Grilled piri-piri chicken

Name: Grilled piri-piri chicken
SKU: poulet-piri-piri-barbecue

Preparation 10 minutes

Cooking time 50 minutes to 1 hour

Servings 4

Ingredients

8 small, fresh Thai red peppers, seeded and cut into 6 pieces
8 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into 2 lengthwise
20 ml (4 tsp) sea salt
250 ml (1 cup) olive oil
120 ml (1/2 cup) lemon juice, freshly squeezed
30 ml (2 tbsp) sweet paprika
20 ml (4 tsp) dried oregano
5 ml (1 tsp) freshly ground black pepper
2 whole chickens, about 1.5 kg (1 1/2 lb), flattened (cut along both sides of the backbone)

Place the peppers, garlic and salt in a mortar.
Crush into a smooth paste. Add some oil if needed.
Place the pepper mixture in a bowl and add the remaining marinade ingredients. Stir well and set aside.
Place the chickens in a large non-reactive dish and pour in the marinade.
Cover and refrigerate. Marinate for 6 to 8 hours, turning several times.
Preheat one side of the barbecue to high heat and the other side to low.
Place a roasting pan under the grill on the low-heat side.
Remove the chickens from the dish. Reserve the marinade to baste the chicken during grilling.
Place the chickens, skin side up, on the low-heat side.
Cover and cook for 30 minutes.
To ensure even cooking, move the chickens around the low-heat side of the grill with a spatula, without flipping them.
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.
Remove the chickens, place them on a cutting board and sprinkle with salt.
Brush with the marinade.
Let the chickens rest for about 5 minutes. Cut into halves or quarters.
Serve the chicken with a salad or french fries.