Portugese Delight. They got it right on this one!

Recently my husband Mike and I visited Portugal. Mike served an LDS mission there for two years. He absolutely loves the people, culture and the food. He has visited Portugal several times since returning home from his mission many years ago. This year we had the incredible experience of vacationing there together! It was something I will never forget. Their culture is wonderful, colorful and so interesting. Their food, well it was different..... I had some food that was horrible, some that was just ok. Then there was their famed Piri Piri Chicken. (Pronounced Pidy Pidy) I have heard gushing tales of this chicken for years now so I was not sure how I was going to like it because Mike had built it up so much. Let me tell you it was AMAZING! Yes, it completely redeemed these people in my mind. It was definitely the best main dish I had there. The Portuguese people are rockstars on the chicken grilling front. You can get some seriously good chicken, rice, salad and Orangina for next to nothing right around the corner pretty much anywhere. We had this dish almost every day because it was that good. Since being home from this adventure I have been on a mission to recreate this Piri Piri Chicken. I have attempted it several times now, and I think I have got it down pretty well. Usually in Portugal they grill whole chickens, but I don't do that very often, so I opt to use boneless skinless chicken breasts. My entire family raves about this kind of chicken. I hope you get a chance to grill it up sometime this fine Spring!

I thought I would share with you a few of my favorite photos from our time in Portugal. It truly is a breathtaking place to visit. I love it there.

Ok on to the food! Get ready to experience some good traditional Portuguese eats!

You should be able to find Franks Red Hot Original Sauce at your local grocery store. You can also order traditional Piri Piri sauce online at Amazon.com

I served this Chicken with marinated grilled vegetables and a simple Venetian style salad with Pretzel rolls.. It was lovely together. If I didn't have a 15 month old glued to the hem of my pants while trying to entertain a bored 5 year old and cook all at the same time I might have thrown in some rice. But you get what you get! I was craving veggies anyway, so this suited my fancy just fine. 

First you prepare your chicken marinade in the food processor. This takes just a minute. It is best if you can let the chicken marinate overnight, but 4 hours will work if you are short on time.

Once the marinade is well blended you want to pour it over your chicken and start the marinating process. Now somehow my frazzled brain didn't think to get any pictures of the glaze. Man oh man you are going to die when you smell that simmering on the stove. It is some kind of heaven. Even my five year old will gush about it.

Here is a little peek at the marinated grilled skewers that went with my Piri Piri. I will do a separate post for that recipe, so stay tuned!

One of the things that gets me so excited about spring is the smell of grilling. Weird huh? I just love grilled food. It brings back so many fond memories of family BBQ's and parties with the ones I love. Bring on the warm weather I say!!

The simple side salad is very much underestimated in my opinion. Not every salad has to be the star of the show, but this one compliments the strong flavor of the chicken. It is delicate and delicious. The little gem lettuce is so buttery and mild, I love it!

Pretzel rolls are evil. Good, yet evil all the same. I could eat this all day long. This is a versatile bread you could serve simply as a dinner roll, or as a bun for sandwiches... The possibilities are endless. (Watch for a post about these too!)

Oh baby, baby. You are in for a treat with this main dish. I would be jealous if I didn't already eat it. Its one of those meals where you want to keep eating even after you know you are too full. Remember to use some of the Red Hot sauce for a dip. It tips it right over the edge. Trust me. This dish is mildly spicy, so be prepared. Its not too hot for my kiddos thought so don't let the heat scare you away.

CLICK ON THE RECIPE TO VIEW AN ENLARGED PRINTABLE PDF