Karsten Spieth is the chef at Vixen’s Wedding, a restaurant located in the ARRIVE Hotel. He said he chose this recipe because, “Piri-Piri Chicken may as well be the national dish of Portugal. The love for it has spread to all its former colonies, including Goa, where you more frequently find it with the addition of tropical fruits and local spices.” He adds, “Barbecue chicken is the unofficial summer food for us here in the US, so you can use this recipe to take yours to the next level.”
Pro Tip: He says, “Due to the sugar content in the marinade, keep a close eye on the color when you’re grilling. Rotate often!
Piri-Piri Chicken
Ingredients:
At the restaurant we grill whole chickens, but at home I use bone in breasts and thighs, totaling around 3 pounds.
Marinade:
1 cup Pineapple, roughly diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1 large shallot, peeled, quartered
5 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons ground coriander seed
2 whole dried kashmiri chilies, or other small dried chili
1 whole bird’s eye or thai chill
Glaze:
4 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons marinade
Preparation:
- Toast dried chilies in a pan until fragrant; remove seeds and soak in warm water
- Pulse shallot, garlic, and ginger in food processor until finely chopped
- Add remainder of marinade ingredients and blend until almost smooth
- Place chicken in a sealable bag with all but 6 tablespoons of the marinade. Rest for minimum 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Heat grill to 325 degrees F. Whether it’s gas or charcoal, keep your heat source relegated to one side of the grill, to cook the chicken in the indirect heat.
- Place chicken skin side up on the grill, on the side opposite your heat source.
- Close lid and cook until skin is browned and chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F at its thickest parts. Check and rotate your chicken frequently!
- While chicken is cooking, prepare your glaze by melting butter over medium heat and adding the remaining 6 tablespoons of marinade. Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Transfer chicken to a platter and cover with glaze, garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
