Grilled Portuguese Piri Piri Chicken with Charred Lemon and Herb Rice

Make the piri piri marinade by blending the chilies, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, smoked paprika, oregano, lemon juice and salt until smooth and vivid red.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken, spatchcocked (about 4 pounds)
• 6 red chilies (piri piri or Fresno), stemmed
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 lemons (1 juiced, 1 halved for grilling)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups long-grain white rice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley and cilantro
• 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

1. Make the piri piri marinade by blending the chilies, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, smoked paprika, oregano, lemon juice and salt until smooth and vivid red.
2. Reserve a third of the sauce for serving. Rub the rest all over the spatchcocked chicken, working it under the skin, and marinate at least 1 hour or overnight in the refrigerator.
3. Build a two-zone fire and heat the grill to medium. Cook the chicken skin-side up over indirect heat first, covered, for about 25 minutes.
4. Move the chicken skin-side down over direct heat and grill until the skin is deeply charred and lacquered and the thickest part registers 165F, 15-20 minutes more, basting with reserved sauce.
5. While the chicken cooks, prepare the rice: cook the long-grain rice in salted water until tender, then fold in the butter and chopped herbs and fluff.
6. Lay the lemon halves cut-side down on the grill until caramelized and juicy, about 3 minutes.
7. Rest the chicken 10 minutes, then cut into pieces, spoon over the reserved piri piri sauce and serve with the herb rice and charred lemon for squeezing.
8. Piri piri chicken traces its fiery soul to Portuguese sailors who married African bird's-eye chilies with garlic, citrus and smoked paprika, creating a dish now beloved from Lisbon to Mozambique. Cooked over live fire on a summer evening, its blistered, spicy-tangy skin captures everything great about grilling season.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 690 kcal
• Protein: 42g
• Fat: 34g
• Carbohydrates: 48g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 3g
• Sodium: 980mg