Here’s one of my all­-­time favorites, a fiery Portuguese chicken dish that was a staple where I grew up in southern Africa. It’s based on a rather exotic spicy sauce, Perks Peri­-­Peri African Heat. I have a soft spot in my heart for Peri-Peri—it reminds me of my roots—and I usually buy a case of it at a time. It’s one of those amazingly versatile items that I like to have around for spontaneous cooking ­inspiration. This recipe includes Portuguese spice, Lebanese olives, and Moroccan preserved lemon I added after a trip there—a delightful co­-­mingling of cultures, truly global fusion cuisine. Another thing I love about this preparation: While it’s definitely not your run­-­of­-­the­-­mill chicken stew, it’s in and out of the oven in no more than an hour, which makes it ideal for the busy host who wants to give his or her guests the attention they deserve. I recommend making an extra­-­large batch since it’s just as great the next ­day. The amount of hot sauce may be adjusted according to its strength and your personal preference. This dish can be prepared without the lemon, olives, or garlic, but each of them adds a new flavor ­note.

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds), washed, patted dry, back removed, trimmed of excess fat and skin, and cut into 8 pieces
• 1 cup peri­-­peri sauce (or any equivalent hot pepper sauce; adjust amount according to ­taste)
• 8 garlic cloves left ­whole
• 1 tablespoon coarse sea ­salt
• 1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black ­pepper
• 12 green olives(or black ones, if you prefer; pitting them is ­optional)
• 1 preserved lemon, pulp removed, blanched, peeled, and coarsely chopped
• 2 lemons, cut into wedges for garnish and ­squeezing

Instructions

1. Place the chicken skin side up in an ovenproof glass dish just large enough to hold all the pieces in a single layer. Pour the sauce over the chicken, cover the dish with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator to marinate for 2 hours or more. The longer it marinates, the hotter the ­chicken. (For cooking, it’s important that the chicken pieces be arranged with no space between them. Using a dish that is too large will cause the sauce to burn off when ­cooking.)

2. Preheat the oven to 450 ­F.

3. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the garlic cloves and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Drain the cloves and place them in the dish under the chicken. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. Bake for 50 minutes skin side up, basting every 15 ­minutes.

4. After 50 minutes, remove the dish from the oven and increase the heat to broil. Add the olives and preserved lemon to the dish. Baste the chicken, then place it skin side up under the broiler for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the skin becomes ­crispy.

5. Remove the chicken from the oven, cover the dish lightly with aluminum foil, and allow the chicken to rest for up to 15 minutes as you complete your first course. To serve, transfer the chicken to a platter along with fresh quartered lemons. A few dashes of fresh lemon juice help balance all the flavors and cut the bite of the hot ­marinade.

Other Chicken Recipes

Chicken and the Forty Cloves
Chicken Couscous
Chicken Curry and Peas
Chicken Fricassee
Gertie's Famous Chicken
Jalapeño Ginger Chicken
Poached Rolled Chicken
Spicy Portuguese Chicken Livers
Tagine of Chicken
Mandarin Chicken Skewers

Tips

Firefighters
Peri-Peri
Wines for Spicy Foods