Frango Piri-Piri (Portuguese Grilled Chili Chicken)

Method

1. 1

   Blend the chilies, garlic, paprika, lemon juice, vinegar and olive oil into a smooth marinade.

2. 2

   Rub the marinade all over the spatchcocked chicken, working some under the skin. Cover and marinate at least 4 hours, or overnight.

   💡 The longer soak is what separates roadside piri-piri from a quick paint job — go overnight if you can.

3. 3

   Light the grill for medium heat, banking the coals to one side for gentler, indirect cooking.

4. 4

   Set the chicken bone-side down over the coals and grill 25 minutes, moving it if any spot flares up.

5. 5

   Flip and grill skin-side down until deeply charred and the juices run clear, about 15 minutes more.

6. 6

   Meanwhile, pour the used marinade into a small pan with the butter and boil hard for a few minutes — this thickens it into a basting sauce and makes it safe to brush back onto the chicken.

7. 7

   Paint the bird with the basting sauce during the last few minutes on the grill.

   💡 Baste like you're being judged — the layered glaze is the churrasqueira secret.

8. 8

   Rest the chicken 10 minutes, then joint it and serve with the remaining sauce spooned over.