Portuguese Grilled Chicken

Here’s a flavorful recipe for Portuguese Grilled Chicken, inspired by the traditional frango grelhado with a spicy peri-peri kick:

🇵🇹 Portuguese Grilled Chicken (Frango Grelhado)

🔥 Ingredients:

For the Marinade:

• 1 whole chicken (spatchcocked or cut into halves)

• 4 cloves garlic (minced)

• 1–2 red chili peppers (or 2 tsp chili flakes or peri-peri spice)

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1 tsp salt

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 2 tbsp white vinegar or red wine vinegar

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• Optional: 1 tsp oregano or thyme

• Optional: 1 tbsp tomato paste (for depth)

🕒 Instructions:

1. Prepare the Marinade:

   • Blend or whisk all marinade ingredients until smooth.

   • Rub the marinade generously over the chicken, getting it under the skin if possible.

2. Marinate:

   • Let the chicken marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight in the refrigerator.

3. Grill the Chicken:

   • Preheat your grill or grill pan to medium-high.

   • Grill the chicken skin-side down first for about 6–8 minutes, then flip and continue cooking.

   • Grill for a total of 35–40 minutes, turning occasionally, until nicely charred and cooked through (internal temp: 165°F / 74°C).

4. Rest & Serve:

   • Let the chicken rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.

   • Serve with lemon wedges, rice, grilled veggies, or Portuguese-style fries.