Easy Portuguese Chicken

 

One of the most popular places for people to eat, fast food chain wise, in the U.K. is Nando's.  This is a restaurant that specializes in Portuguese grilled chicken. Quite a few Brits travel to Portugal on holiday these days, and so they have acquired a taste for the chicken. No small wonder!  It is loaded with bags of flavor!

Portuguese chicken is succulent grilled chicken with flavors of spice, smoke and savory herbs. Traditionally it would be butterflied and grilled over an open fire, but it can also be found grilled on an outdoor rotisserie. It can be somewhat spicy, ranging anywhere from fairly mild spicy to blow-your-head-off spicy!

This easy Portuguese chicken recipe which I am sharing with you today embodies all of the flavors of that chicken except it is much easier to make. No charcoal grill or rotisserie is needed. You can cook it very simply in the oven.  

 

You do need to marinate the chicken for about 8 hours in a lovely spicy marinade.  I cut slashes into the chicken to help the marinade really penetrate the flesh right down to the bone.  Skin on chicken legs are best.  The skin gets really crispy and finger lickingly tasty!

Plus, you are guaranteed that your chicken will be really juicy. Dark meat really holds up much better to the longer cook time, as does bone in meat.

Normally I will buy a whole chicken on offer and the cut it up into pieces to freeze.  Chicken is getting to be so expensive these days that it makes sense to take the cheapest route possible.

My sister and I usually go to the store on a Monday and check out the sell by dates of the "free-from" whole chickens. We take note and then we go back again early on the last day they can be sold. You can usually get them for 50% off as you need to cook them on that day.

It is perfectly acceptable to bring them home, cut them up and then freeze them for later use, and a real money saver in the long run!

 

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE PORTUGESE CHICKEN

You will need a blender or a smoothie maker to blitz the marinade together. Other than that, the ingredients required are quite simple. It looks like a long list but most of the things required are seasonings for the marinade.

• 2 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 2 TBS light olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic peeled
• 1/2 TBS paprika
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp chili powder, or to taste
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1/2 bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 chicken leg quarters

  

You could use lemon juice concentrate, but fresh lemon juice will give you the best flavor. All of the remaining ingredients are pretty self-explanatory.  

The chili powder used is the hot chili powder. Judge accordingly.  Same with the red pepper flakes. You know what kind of heat you can tolerate so don't go overboard.

If you wish you can use garlic powder (not salt) instead of the fresh garlic. About 1/2 tsp will do the trick.

Break the bay leaf up before you blitz it together with the remaining ingredients.

 

HOW TO PREPARE AND COOK EASY PORTUGUESE CHICKEN

Do bear in mind you will need to marinate this chicken for a good 8 hours prior to cooking.  The longer the better and the more flavor will be infused into the meat.  This cooks in the oven but you can also grill it on an outdoor grill as well. Very nice!

Place the lemon juice, oil. paprika, garlic, oregano, salt, chili powder, red pepper flakes, bay leaf and black pepper into a small blender. Blitz until it is very smooth.

Take your chicken quarters and, using a sharp knife, score them a few times down to the bone. (Easily done with a sharp knife) This helps to get the flavors right into the meat. Place into a zip lock baggie.

 

Add 2/3 of the spicy mixture to the bag. (Reserve the rest for later.) Zip the bag shut.

Using your hands massage the marinade into the chicken quarters until they are coated well with the sauce. Place in the refrigerator and marinate for about 8 hours. (Or overnight if you wish.)

When you are ready to cook them, preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Butter a baking dish.

 

Remove the chicken from the baggie, discarding any marinade left in the bag. Place the chicken into the baking dish, presentation/skin side down.

Cover with tinfoil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, uncover, and baste with the reserved marinade. Recover with the foil and return to the oven. Bake for a further 20 minutes.

Uncover and baste again with the reserved mixture. Return to the oven, uncovered this time, and roast for a further 15 to 20 minutes, until the juices run clear and the chicken temperature (near to the bone) tests at 165*F/74*C.

