Have you ever seen full chicken legs on sale in the supermarket for an incredibly low price? Did you walk by? You shouldn’t! The dark meat of a chicken leg is perfect for Piri Piri spices. It really stands up well to the strong flavours.
I found some chicken legs for a very low price and stocked up. Here is how I used the first of them.
First, let me apologize for the lack of pictures. The local cable channel, ShawTV, asked me to do some cooking videos. This is one of the projects I made for them and it isn’t up on YouTube yet. When it is, I will link to the video.
I started by making some Piri Piri seasonings. I mixed the ingredients together in a bowl.
I made three slashes through the skin on each thigh portion and two on each drumstick. This lets the lemon and spices through the skin.
I put the lemon juice and oil in a bowl and whisked them until they become cloudy. I poured the mixture over the chicken and rubbed it in.
I sprinkled 1/2 of the Piri Piri seasonings over all sides of the chicken. If you want mild Piri Piri chicken. Save the rest of the spice for future dishes.
I put the chicken in a roasting pan and put pats of butter on each leg. Pour any lemon and oil that fell off the chicken into the pan.
Cover the pan with foil and put it in a 250 F oven or preheated smoker for 40 minutes.
Remove the foil and put the chicken on a rack over a tray in the oven or in the smoker. Brush with the liquids in the roasting pan. If you want a stronger Piri Piri chicken, sprinkle more Piri Piri spice over them.
Cook then for 45 minutes to an hour, until the skin is a nice colour. Make sure the internal temperature of the chicken is over 170 F and serve.
My local community TV channel, ShawTV has allowed me to do a cooking show and this recipe is one of three dishes I make in the first episode.
The Verdict
This had a great Piri Piri flavour. I added the extra spice after taking it out of the roasting pan and it had a nice kick of heat. If you are spice averse, don’t add the second seasoning.
This is a wonderful chicken and people don’t need to know how cheap it was.
The Old Fat Guy
Ingredients
- 2 chicken legs
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) lemon juice
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) vegetable oil
- 10 ml (2 tsp) butter
- Piri Piri Spice:
- 2 ml (1/2 tsp) paprika
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) oregano
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) cardamom
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) ginger
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) garlic powder
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) onion powder
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) cayenne
Instructions
- Mix the spice ingredients together.
- Cut 3 slashes in the skin of each thigh piece and 2 in each drumstick piece.
- Whisk the oil and lemon juice together until cloudy. Brush it over the chicken.
- Sprinkle 1/2 of the spice mixture over all surfaces of the chicken.
- Put the chicken in a roasting pan. Add the remaining oil and lemon mixture.
- Make small pats of the butter and put it on top of the chicken.
- Cover the roasting pan with foil.
- Put in a preheated 250 F oven or smoker. Cook for 40 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the roasting pan and put it on a rack over a tray in the oven or in the smoker.
- For a spicier chicken, sprinkle more of the Piri Piri spice over the chicken.
- Cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the skin is a nice colour.
- Make sure the internal temperature is over 170 F and serve.
