Yassa Chicken

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, combine the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, half the minced garlic, 2 tbsp oil, salt, and black pepper. Add the chicken pieces and the sliced onions. Toss everything together, making sure every piece of chicken is well coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours — overnight gives the best flavor and tenderness.
2. Remove the chicken from the marinade. Reserve the marinade and separate the onions from the liquid.
3. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken dry and brown in batches — 5–7 minutes per side until the skin is deep golden brown. Do not crowd the pan. Transfer browned chicken to a plate.
4. Discard excess fat from the pot, leaving about 1 tbsp. Add the marinated onions (without the liquid) and cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 25–30 minutes until the onions are fully soft, golden, and caramelized. This is the heart of the dish — do not rush it.
5. Add the remaining garlic, bouillon cube, and the reserved marinade liquid. Stir to deglaze any browned bits. Return the chicken to the pot, add the chicken stock and the whole scotch bonnet pepper (leave it whole — it adds flavor without making the dish too hot). Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on medium-low for 35–40 minutes until the chicken is falling-off-the-bone tender.
6. In the last 5 minutes, stir in the green olives (if using). Taste and adjust salt. Remove the whole scotch bonnet and bay leaves before serving. Serve over fluffy white rice, spooning the caramelized onion sauce generously over the chicken.