Piri-piri chicken

Before you start

• a blender or a pestle and mortar
• marinate at least 2 hours ahead, and overnight if you can
• an oven, or a barbecue with a cool side

Ingredients

Serves 2 · dimmer marks are storecupboard

• 400gchicken thighs — bone in, skin on
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 4red chillies — bird's eye if you want it properly hot
• 4garlic cloves
• 1lemon
• 2 tbspcane vinegar
• 2 tspsmoked paprika and oregano
• to tastesalt

Method

6 steps

1. blend · 6m

   Chillies, garlic, paprika, oregano, salt, vinegar, lemon juice and the oil blitzed or pounded to a loose red paste.

2. fold · 5m

   Two thirds of it rubbed into the chicken, right under the skin as well as over it. The other third set aside for the end — it has raw chicken in it otherwise.

3. soak · 8 hours walk away

   Covered, in the fridge. Two hours changes it, overnight changes it more.

4. roast · 35m walk away

   Skin up on a rack over a tray at 200°C, or on the cool side of a barbecue with the lid down, until the meat is coming away from the bone.

5. grill · 6m

   Then under a hot grill or over the coals for a few minutes a side to blister the skin, watched closely — the marinade catches fast.

6. finish · 4m

   The reserved paste brushed over the hot chicken, and a cut made into the thickest thigh to check: white through, clear juices, nothing pink at the bone. Lemon wedges alongside.