This was really tender and juicy.  The marinade gave it a lovely flavor. There was a bit of heat as you might expect from Portuguese Chicken, but it was not unbearably spicy. I would compare it to the Lemon Chicken that you might get at Nando's.

I enjoyed this with some steamed basmati rice and some steamed peas and corn on the side.  It made a really delicious supper. I found myself wishing that I had an outdoor grill. I can only imagine how delicious this might be grilled over gas or coals. This would add a lovely hint of smokiness.

   

Chicken leg quarters are one of the more affordable cuts of chicken available these days. In all truth the dark meat of the leg holds much more flavor than the rest of the chicken. It is also just as adaptable to other flavors and cooking methods as the breast.  Here are a few other ways to enjoy them!

CHICKEN GRATINEE - This is an unusual way of cooking chicken leg quarters from the French.  Simple and easy.  Browned chicken leg quarters are roasted until delectably tender in a lush cheese custard with a buttered breadcrumb topping.  This is rich and delicious.  It is beautiful served with boiled new potatoes and a vegetable on the side.

LEMON ROASTED CHICKEN LEGS - Chicken leg quarters, rubbed with softened butter, some lemon zest, salt, pepper and parsley with a squeeze of lemon over top prior to slow roasting, covered,  in a slow oven until they are almost cooked through. Uncovered and roasted at a high temperature to brown the skin up nicely.  Delicious. Tender. Juicy.  This is wonderful served with some of the pan juices spooned over top and some rice and a vegetable on the side.

Yield: 2 servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Portuguese Chicken

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 1 HourInactive time: 8 HourTotal time: 9 H & 15 M

Tender, juicy and loaded with flavor. This is as good as any Portuguese chicken you might find in a restaurant. It has a bit of a bite, but you can adjust the heat according to your taste. You will need to start marinating the chicken early in the day.

Ingredients

• 2 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 2 TBS light olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic peeled
• 1/2 TBS paprika
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp chili powder, or to taste
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1/2 bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 chicken leg quarters

Instructions

1. Place the lemon juice, oil. paprika, garlic, oregano, salt, chili powder, red pepper flakes, bay leaf and black pepper into a small blender. Blitz until it is very smooth.
2. Take your chicken quarters and, using a sharp knife, score them a few times down to the bone. Place into a zip lock baggie.
3. Add 2/3 of the spicy mixture to the bag. (Reserve the rest for later.) Zip the bag shut.
4. Using your hands massage the marinade into the chicken quarters until they are coated well with the sauce. Place in the refrigerator and marinate for about 8 hours. (Or overnight if you wish.)
5. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Butter a baking dish.
6. Remove the chicken from the baggie, discarding any marinade left in the bag. Place the chicken into the baking dish presentation side down.
7. Cover with tinfoil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, uncover and baste with the reserved marinade. Recover and return to the oven. Bake for a further 20 minutes.
8. Uncover and baste again with the reserved mixture. Return to the oven, uncovered, and roast for a further 15 to 20 minutes, until the juices run clear and the chicken temperature (near to the bone) tests at 165*F/74*C.

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Small Batch Garlic Cheese Bread

We love pasta in my house. It has always been so.  Especially spaghetti. When my children were growing up one of the easiest meals for me to cook for them was Spaghetti Bolognese. They loved it. I always cooked about twice as much as I needed to cook because we would enjoy the leftovers the next day as "Fried Spaghetti."

I think they enjoyed the Fried Spaghetti nights even more than the original meal.  But, then again, fry anything in butter and it automatically becomes better. Because everything is better with butter don't you know!

   

Another thing we also enjoy with our pasta is crusty bread and in particular garlic bread.  This was not something I had at all when I was growing up. The idea of using garlic in anything was quite foreign to my parents. If something had garlic in it my parents just would not eat it.

Not so I.  I love garlic, and I adore garlic bread.  I used to make cheesy garlic bread for my family all the time. Crisp thick slices of Italian bread, slathered in a homemade garlic butter and topped with cheese before grilling to ooey gooey, crisp and golden-brown perfection!

