Portuguese Roast Chicken

This beautiful Portuguese Inspired roast chicken is absolutely gorgeous and it tastes even better. Portuguese dishes are beautifully unique and delicious.

I have put my spin on their yummy dish and it is out of this world delightful. It is a beautiful balance of sweet, spicy, and earthy. It marinates 1 to 2 hours and becomes so flavorful and tender and then roasted to perfection. It is heaven on a dish and it looks stunning too.

I love getting outside the usual box of cooking the same thing every day and this dish is one of those dishes. It is so easy that even beginners can make this. It is a no fail dish that will intrigue anyone.

Let’s get started.

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs skin on bone in chicken thighs ( you can use what ever you have on hand as I do this often)
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp cumin
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp hot sauce ( I use franks) or piri piri sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter – melted
1 onion – diced
4 large carrots – chopped 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 cup chicken broth or you can use white wine

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small bowl combine the salt, paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, pepper, and cumin. mix well to remove any lumps from the brown sugar. Set aside.
2. In a bowl or cup combine the lemon juice, hot sauce, olive oil, butter, and chicken broth (or wine). Whisk together well.
3. In a ziploc bag or bowl add the chicken, spice mix, and chicken broth mixture. Massage the chicken with the mixture until well coated. Let out all of the air ( if you are using a ziploc bag) and seal closed. If you are using a bowl just attach the lid. Chill for 1-2 hours. Remove and let come to room temp about 30 to 40 minutes.
4. Preheat your oven to 400*.
5. Lightly oil or butter a cast iron pan or a 13×9 inch baking dish. Place the onion and carrots on the bottom of the dish and spread out evenly. Place the chicken on top of the onion and carrots. Pour over the marinade onto the chicken evenly. Bake for about 35 to 45 minutes depending on what cut of chicken you have and how hot your oven gets. The chicken should read 165* in the thickest part of the chicken.
6. Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes or so before plating to allow the juices to redistribute back into the chicken and it stays ummmmm… juicy… yea juicy. When you plate it up place the chicken onto a platter and spoon over the onions and carrots along with the sauce. Sprinkle over either some green onion or parsley and serve.
   

• I like to add about 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper or 1 tsp red pepper flakes to bump up the heat. We love spicy food so please take it easy when adding extra heat. Start of with the recipe and go from their. You can always add more heat to the dish until you get it where you like it.
• If you want to brighten up the dish even more after cooking, squeeze over some fresh squeezed lemon juice on top of the chicken before adding green onion or parsley. It will add a zing of bright flavor. I do this from time to time as well.
• You can certainly make this in a crockpot as I do this from time to time. Let the chicken marinate over night. Throw everything into the crockpot and let cook on low for about 3 to 4 hours or hight for 5 to 6 hours depending on the size of the chicken you use. You will not have the crispy skin on the outside but it tastes just as delicious. If you use skinless chicken thighs or breasts, add a bit more broth to make up for the juices the skin releases. 3/4 cup of broth should work fine for you as that is approximately the amount that I use when I use boneless skinless thighs.
• For the instant pot. Let the chicken marinate for 1 to 2 hours and place everything in the crock pot. Make sure you add 1 cup of broth instead of 1/2 cup so nothing burns to the bottom of the pot and you do not get the burn warning. As with the crockpot, you will not get the crispy skin but it is delicious.
• Use the chicken you have on hand. Do not go to the store to just pick up skin on bone in chicken. I use what I have on hand and it turns out beautifully. I have even made this with chicken wings and it is so good. I have even made this on the grill and a grill pan. It works so well and is so versatile with different cooking methods.