I’m not even sure what to write about this chicken recipe- it’s cheap, easy and massively crowd pleasing. What more could you want?
I especially love making this chicken for crowds since you can take any number of chicken thighs (I have done anywhere from 4 to 40), chuck ’em in a bowl (for a few) or bag (for lots) with the marinade the night before, then cook them up when your guests are over!
I had originally intended to post this recipe back in July as my first ever blog post ‘from the road’ at Colin’s family cabin at Shuswap Lake. Long weekends at the cabin usually average anywhere between 12 to 25 people so I knew this would be my go-to recipe when it was my turn to cook. Turns out, however, that while this recipe is incredibly quick and easy to make for a huge group of people… it’s not so easy to stage and photograph when they’re all drunk and hungry after a long day of lounging and sunning themselves.
Right. So those pictures didn’t turn out, but the actual food was a huge hit and made cooking for 20 some odd people a breeze!
Marinate chicken in an extra large ziploc bag, spend the day swimming/boating/sunning, throw chicken on the barbecue. Fool proof (to be fair, Colin did the actual barbecuing so I can’t take full credit here). Pair with some seared greens and grilled veggies and we have a meal fit for all the carnivorous, gluten-free, diabetic or dairy-free bodies under our roof! (phew)
I love making this on the barbecue when possible but it’s just as good cooked in the oven when the weather is not so lovely (I’m looking at you, Vancouver, and your forecast of torrential rain for the foreseeable future…)
| Frango Grelhado - Portuguese Grilled Chicken | | Print |
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 bay leaf, crumbled
- 1 Tbs rock salt
- 1 Tbs smoked paprika
- ½ tsp chili flakes
- ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
- 3 Tbs olive oil
- .
- 6 chicken thighs
- 1 lemon or lime, halved (optional garnish)
- Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Rub over chicken thighs and marinate in the fridge for 1 to 24 hours.
- Grill chicken on the barbecue on medium-high heat until chicken is tender and the juices run clear when gently pressed. OR Oven instructions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lay chicken in a baking dish and bake for 30 minutes (until chicken is tender and the juices run clear when gently pressed).
- Optional: Squeeze a bit of lemon or lime over the cooked chicken thighs for an added burst of flavour.
Chicken looks amazing – looks like bone in and skin on thighs? Thanks for sharing. I plan on making this soon.
Yep, bone-in, skin-on thighs! I love buying them in bulk and marinating this for parties, since it’s so quick and easy. In fact- I’m even making this for my baby shower/BBQ (BabyQ?) this weekend 🙂 Enjoy, Marilyn!
Add a dash of Peri Peri.
Rub the chicken with rock salt first to draw in the marinade
overnight is best turn lots on bbq. :)))
I’ll have to try this with a dash of peri peri! Thanks for the recommendation, Boyd! As for the rock salt, the marinade contains lots of rock salt already, so it should draw in the marinade plenty well 🙂
Old lady wants to know what you mean by “rock salt”,
Hi Patricia, rock salt may be a misnomer in some areas- I know friends who use “rock salt” to salt their roads in winter, but certainly would not use it for cooking! Where I live, “rock salt” just a very coarse grain (but food-grade) salt, which is what we’re looking for. Using a coarse salt will give bursts of flavour without causing the chicken to become too salty- small grains would dissolve and overpower the dish in this case.
I have made this dish twice, it’s amazing. My only issue is the barbecue very quickly sets everything on fire. What am I doing wrong?
Nothing at all, I have the same issue! I love, love, love the smoky flavour of this chicken right on the grill but it does tend to flare up. My best suggestion would be to create a ‘hot spot’ on one end of your BBQ and then transfer the chicken to indirect heat while cooking. I mean, you could always cook it in the oven, too… but who doesn’t love a grill 🙂
I keep a spray bottle with ½ water, ½ super bock portuguese beer to prevent the flare ups from the charcoal.. trick an old portuguese grill man gave me..
Cheers
I LOVE this tip, Allan! Trying again this week with your wisdom
I have done this with boneless skinless thighs and it came out amazing I just use a little less salt. Have you every done with chicken breast?