Of course, these days with there only being me in the house, I no longer have the need for a whole loaf of garlic bread.  I have learned to make it only a few slices at a time. This recipe I am sharing with you today makes one thick perfect slice of Italian Garlic Bread.

Yes, that is more than one slice on the plate. They didn't have any Italian bread on the day I went to the shops, so I had to make do with a French stick. So, I made four smaller pieces in its place. That way I had a lovely taste of it myself and was able to send some next door for my neighbor to enjoy along with the pasta I also sent to her.

Or at least I assume she enjoyed it. I never had any complaints!

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE GARLIC CHEESE BREAD (small batch)

The ingredients listed are for one slice only. You will need to multiply them to make more.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

• 1 thick slice of French or Italian bread
• 2 tsp softened salted butter
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp dried flat leaf parsley
• 2 TBS grated mozzarella cheese
• 2 TBS grated cheddar cheese
• 1/2 TBS freshly grated Parmesan cheese

 

My loaf was a bit on the small side when it came to size, and I doubled the amounts to make two servings.  So, I used four thick slices of the bread and doubled everything else.  They had no Italian bread on the day I went to the shops and so I used a baguette its place.  (Hence, the smaller slices,)

I used bottled minced garlic.  With there only being one of me in the house when I buy fresh garlic it dries out or goes moldy most of the time before I can get it used. I buy a good quality refrigerated minced garlic that is organic.

You could also use garlic powder its place. NOT SALT. Just the powder.  1/4 tsp for one serving would work just right.

The dried parsley adds color. I also sprinkled the finished loaf with some finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley for show, which is not reflected in the recipe. 

Use good cheeses.  You get what you pay for when it comes to cheese. It is okay to use pre-grated cheeses for this recipe but do use a quality brand.

HOW TO MAKE GARLIC CHEESE BREAD (small batch)

Its really not all that hard and there may be some people who could do this with their eyes closed. Some people may not be as experienced, however, and this recipe is for them. As stated above, this is a recipe for one slice of garlic bread, simply multiply ingredients to make as many as you wish.

Preheat the grill to high. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil. Place the bread onto the tray.

Stir together the butter, half of the parsley and garlic to combine well. Spread it evenly over the slice of bread.

 

Mix together all of the cheeses and sprinkle them evenly over top of the buttered bread.

Pop the bread under the heated grill and toast until the cheese has melted and turned golden brown in spots. (3 to 4 minutes)

Sprinkle with the remaining parsley flakes and serve immediately.

 

I did make four slices of this bread.  My bread was quite a bit smaller than a regular Italian loaf and so two of these slices would be one serving.  I sent half to my next-door neighbor for her to enjoy with her dinner.

This is rich and cheese, not oily and grilled to perfection with just the right amount of garlic flavor. You could add more garlic if you wanted to, but this is just right for me.

 

There is nothing that goes better than a thick slice of garlic bread. I have made many different kinds through the years. Here are a few more of my favorites!

GUY FIERI'S GARLIC BREAD - This garlic bread recipe is quite unlike most garlic bread recipes which I have seen.  It is loaded with simple textures and flavors, including chopped spring onions.  Hot sauce is also used which gives this recipe a bit of a tang that is quite delicious!  All of the flavors work together in perfect harmony to create a garlic bread that is incredibly moreish. Just garlicky enough. Just cheesy enough.  Just oniony enough.  

GARLIC PARMESAN PULL APART BREAD - Another small batch recipe which makes only four servings.This quick and easy pull-apart bread goes together in minutes and can be on the table in less than half an hour. Delicious served with soups and stews, salads or as an appetizer with some Marinara sauce for dipping! 

Yield: 1 serving

Author: Marie Rayner

Small Batch Garlic Cheese Bread

Prep time: 4 MinCook time: 4 MinTotal time: 8 Min

Instructions are given for one slice of Garlic Cheese Bread, but you can easily multiply it to serve as many as you wish.

