Portuguese Chicken and Crispy Potatoes {Peri Peri Chicken}

There is nothing quite as satisfying as a simple roast chicken, just pulled from the oven, aromas wafting through house, infusing hearth and home with warmth and comfort. Winter has arrived, dropping snow on the fallen leaves. It seemed to happen so quickly this year, the changing of the seasons. My initial reaction, truthfully, is resistance, to the abrupt ending of fall and the beginning of the long winter to come. And yet, I’m lured into acceptance by little things – the sound of the crackling fire, the snowflakes, the stack of books waiting to be read and comforting meals.

 

Smoked paprika, dried ancho chilies and fresh garlic are at the base of this flavorful marinade. This is  a “manly” dish, meaning, in general, men tend to gravitate towards these deep, smoky flavors.  It looks spicy, but don’t be deceived –  this version is not over-the-top spicy, and I’d only call it a “one-star” on the spiciness scale. It really lets the other flavors come through.

Traditional Portuguese Chicken, also called Peri Peri Chicken (or sometimes Piri Piri Chicken) is made with Piri Piri peppers which actually originated in South Africa, and were imported to Portugal from two Portuguese colonies, Angola and Mozambique, on spice ships. Today, the peppers are used widespread throughout Portugal to make marinades, basting liquids, condiments and hot sauces.

To butterfly, start by placing the chicken (rinsed, patted dry)  breast side down on a cutting board.

Using sharp kitchen scissors, remove the spine, cutting on one side and then the other side of the spine. Open the chicken wide and turn over, so breast side is now facing up.

With the back side open and facing down, press down firmly on the breast bone of the chicken to flatten. You may hear some cracking. Press hard.

In a blender or food processor, blend the marinade ingredients into a thick paste.  Brush the marinade all over both sides of the chicken, saving the rest for basting while in the oven.

If making the potatoes that go with this, brush marinade on the bottom of your sheet pan. Sweet potatoes would also work well.

Do not use a ceramic or glass pyrex here- use a large, rimmed, metal sheet pan for best results. This enamel pan is deceiving, it is very large.

Layer thinly sliced potatoes, overlapping only slighlty,  and sprinkle generously with salt.

Place the chicken, skin side down, tucking the wings under, over top of the potatoes and place in a 425F pre-heated  oven.
After 15 minutes, turn the chicken over and roast for another 15 minutes, basting with more marinade after flipping. Continue cooking until chicken is cooked through, and leg reaches 165F.  Depending on the size of the chicken, this could be 20-50 more minutes!

Then give a good broil in the oven so skin gets crispy and slightly charred in places. This is important!

The flavorful juices from the Peri peri Chicken and marinade will seep into the potatoes which will have softened and also become crispy, a nice contrast. Place it in the oven.