This is a recipe that was inspired by the most memorable meal I had on my honeymoon. It was nothing glamorous or crazy. It was simple foods done so well that we couldn’t stop eating. And that’s honestly what I love the most. It wasn’t pretentious or overly expensive. Just great food, great atmosphere, and even better company. The restaurant was called Bonjardim in Lisbon and they had the most amazing chicken and this peri peri oil that I can’t stop thinking about. It was full of flavor and had a slow burn from all the chilis. I poured it all over everything and it was just so good. So this recipe today is my attempt to recreate this.
Serves:4
Time: 1.5 hours
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
4 Chicken Quarters
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
2 tsp Paprika
For the Peri Peri Oil:
3 tbsp Neutral Oil
Dried Peri Peri Chilis
2 Fresno Chili
4 Birds Eye Chili or Peri Peri Chili
1 Habanero
3 Crushed Garlic Cloves
3-4 Bay Leaves
1 tsp Whole Black Peppercorns
1 Lemon
0.5 tbsp White Vinegar
Instructions
Prep the chicken by placing in a large mixing bowl. Add the olive oil, salt, black pepper, and paprika and mix well. Place on a baking tray and into a 400F oven for 1 hour.
Next grab a small sauce pot and place on medium heat. Add the neutral oil, dried chilis, chopped fresh chilis, habanero, crushed garlic, bay leaves, and black peppercorns. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes.
Add a splash of lemon juice and the white vinegar. Bring to a light simmer and let it ride for another 5 minutes mixing often. Remove from the heat and let it cool. Place in a mason jar for storing.
Plate the chicken, pour the oil on top, and garnish with fresh parsley and Aleppo pepper and enjoy.
