Piri Piri Chicken - from MILKSTREET by Christopher Kimbell

pkfloyd

SAH mom, dear husband, dear daughter, dear twin sons, floppy eared fur-baby. Love to teach, garden, cook, sew and craft, occasional computer geek for children!!

Ancho, chipotle and regular chili powders didn't work in this recipe; the flavors tasted off. We liked New Mexico or California chili powders. If you can’t find them, both are sold as dried, whole chilies that can be ground. Or simply leave it out and increase the paprika to ¼ cup. Fresno chilies are fresh red chilies similar in size and shape to jalapeños but with pointy tips; if they are unavailable, fresh cherry peppers work well, too. For a smokier flavor, we liked adding apple, cherry or hickory wood to the fire.

Tip : Don’t reduce the number of fresh chilies in the sauce; all eight were needed for flavor and color. To reduce spiciness, remove some or all of the seeds and ribs from the chilies before processing. And don't substitute Thai chilies for the Fresnos; they pack far more heat.

Servings: 4 Servings 2½ hours 30 minutes active

3 tablespoons New Mexico or California chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1½ tablespoons kosher salt

1 4- to 4½-pound whole chicken, spatchcocked

2 tablespoons white sugar

8 medium Fresno chilies, stemmed and quartered

3 medium garlic cloves

⅓ cup lemon juice (2 to 3 lemons)

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, finely chopped

MIX THE SPICES AND SPICE THE CHICKEN -

In a medium bowl, mix together the chili powder, cumin, coriander, paprika and salt. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the mixture to a small bowl, setting the rest aside.

Loosen the skin over the chicken's breast and thighs by gently working your fingers between it and the flesh. Using a small spoon, evenly distribute the 2 tablespoons of spice mixture under the skin, then rub it into the flesh. Set the chicken on a baking sheet.

PULSE THE SAUCE -

In a food processor, combine the reserved spice mixture, the sugar, chilies and garlic. Pulse until finely chopped, scraping down the bowl as needed. With the machine running, pour in the lemon juice and vinegar; process until smooth, scraping down the bowl once or twice.

Measure out ¼ cup of the sauce, reserving the rest for later, and brush evenly over the chicken, including the bone side. Let stand at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

PREPARE THE GRILL AND BEGIN TO COOK -

Prepare the grill and begin to cook - Meanwhile, prepare a grill for indirect, high-heat cooking. For a charcoal grill, spread a large chimney of hot coals evenly over one side of the grill bed; open the bottom grill vents. For a gas grill, set half of the burners to high. Heat the grill, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes, then clean and oil the cooking grate.

Set the chicken skin side up on the cooler side of the grill. Cover and cook for 25 minutes. Using tongs, rotate the chicken 180 degrees to bring the far side of the chicken closest to the heat. Cover and continue to cook until the thickest part of the breast reaches 160°F and the thighs reach 175°F, another 25 to 35 minutes.

BRUSH THE CHICKEN ONCE MORE, MAKE THE SAUCE AND SERVE -

Brush the chicken with 2 tablespoons of the reserved sauce, then use tongs to flip it skin side down onto the hot side of the grill. Cook until the skin is lightly charred, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer skin side up to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.

Stir the cilantro into the remaining sauce, then baste the chicken once more. Serve with the sauce on the side.

Servings: 4 Servings 2½ hours 30 minutes active

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