Portuguese Braised Chicken Food

HOMEMADE PORTUGUESE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine lemon juice, oil, garlic, paprika, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, chili powder, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, and black pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend until very smooth.
• Score chicken legs a few times using a knife and place in a resealable bag or a bowl. Pour about 1/3 cup of sauce over chicken and toss well. Season with additional sea salt. Cover or seal and marinate chicken in a refrigerator, 8 hours to overnight. Reserve remaining sauce for basting.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place chicken in a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Turn chicken over and baste with extra marinade. Cover baking dish with foil once again and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake until no longer pink in the center and juices run clear, 15 to 20 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted near a bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

PORTUGUESE BRAISED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sausage, onion, and bell pepper; saute until vegetables are softened and sausage is browned, about 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate, leaving drippings in the pot.
• Combine oregano, basil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and rub on chicken. Add chicken to the pot, raise heat to medium-high, and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.
• Stir sausage and vegetable mixture into the pot with wine, broth, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer, covered, until chicken is no longer pink in the centers, 35 to 45 minutes.
• Remove and discard bay leaves. Serve chicken with orange wedges.

HILDA'S PORTUGUESE STEWED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Season the flour with Essence. Toss the chicken in the seasoned flour.
• Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet, over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and sear until golden brown on all sides, about 4 to 6 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside. Add the chorizo to the skillet and cook until browned on both sides.
• Add the onions, potatoes, and peppers. Cook the vegetables for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add the tomatoes, shallots, garlic cloves, and olives. Season the vegetables with Essence. Stir in the white wine, chicken broth, and parsley and return the browned chicken to the skillet.
• Bring the liquid up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer the chicken and vegetables for about 45 minutes or until the chicken falls off the bone.
• Add the crushed red pepper flakes and green onions. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.
• Mound the rice in the center of the bowl. Arrange the stewed chicken around the rice. Garnish with freshly grated cheese, chives and Essence. Always serve with crusty bread.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, published by William and Morrow, 1993.

PORTUGUESE ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place chicken on cutting board, breast-side down. Use a pair of poultry shears or heavy-duty kitchen scissors to cut along either side of the bird's backbone; remove. Turn the chicken over; use palms to press on breast bones to flatten the chicken. Using a sharp, heavy knife, cut the chicken between breast halves. The chicken will be in 2, flat pieces.
• Place an ovenproof cooling rack on a large rimmed baking sheet. In a small bowl, mix together the lemon juice, garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, and pimento paste, then rub over the chicken. Transfer the chicken to a rack, then pour 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 cup wine over the chicken. Roast 30 minutes; turn the chicken over and pour the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 1/2 cup wine over the chicken. Roast the chicken until golden, moist, and opaque throughout, about 30 minutes.

PORTUGUESE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk 1 cup flour, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in large bowl. Add chicken pieces to seasoned flour, 1 at a time, and turn to coat. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin side down, and sauté until brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate; reserve skillet.
• Arrange chicken in single layer in large ovenproof pot. Top with tomatoes and juice, prosciutto, onions, peppers, garlic, parsley, and bay leaves; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon paprika. Add wine and Port to reserved skillet. Bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Remove from heat. Whisk in mustard and tomato paste; pour mixture over chicken and bring to boil. Cover; transfer to oven.
• Braise chicken until very tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Discard bay leaves and parsley. Using tongs, transfer chicken and toppings to platter. Return sauce in pot to simmer. If thicker sauce is desired, stir 1 tablespoon flour and butter in small bowl until smooth paste forms. Add flour paste to sauce and whisk to blend. Simmer until sauce thickens to desired consistency, whisking often. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon over chicken and serve.

BRAISED RABBIT, PORTUGUESE STYLE ("COELHO ESTUFADO")

Steps:

• Cut up the rabbit into pieces (hind legs, front legs, etc.) as you would cut up a whole chicken, into approximately 9 pieces. Place into a large bowl.
• Add the garlic, parsley, bay leaf, piri-piri, salt, pepper and beer (or enough wine to cover the rabbit) to the rabbit. Mix around to combine everything.
• Cover and refrigerate to marinate for 1 day or at least overnight. The longer it marinates, the better it is! (I hate the gamey taste of wild rabbit - I use storebought rabbit).
• Cut up the onion and place into a pot with the olive oil. Saute the onion slightly.
• Add the rabbit a few pieces at a time to brown (careful not to crowd the pot - you want to brown them, not cook them at this point).
• Once all pieces are browned, add the rabbit marinade into the pot as well and enough water to cover the rabbit.
• Bring to a boil, reduce to medium-high heat, cover (leave lid slightly off) and let the rabbit cook for approximately 2 hours, or until tender. Check for salt, pepper, garlic (I add lots because we love it!), little more paprika for colour - all to your taste. Don't let the liquid boil right off - it should end up cooking down to a "gravy". You may need to periodically add some water, but careful you don't add too much too late in the cooking - you don't want it to be swimming in liquid towards the end.
• Once rabbit is cooked, add the rice right to the pot (with the rabbit still in or remove and keep warm), add some additional water/salt/pepper if needed, and cook the rice right in the broth.
• Serve the rabbit over the rice. Enjoy!

PORTUGUESE BARBECUED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine wine, lemon rind, and juice, tomato paste, oil, paprika, hot pepper sauce, salt, and garlic; pour over chicken, turning to coat.
• Cover or bag and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or for up to 24 hours, turning occasionally.
• Place chicken on greased grill over medium heat; skin side down for 10 minutes.
• Turn and cook, brushing with marinade an additional 30-40 minutes or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced.