next week we are going to try on a grill too. I may be try to increase the amount of habanero but definitely without seeds.:) I think, most heat in seeds. Thank you again! Next, I am going to try your marinated lemons recipe.
Oh Gala! I couldn’t be more delighted to know that you enjoyed this recipe. It’s really one of our family favorites! If you have an African grocery store near you, you should try eating it with attiéké, which is a fermented cassava product similar to couscous. It comes both dried and frozen, and it’s both delicious and gluten free!
Jeanette, we love couscous! I have always in my pantry box of couscous! Super easy to make a side dish. I never heard about attiéké. So interesting to try! We live in New Orleans area and I am going to look for African store here. Thank you!
Do try Gala and let me know how your family likes it. Most people love it. Since it’s fermented, it has a very mild and friendly flavour. It’s one of the most popular foods of Côte d’Ivoire. In fact, the number one thing most Ivorians ask for from home is attiéké!
We made this today with attieke and the tomato onion salad and it was phenomenal!! Thank you for this recipe.
Thanks so much. I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it!