Portuguese chicken thighs
I love the spicy, flavoursome marinade used in this dish, and the sweet mango salsa is a perfect partner! Not to mention it’s bright and friendly looking. I’ve used chicken thighs because they are so tender and juicy – you can use bone-in or out, skin on or off – up to you. If you have time to leave everything to marinate overnight, I would recommend it for more intense flavours. You can serve this with brown rice for a healthier option, or even some garlic pita breads instead.
Ingredients
8 chicken thighs
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1 roasted red pepper (capsicum)
½ onion, chopped roughly
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 tbsp lemon juice
Salsa
1 mango, peeled & diced
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 cup cucumber, deseeded and diced
1 cup capsicum, diced (green, red, yellow or a mixture)
1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
Squeeze of lime juice
½ cup chopped fresh coriander
Lime or lemon wedges, to serve
Method
Use a small sharp knife to make several 3mm deep cuts on the thick part of the chicken thighs. To make the marinade, puree the red pepper, onion, garlic, brown sugar, paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano and lemon juice in a food processor or blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Coat the chicken pieces in the marinade, cover and leave to marinate for at least an hour or overnight.
Preheat the oven grill to high and grill the chicken for 20 minutes, turning it over once (you can also fry the chicken on the BBQ). Don’t be scared of a few charred bits.
Add the mango, red onion, cucumber, mint, green capsicum and lime juice to a bowl and mix gently. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve the chicken with the salsa and either steamed rice or garlic pita breads, fresh coriander and a squeeze of lime.