Portuguese-style grilled chicken
Ingredients
Marinade:
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) olive oil
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) white wine
- 45 ml (3 tbsp) lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 45 ml (3 tbsp) fresh parsley, chopped
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) sambal oelek or hot pepper sauce
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) sweet paprika
- 1 bay leaf, crushed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Meat:
- 2 whole chickens of 1.5 kg (1 1/2 lb), flattened (cut along both sides of the backbone)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Sea salt
Preparation
Marinade:
- In a bowl, mix together all the marinade ingredients and set aside.
Meat:
- Score the chickens to allow the marinade to penetrate.
- Place the chickens in a large dish and pour in the marinade.
- Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours, turning several times.
- Preheat one side of the barbecue to high heat and the other side to low.
- Remove the chickens from the dish and reserve the marinade.
- Place the chickens, skin side up, on the low-heat side and cook covered for 30 minutes.
- Brush liberally with the marinade.
- Close the barbecue lid and cook for another 20 minutes.
- Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. The chickens will be done when the internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F) or more.
- To crisp the skin, transfer the chickens to the high-heat side, skin side down. Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.
- Place the chickens on a cutting board. Drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle with salt.
- Let them rest for about 5 minutes and cut into halves or quarters.