Ingredients

• 1 thick slice of French or Italian bread
• 2 tsp softened salted butter
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp dried flat leaf parsley
• 2 TBS grated mozzarella cheese
• 2 TBS grated cheddar cheese
• 1/2 TBS freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the grill to high. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil. Place the bread onto the tray.
2. Stir together the butter, half of the parsley and garlic to combine well. Spread it evenly over the slice of bread.
3. Mix together all of the cheeses and sprinkle them evenly over top of the buttered bread.
4. Pop the bread under the heated grill and toast until the cheese has melted and turned golden brown in spots. (3 to 4 minutes)
5. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley flakes and serve immediately.

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This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.  

  

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The Best Ham Sandwich

 

I get regular emails from a blog called Barefeet in the Kitchen. I have been a fan of Mary's Yonkin's recipes for years. I have all of her cookbooks and in fact they were the first ones I replaced after moving back to Canada and having had to leave all my books behind.

The other day she sent a recipe for a delicious sounding Ham Sandwich into my email box. She called it the best ham sandwich you'll ever eat!  That's a tall order I thought, but I was intrigued!  It did sound and look very good, with layers of rocket, ham and sweet cranberry and pepper jam on a goat's cheese slathered fresh and crispy baguette.

 

I love LOVE all of those ingredients!  Its true.  The combination sounded like something I would enjoy.  Creamy goat's cheese, salty ham.  What a brilliant combination.  Of course, if you don't like goat's cheese or find its flavor to be too strong you can use a whipped cream cheese in its place.

I am a huge fan of Grandpa Ham by Sikorski. It is wood smoked and delicious and tastes just like the old-fashioned ham that my grandfather used to smoke himself.

We have a cranberry bog just down the road from us where they harvest the best cranberries each year and a local place turns them into jams and sauces.  I knew their cranberry pepper jam would be perfect for this sandwich.

And rocket/arugula . . .  one of my favorite greens. I love its peppery bite.

What could go wrong with this sandwich?  Nothing!  This was one very tasty sandwich. Yes, I did downsize it to make only two sandwiches.  It can easily be doubled or tripled and cut into smaller bite sized sandwiches to use as appetizers.  Just a suggestion.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THE BEST HAM SANDWICH

Just a few simple ingredients.  Most are not all that out of the ordinary, except for maybe the goats cheese.

• two fresh (6-inch) French Baguettes
• 3 ounces (85g) creamy soft goats cheese
• 2 - 3 TBS spicy cranberry and pepper jam
• a couple handfuls of fresh baby arugula, washed and dried
• 1/2 pound (8 ounces/227g) shaved Deli Ham

 

You could use one 12-inch baguette in the place of two smaller ones. In either case I always lop off the ends to make my sandwiches easier to eat.  Choose nice fresh ones, preferably baked on the day.

If you are not a fan of goats cheese you can use whipped cream cheese in its place. I think you could also use a Boursin cheese. Just don't go too wild with the flavor as you don't want it to jar with the other flavors in the sandwich. Keep it simple.

I used a good deli baked ham, shaved into thin slices.  Crumple them up when you put them onto the sandwich. This adds interest!

I used a cranberry and pepper jam that is made here locally. It was delicious!

Don't overdo the baby arugula/rocket.  You want it to make a statement, but you don't want it to take over the sandwich. Make sure you pat it really dry after washing it.  You don't want a soggy sandwich!

 

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HAM SANDWICH 

It's a doddle really.

Slice your baguettes in half horizontally creating two flat halves for each sandwich. Divide the goat's cheese between each slice, spreading it out evenly. (Both sides of each baguette should be covered.)

Layer the baby arugula (rocket) on the bottom halves of the baguettes, on top of the goat's cheese. You want to make sure you use ample rocket, but don't go too far over the top. You also don't want the rocket to take over the sandwich.

Layer the ham over top of the arugula, dividing it equally between the two baguettes. I like to crumple it up a bit to add extra texture and interest.

 

Spoon the cranberry pepper jam over top of the goat's cheese on the top halves of the sandwiches. Don't too overzealous with this. A little goes a long way!

