Kelaguen recipe

Charcoal-grilled chicken chopped fine and cured in lemon juice with fresh grated coconut and island hot peppers.

1 hour and 40 minuteseasy7 ingredients

Ingredients

• 180 ml lemon juice
• 1000 g chicken thighs
• 150 g fresh grated coconut
• 4 hot chili peppers
• 1 bunch green onions
• 1 yellow onion
• 2 tsp salt

How to make Kelaguen

1. Grill 1 kg of bone-in chicken thighs over charcoal for about 25 minutes, turning until the skin is charred and the meat is cooked through.
2. Let the chicken cool, pull off the bones, then chop it finely with a knife. Do not shred it in a machine: kelaguen has a distinct chopped texture.
3. Crack a fresh coconut and grate 150 g of the white meat. Desiccated coconut is a poor substitute here.
4. Mince 4 hot chili peppers, slice a bunch of green onions and finely chop 1 yellow onion.
5. In a bowl, mix the chopped chicken with 180 ml of lemon juice (not lime) and 2 teaspoons of salt until the meat turns pale and takes on the acid.
6. Fold in the grated coconut, the chilies and both onions.
7. Let it sit 30 minutes at room temperature, then taste and add lemon juice or salt.
8. Serve at room temperature with titiyas (corn flatbread) or red rice.

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