Description
A spicy and flavorful Portuguese-style peri-peri chicken recipe featuring a brined whole chicken grilled to perfection with a homemade piri-piri sauce made from chilies, garlic, and herbs.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (around 1.5 kg), spatchcocked
- For the Brine:
- ½ cup salt
- 8 cups water (half boiling, half cold/ice)
- For the Piri-Piri Sauce:
- 8 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 small lemon (or ½ large lemon), cut into 6 pieces, seeds removed
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 4-5 bird’s eye chilies (adjust to preferred heat)
- 2 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
- 3 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 3 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 75ml olive oil
- 2 large bay leaves
Instructions
- First, prepare the brine: Dissolve the salt in about half of the boiling water. Once dissolved, add the remaining cold water and ice to cool it down. Submerge the whole spatchcocked chicken in this brine, ensuring it’s fully covered, and refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, remove the chicken from the brine, allowing any excess water to drain. Do not rinse the chicken.
- Prepare the Piri-Piri sauce: In a food processor, combine the peeled garlic cloves, lemon pieces (ensure no seeds), white vinegar, bird’s eye chilies, chopped coriander, smoked paprika, sugar, salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Process until a relatively smooth paste forms.
- Preheat your grill or oven to medium-high heat. Generously slather the Piri-Piri sauce all over the chicken, ensuring it’s well coated. Alternatively, for grilling, use a bunch of parsley as a basting brush to apply the sauce.
- Cook the chicken, turning every 10-15 minutes, basting frequently with additional Piri-Piri sauce, until it’s cooked through and develops a beautiful char on the exterior. Aim for an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving, ensuring the juices redistribute for maximum tenderness.
Notes
- Adjust the number of chilies based on your preferred level of heat.
- Spatchcocking the chicken helps it cook evenly and quickly.
- The brine enhances flavor and tenderness; do not skip this step.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches the safe internal temperature.