From the Salivate! kitchen
Portuguese Chicken
The story behind the dish
Did you know that Portugal is technically not part of the Mediterranean because it faces the Atlantic Ocean? I've included it the Mediterranean Collection because for me it is. This recipe is one of my all time favourites. Tasty and ready to be shared with hungry people!
The recipe
Portuguese Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, free range preferably
- 4 cloves garlic (or more if you really like it)
- good slug extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp Salivate! Portuguese Chicken Spice Blend
- small bunch fresh oregano
- small bunch fresh thyme
- sea salt
- 1 lemon
Method
- FIRST OF ALL YOU HAVE TO BUTTERFLY OR FLATTEN THE CHICKEN
- Step 1 Wash chicken and pat dry with paper towel. Place the chicken on the bench breast side down. Grab a pair of kitchen scissors and cut along both sides of the backbone and remove.
- Step 2 Turn chicken over and using your hands, press down firmly to flatten. Easy.
- NOW FOR THE MARINADE
- Chop up the garlic and the fresh herbs and place in a large bowl. Add the Spice Blend 1tsp for a subtle heat, 2 or more for a bigger punch. Mix
- Add the butterflied chicken and massage the marinade into the bird. I use disposable gloves and really get into it. Leave to marinate for at least 2 hours and give it a massage every now and then
- Heat the BBQ to really hot and place on the chicken. I like to brown both sides and then put down the lid and turn the heat down a little. If you don’t have a BBQ with a lid, you can cover the chicken with a metal bowl and it will do the same job.
- When the bird is cooked - about 15 to 20 minutes depending on size - squeeze lemon juice over it, chop it into as many pieces as you like and pile it up on a platter.
- I like to serve this with chopped potatoes par-boiled and then fried in olive oil, sprinkled with sea salt and fresh rosemary and a tomato and green salad with a lemon & fruity olive oil dressing.