Frango Churrasco – Portuguese Chicken on a Brick

Portuguese “Frango Churrasco” – Barbequed Chicken, is one of the most popular dishes for summer cookouts.

There are many different recipes for this dish from using basic salt and pepper to adding oregano and rosemary.

My recipe, combines the classic Portuguese style spices, with an American twist of using a “Brick” to cook the chicken.

The chicken will cook quicker because it literally cooks on both sides with the heat from the hot brick cooking the top of the chicken and the hot grill cooks it on the bottom. You’ll notice you’ll get a great golden sear on the skin from the pressure of the brick as the chicken cooks slowly.

Ingredients:

2 small fryer chickens (3 to 4 lbs each)

4 cloves garlic crushed

2 tbsp salt

1 tbsp paprika

1/2 cup white wine

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tbsp Piri Piri or Tabasco sauce (Add more to taste)

2 tbsp olive oil

Cooking Marinade to brush on chicken:

2 tbsp butter or margarine

1/2 cup white wine

Leftover marinade

You will also need:

2 bricks wrapped in foil or a large heavy cast iron skillet

Preparation:

Butterfly the chicken by cutting down the back bone. Mix all the ingredients to form a marinate in a small bowl and reserve 2 tablespoons.

Coat the chicken with the marinate. Place in a shallow pan or plastic bag and store in the refrigerator.

Let it marinate for at least 2 hours or best, if left overnight.

Wrap 2 bricks with foil and place on the hot grill to heat up.

Grill should be hot then lowered to medium.

* Bricks will be hot – Use oven proof gloves.

When ready to cook, remove chickens from pan or the plastic bag.

Place the chickens skin side up on the grill and place one brick on top of each one. If you don’t have a brick use a heavy iron skillet. Close the grill and let chicken cook for 10 minutes.

In a small saucepan, mix reserved marinade with the butter and 1/2 cup of wine. Place saucepan on top of the grill and cook to evaporate the wine or heat up for a few minutes on your stove top until boiling point.

After 10 minutes check the chicken and turn over, skin side down.

Place the brick back on top of the chicken, close the grill and let cook for 5 minutes.

Begin Coating the chicken with the leftover marinade to moisten the chicken as it cooks if needed.

Check the chicken every 5 – 8 minutes to be sure it’s not burning. If you see flames, developing simply move the chicken off the flame to a different location on the grill.

After 1/2 hour, the chicken should have a good sear and charred color on it.

Lower the heat if you notice flames burning the chicken. Continue cooking for another 30 – 45 minutes,  or until the legs are fully cooked turning every 10 minutes.

*Note: All grills are different so you may find that you need to cook your chicken for a longer time.

*Cut through the legs and thighs for faster grilling.

You may also finish cooking the chicken in the oven for 10 minutes at 350.

Serve with my Potato Salad or Rice recipe.

Enjoy!