Burkina Faso | Main dish

Poulet Bicyclette

Name: Poulet Bicyclette
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Burkina Faso, West Africa
Ingredients: 1 whole free-range chicken, spatchcocked or halved; 3 tbsp Dijon mustard; 3 whole limes, juiced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tsp cayenne pepper; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped; salt, to taste; black pepper, to taste

Grilled local free-range chicken marinated in mustard, citrus, garlic, chile, oil, and herbs, then cooked over charcoal until smoky and crisp.

Country

Burkina Faso

Region

West Africa

Time

70 min

Serves

Level

medium

Start cooking Explore Burkina Faso recipes

01 / Get ready

Everything you need

Tap each ingredient as you gather it. Illustrations are visual guides; follow the ingredient names and quantities.

Servings 4

Scale the dish before you shop, then use the checklist while you cook.

Jump to method My cookbook

Ingredients

For 4 servings

Main dish

1 whole free-range chicken, spatchcocked or halved 3 tbsp Dijon mustard 3 whole limes, juiced 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp cayenne pepper 2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional) salt, to taste black pepper, to taste

A few kitchen essentials

Suggested from the recipe method. Use equivalent equipment you have.

Knife & board

Wooden spoon

02 / Let’s cook

One step at a time

Keep the rhythm calm, watch the texture, and adjust seasoning at the end.

Back to Burkina Faso

4 steps 30 min prep 40 min cook (check method) 70 min total medium

Make the marinade

Mix mustard, lime juice, garlic, parsley, cayenne, oil, salt, and pepper into a paste.

Marinate the chicken

Rub the marinade all over the chicken, getting under the skin. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.

Kitchen noteGetting marinade under the skin is key to flavour.

Marinate 120:00

Grill the chicken

Grill over medium charcoal heat, turning regularly, for about 35-40 minutes until the skin is crispy and the juices run clear.

Kitchen noteKeep the heat medium to cook through without burning.

Grill chicken 40:00

Rest and serve

Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before cutting into pieces. Serve with your choice of sides.

Rest 05:00

Every household has small variations. Start here, then adjust seasoning, heat, and serving sides to your kitchen.

Cooking notes, photos & serving ideas

Recipe context

More about this dish

Serving ideas, regional context, and cooking cues for when you want more detail.

When to cook it

Best for Evening gatherings at maquis. Plan on a medium cook. Allow about 70 minutes total.

What to serve alongside it

Attiéké, fries, or riz gras

Regional lane

Burkina Faso national table. A structured Burkina Faso dish in the AfroKitchen archive.

Chef watch-outs

Skipping the resting time after grilling.
Rushing the base before the raw edge has cooked out.
Adding all seasoning early and forgetting to adjust at the end.

How you know it is ready

The surface should be deeply colored while the center stays juicy.
The aroma should smell rounded rather than raw or sharp.
Oil, sauce, broth, or steam should look settled and deliberate.

Recipe photos

See the dish before you cook

Take a closer look at the dish and its serving ideas.

Poulet Bicyclette recipe from Burkina Faso — Poulet Bicyclette finished dish

Chef board

Build the table around Poulet Bicyclette

Attiéké, fries, or riz gras

Best route from here

Burkina Faso national table

Collections to keep cooking

Explore Burkina Faso recipes

Explore more recipes