This dish originates from Africa but was adopted by the Portuguese and is now one of their main dishes served in restaurants, cafés, and bars. It is a simple but tasty dish, and is a fond memory for me. The dish is usually served with crisp hot french fries, but you could serve boiled new potatoes if you prefer. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
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1 medium sized chicken, washed
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1 cup Molho de Piri-Piri (see recipe)
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Pinch of ground piri-piri chiles (or substitute piquin or Thai)
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Pinch of oregano (fresh or dried)
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Romaine lettuce
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1 medium red onion, sliced and separated into rings
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2 large tomatoes, chopped
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1/4 cup Molho de Piri-Piri (see recipe)
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1 lemon, sliced for garnish
For the Molho de Piri-Piri:
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1 cup olive oil
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1.5 tablespoons ground piri-piris or substitute piquin or Thai chles
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1/2 tablespoon paprika
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1 clove garlic, minced, or more to tasted
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2 teaspoons sea salt
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1/2 teaspoon dried oreganoFo
Instructions
For the Chicken:
lace the chicken on a cutting board and split it lengthways at the breastbone (but not in two halves) so that it will lie flat. Then flatten it as much as possible with a mallet. Place the chicken in a shallow glass pan and more the Molho over it. Marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for 3 hours.
Remove the chicken and sprinkle over it some of the ground piri-piri and oregano. Grill the chicken over coals or gas until done. (It can also be baked in the glass pan with the marinade.)
Chop the chicken coarsely.
Arrange the lettuce on four plates, add the onion rings and tomatoes, and top with the chicken. Serve garnished with lemon slices and a small bowl of the Molho as a dressing.
For the Molho de Piri-Piri:
Combine the ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously. Then store in a refrigerator for a few weeks to blend the flavors