Lisbon: Piri Piri chicken recipe

Piri piri sauce

Makes 1 x 400 g jar

Ingredients
4 garlic cloves
*4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
*2 large medium-hot red chilli peppers, seeds and ribs removed
*2 piri piri, malagueta or African bird’s eye chillies, seeds and ribs removed
*2 sweet red peppers, halved, ribs and seeds removed
*6 tablespoons olive oil
*1 teaspoon fine salt
*1 teaspoon freshly squeezed
*lemon juice
*1 teaspoon hot piri piri powder
*2 tablespoons whisky (optional)

Method
1. Thoroughly clean a heatproof jar (including the lid) in hot soapy water, then place the jar in a low oven for 15 minutes.

2. Place all the ingredients into a blender and puree until roughly combined. Taste and decide whether you would like more heat; add another chilli or even

3. if you really like heat. (The fieriness of the paste will be weakened by cooking, so go for slightly more heat than you think you like.)

4. Puree until really smooth, then transfer to the clean, sterilised jar, seal and store in the fridge for up to 1 month.

Chicken
Method
*4 whole free-range (organic if possible) chicken legs (thigh and drumstick together)
*4 tablespoons Piri Piri Sauce 
*1 head garlic, cut in half horizontally
*2 tablespoons olive oil
*a little salt

Ingredients
1. Place all the ingredients in a large oven tray and toss until the chicken is well coated. You can cook the chicken straight away but ideally leave it to marinate for as long as you can – even overnight (in the fridge).

2. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 180 degrees (350 degrees/Gas 4).

3. Place the tray in the oven and cook for 45–55 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the chicken legs, until the skin is crisp and sticky, the meat is cooked and pulls away from the bone easily, and the juices run clear.

More from Lisbon: recipes from the heart of Portugal

Lisbon: Recipes from the Heart of Portugal by Rebecca Seal (Hardie Grant, £25) Photography © Steven Joyce