Ingredients
- 3–4 lbs bone-in chicken pieces (legs, thighs, or breasts)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano (or 1 tbsp fresh parsley)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, both paprikas, oregano, salt, pepper, and cayenne if using to make the marinade.
- Coat chicken thoroughly with the marinade, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Preheat grill to medium-high and lightly oil grates.
- Grill chicken skin-side down for 6–8 minutes until charred.
- Flip and grill another 6–8 minutes, lowering heat as needed to avoid burning.
- Move to indirect heat or lower zone, cover, and cook for about 10 more minutes until internal temp reaches 165 °F (74 °C).
- Remove and rest chicken for 5 minutes.
- Garnish with parsley or extra lemon juice if desired and serve.
Notes
- Use boneless chicken thighs for quicker cooking.
- Try lime or orange juice in place of lemon for a twist.
- White wine adds richness to the marinade.
- Swap herbs like thyme or rosemary for oregano.
- For more heat, add piri-piri sauce or more cayenne.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Portuguese
- Diet: Halal
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece of chicken
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 31g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
