Traditional Portuguese Chicken

When my dear friend Anna responded so fast to a text message that I had sent her, I knew it was going to be a great reply! I had asked her if she had a family favourite recipe for Portuguese chicken. She responded with “ yes this was my Dads”, we knew at that moment we were in for a tasty dish.

How amazing are family traditions, this one is just that! Anna and I worked together in Aviation for over 12 years together and it was our love for food that kept us connected!

Having lost her dad to cancer, we were so honoured when she sent us her dads recipe. We were determined to do him proud.

Anna shared, that it was her dads job every year at both her girls birthday parties to do his famous Portuguese Chicken.

He would set his alarm, and off he would go to the markets at 2am to buy BOXES of butterflied chicken. Once he got home, he would marinade this chicken for his granddaughters big day.

Anna remembers never being able to pull her dad away from that BBQ, ( his home made- cut in half beer keg) he was in his absolute element!

Anna thank you for being kind enough to share your dads family recipe, it is just delicious.

I know he would be very proud having others create his recipe too! Mmwwhhaa xxx

Ingredients:

• Vegetable oil, enough to create marinade to cover the chicken, approx 1/3 cup

• 1 TBS paprika

• 1 tsp Vegeta /Chicken stock

• 1 TBS soy sauce

  The stock powder and soy will add the saltiness

• Heaped tsp minced garlic

• Butter, enough to rub all over the chicken (soft)

• 1/4 tsp cumin

Serve with a side of roast potatoes, baked cauliflower and a side salad of what ever you may have in your fridge at the time!

We also made a Peri Peri sauce with ours to have on the side.

Method:

Rub the softened butter all over your chicken, add all other ingredients into a large bowl and mix together. Add your butterflied chicken , if you're not keen to butterfly your own, ask your butcher and they may be able to cut it for you.

By butterflying the chicken, this allows the meat to cook faster. Ideally this meal would be cooked on a BBQ or over coal or wood as Annas dad did, otherwise in the oven is also fine.

Marinate chicken overnight, or at least a few hours, and as Anna would say Voa’-la, there you have it! The tastiest Portuguese chicken you’ll ever eat!

Hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as our family did! x