Portuguese Piri Piri Chicken – Frango Piri Piri

This is probably the most popular Portuguese chicken dish. People all around the world are raving about the spicy moist flavor from the Piri Piri marinade.

It’s very easy to cook in the oven or outside on the grill during barbecue season. Serve with Portuguese rice and fries. It pairs perfectly with Vinho Verde or Lancers Rose wine.

Ingredients:

1 or 2  (4)  pound chickens (butterflied)

1 cup piri piri sauce per chicken (recipe below)

Piri Piri Sauce – Makes approximately 2 cups

Ingredients for piri piri sauce:

20 fresh birds eye peppers whole with seeds (chopped into pieces)

6 red jalapeno peppers (seeded and chopped)

6 cloves garlic (chopped)

juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons white vinegar

2 tablespoons paprika

1 tablespoon salt

½ cup olive oil

Prepare sauce:

Place all ingredients into a blender and pulse to a smooth consistency. Place in jars and store in refrigerator until ready to use.

Prepare Chicken:

Marinate the chicken with 1 cup of the sauce. and place in a plastic bag for at least 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Slightly grease a baking sheet. Place chicken skin side up and cook for 50 – 60 minutes depending on how crispy you like your chicken.

Cut into pieces with poultry shears and serve.

*Note: If you’re cooking the chicken on the grill, heat the grill to high and place chicken skin side down on the grill. Close grill and cook for about 10 minutes away from flame until you achieve a crispy skin. Turn the chicken over and continue cooking until fully cooked.