Hot and spicy African chicken: how to make the Macanese favourite
The dish comes in many forms, but Susan Jung’s finger-lickin’ version is grilled and baked in a spicy marinade and served with a lightly reduced sauce
I suspect that African chicken, like Singapore noodles and Yangzhou fried rice, is hard to find in its namesake place. African chicken is popular in Macau, where it is often listed on menus by its Portuguese name, galinha à Africana. It is a spicy, finger-lickin’ dish that goes well with a pitcher (or two) of sangria to tame the heat.
Macanese African chicken
When you order African chicken in Macau, you never know exactly what you are going to get. It will be some type of spicy chicken, of course, but at some restaurants the marinated poultry is grilled and served without sauce, at others it is more like a stew, with pieces of chicken swimming in sauce. Some versions are fiery hot while others are more coconutty. And don’t get me started on what the chicken is served with – I’ve eaten it with rice, sautéed potatoes and, my favourite, home-made crisps (packaged varieties are fine, too).
This recipe is a cross between the two techniques. I grill the marinated chicken until done, then bake it briefly with a rich sauce that is reduced slightly on the stovetop. Allow plenty of time for the chicken to marinate; it needs at least three hours, although you can leave it for up to eight.
8 bone-in chicken thighs, about 250 grams each
100 grams shallots, peeled
50 grams garlic cloves, peeled