 Place jam side down on top of the ham, pressing everything together lightly. Cut in half on the diagonal to serve. Serve immediately.

Notes

If you are not fond of goat's cheese, feel free to use whipped cream cheese in its place.

The Cranberry Pepper jam has the nicest flavor and goes very well with the other flavors in this sandwich.

 

MY HINTS AND TIPS FOR MAKING A BETTER SANDWICH

If you follow my hints and tips you will never be faced with a boring, dry or tasteless sandwich again!  I promise!

1. Use the best and the freshest ingredients.  Use a fresh, quality bread.  Fresh fillings, meat, spreads, veggies.

2. Spread any butter or creamed cheese right to the edges of the bread. This helps to keep the bread fresh and, aside from adding flavor, forms a barrier between the filling and the bread which helps to keep the sandwich from getting soggy.

3. Season your veggies. Add just a pinch of salt before you put them into your sandwich. You don't need a lot, and it will make all the difference in the world.

4. If all you have to use is stale bread, don't give up. You can revive it by toasting your bread in a toaster or by making a grilled sandwich in a skillet.

5. Balance out the flavors and textures of your sandwich. Create a perfect balance of crunchy, creamy, fresh, fatty, sweet, etc.  Make sure they all play well together, however.

 

I am always a little bit dubious when someone dares to call something "the best."  Taste is subjective and what is someone else's best might not be my own.  This was really delicious however and I will admit to being suitably impressed.

The tang of the goat's cheese was nice against the saltiness of the ham and the sweetness of the cranberry and pepper jam. The rocket added a nice touch of peppery earthy freshness and of course, the crisp, yet chewy bread added in another delicious factor.

In short, this was one pretty tasty sandwich!

I am like my late Aunt Freda. I love LOVE LOVE sandwiches.  The world would be an empty place without them.  Here are a few other quick and delicious favorites of mine that I think you might also enjoy!

 

CROISSANT TURKEY CLUB SANDWICH - Everything you love about a typical club sandwich, except tucked into a buttery flaky croissant.  With sliced tomato, bacon, plenty of turkey, shredded lettuce and a good quality mayonnaise. You could also add a slice of cheese if you wish.

THE CLASSIC TOMATO SANDWICH - Everyone has their own idea about what constitutes a great tomato sandwich. It's such a simple thing and yet can be very divisive with everyone weighing in with their own opinions.  In my books a tomato sandwich doesn't get much better than this. My way of doing it is quite delicious.  You could add rashers of crisp smoky bacon to it, but then it becomes a BLT. Not quite the same thing I don't think!

Yield: 2 servings

Author: Marie Rayner

The Best Ham Sandwich

Prep time: 10 MinTotal time: 10 Min

Creamy goats cheese; peppery arugula (rocket), smoky ham and a sweet and spicy jam tucked into a fresh baguette. It doesn't get much better than this!

Ingredients

• two fresh (6-inch) French Baguettes
• 3 ounces (85g) creamy soft goats cheese
• 2 - 3 TBS spicy cranberry and pepper jam
• a couple handfuls of fresh baby arugula, washed and dried
• 1/2 pound (8 ounces/227g) shaved Deli Ham

Instructions

1. Slice your baguettes in half horizontally creating two flat halves for each sandwich. Divide the goat's cheese between each slice, spreading it out evenly. (Both sides of each baguette should be covered.)
2. Layer the baby arugula (rocket) on the bottom halves of the baguettes, on top of the goat's cheese.
3. Layer the ham over top of the arugula, dividing it equally between the two baguettes.
4. Spoon the cranberry pepper jam over top of the goat's cheese on the top halves of the sandwiches. Place jam side down on top of the ham, pressing everything together lightly.
5. Cut in half on the diagonal to serve. Serve immediately.

Notes

If you are not fond of goat's cheese, feel free to use whipped cream cheese in its place.

The Cranberry Pepper jam has the nicest flavor and goes very well with the other flavors in this sandwich.

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This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.  

  

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