Grilled Chicken with Chile Sauce

(Frango Piri-Piri)
Piri-piri sauce usually gets its tang from lemon juice, vinegar, or whiskey. Ramires restaurant claims it uses a "cocktail" of secret ingredients but hints that whiskey is the key.

  • Serves

    serves 4

Ingredients

  • 14 cup dried piri-piri chiles, stemmed and crumbled
  • 1 large clove garlic, crushed and peeled4
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp. whiskey, fresh lemon juice, or red wine vinegar
  • 2 (1 1/2-lb.) young chickens
  • Coarse salt

Instructions

Step 1

To make the piri-piri, put chiles, garlic, oil, and whiskey, lemon juice, or vinegar into a small pot and heat over medium heat until oil just begins to boil, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Step 2

Lay chickens, breast side down, on a work surface and, using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, remove chicken backs by cutting along both sides of backbone. (Save backbones for making stock, if you like.) Then cut through breast bone, dividing chickens in half. Bend and tuck wing tips under wings.

Step 3

Preheat grill. Generously season chickens with salt, then grill over medium-hot coals until well browned on both sides and thigh juices run clear when pricked, 20-30 minutes. Transfer chickens to cutting board, then cut each half into 3-4 pieces; transfer to a platter. Liberally brush chickens with piri-piri and serve with lettuce, tomato, and onion salad and french fries.
  1. To make the piri-piri, put chiles, garlic, oil, and whiskey, lemon juice, or vinegar into a small pot and heat over medium heat until oil just begins to boil, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  2. Lay chickens, breast side down, on a work surface and, using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, remove chicken backs by cutting along both sides of backbone. (Save backbones for making stock, if you like.) Then cut through breast bone, dividing chickens in half. Bend and tuck wing tips under wings.
  3. Preheat grill. Generously season chickens with salt, then grill over medium-hot coals until well browned on both sides and thigh juices run clear when pricked, 20-30 minutes. Transfer chickens to cutting board, then cut each half into 3-4 pieces; transfer to a platter. Liberally brush chickens with piri-piri and serve with lettuce, tomato, and onion salad and french fries.
Recipes

Grilled Chicken with Chile Sauce

  • Serves

    serves 4

SAVEUR Recipe

By SAVEUR Editors


Published on August 30, 2005

(Frango Piri-Piri)
Piri-piri sauce usually gets its tang from lemon juice, vinegar, or whiskey. Ramires restaurant claims it uses a "cocktail" of secret ingredients but hints that whiskey is the key.

Ingredients

  • 14 cup dried piri-piri chiles, stemmed and crumbled
  • 1 large clove garlic, crushed and peeled4
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp. whiskey, fresh lemon juice, or red wine vinegar
  • 2 (1 1/2-lb.) young chickens
  • Coarse salt

Instructions

Step 1

To make the piri-piri, put chiles, garlic, oil, and whiskey, lemon juice, or vinegar into a small pot and heat over medium heat until oil just begins to boil, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Step 2

Lay chickens, breast side down, on a work surface and, using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, remove chicken backs by cutting along both sides of backbone. (Save backbones for making stock, if you like.) Then cut through breast bone, dividing chickens in half. Bend and tuck wing tips under wings.

Step 3

Preheat grill. Generously season chickens with salt, then grill over medium-hot coals until well browned on both sides and thigh juices run clear when pricked, 20-30 minutes. Transfer chickens to cutting board, then cut each half into 3-4 pieces; transfer to a platter. Liberally brush chickens with piri-piri and serve with lettuce, tomato, and onion salad and french fries.
  1. To make the piri-piri, put chiles, garlic, oil, and whiskey, lemon juice, or vinegar into a small pot and heat over medium heat until oil just begins to boil, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  2. Lay chickens, breast side down, on a work surface and, using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, remove chicken backs by cutting along both sides of backbone. (Save backbones for making stock, if you like.) Then cut through breast bone, dividing chickens in half. Bend and tuck wing tips under wings.
  3. Preheat grill. Generously season chickens with salt, then grill over medium-hot coals until well browned on both sides and thigh juices run clear when pricked, 20-30 minutes. Transfer chickens to cutting board, then cut each half into 3-4 pieces; transfer to a platter. Liberally brush chickens with piri-piri and serve with lettuce, tomato, and onion salad and french fries.

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