Mozambican Peri Peri Chicken

"This chicken demonstrates the influence of the Portuguese in the cuisine.  It is crazy hot, spicy and delicious"

This is often considered the national dish of Mozambique and it is easy to see why!

You can make the sauce to your own heat tolerance but it should burn a bit to be authentic. If you want total authenticity you should try to find the African bird's eye.

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.6 - 1.8 kg chicken cut up
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4.93 g chicken bouillon , optional
• 29.75 medium red pepper
• 1 fresh jalapeno peppers , coarsely chopped, seeds removed
• 1 fresh chili pepper or more , coarsely chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 4 large basil leaves
• 3 - 6 g fresh oregano
• 40 g chopped onions
• 54 g olive oil or more
• 113 g coconut milk
• 4.93 g smoked paprika
• Juice of I medium sized lemon , adjust to taste
• 2.46 g salt plus more to taste.
• black or white pepper to taste

 

METHOD:

1. Blend red pepper, jalapeno pepper, chili pepper, garlic, basil, oregano, and onions in a food processor or blender. Add olive oil, coconut milk to facilitate blending. Then mix in smoked paprika, lemon juice, black or white pepper and coconut milk. Adjust for salt and seasoning. Refrigerate and use when ready. You may make this a day or more ahead of time.
2. Trim chicken of excess fat and pat dry with a cloth or paper napkin. Rub with lemon, and season with salt, chicken bouillon and pepper
3. Drench the chicken with peri-peri marinate, place in a zip lock bag, or sealed containers and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
4. When ready to grill. Using a tong, remove chicken from the peri-peri marinade and remove excess marinade. Reserve the marinade.
5. Preheat grill to medium - high heat.
6. Place chicken on the grill and grill for about 10-15 minutes each side you may need to turn the chicken occasionally on each side until it is cooked all the way. Do this in batches if you have a small grill.
7. In a small saucepan, simmer the remaining peri-peri marinade and the one from the chicken for about 7 minutes. Serve with chicken or mix with chicken.

Oven-Baked

1. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 425° F.
2. Line a baking pan with foil; top with a wire rack. Arrange chicken pieces out in a single layer.
3. Bake chicken until cooked through and skin is crispy, about 45-50 minutes-rotate half ways through-roughly 20 minutes.

 

African Bites, June 2015