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African chicken (Macanese galinha africana)
Galinha africana (非洲雞): grilled chicken in a spicy peanut, coconut, chilli and paprika sauce
Macau restaurants have served galinha africana since the 1940s, and the story most often told is that a hotel chef in the city created it from spices that Portuguese sailors brought back from Mozambique and Angola. Today it is a signature at Macanese and Portuguese restaurants from Taipa village to Coloane, eaten at long weekend lunches with rice or crusty bread. Chicken pieces are marinated, grilled until charred, then baked under a thick, brick-coloured sauce of ground peanuts, coconut milk, chilli, paprika, garlic and onion that is rich, nutty and quietly fiery. It is often made with a pale, timid sauce; cook the onion, garlic and paprika slowly until really deep red before the coconut goes in. Chef's tip: marinate the chicken overnight in the fridge so the garlic and chilli reach the bone.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 4 chicken legsabout 1.2 kg, skin on, thigh and drumstick separated
- 4 cloves garliccrushed
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
- 1 lemonjuiced
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the sauce
- 1 oz butter
- 1 onionlarge, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlicfinely chopped
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 2 red bird's eye chillieschopped
- 2 tomatoeschopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 ⅞ oz roasted unsalted peanutsfinely ground
- 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter
- 1 ¾ cups coconut milk
- ½ tsp saltto taste
To serve
- 1 handful fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Slash 4 chicken legs twice to the bone. Rub with 4 cloves garlic, 2 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp dried chilli flakes, 1 lemon, 1 tsp salt and 2 tbsp olive oil. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Step 2: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan) and a grill pan or the oven grill to high. Grill the chicken skin side first until charred in spots on both sides; it doesn't need to be cooked through yet.
12 minStep 4: Add 4 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp hot paprika or cayenne pepper and 2 red bird's eye chillies and fry for 2 minutes until the butter turns deep red and fragrant.
2 minStep 6: Stir in 2 ⅞ oz roasted unsalted peanuts, 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter and 1 ¾ cups coconut milk and simmer, stirring, until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Season with ½ tsp salt.
8 minStep 7: Put the chicken in a baking dish and spoon the sauce over and around it.
Step 8: Bake until the sauce bubbles and browns at the edges and the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part, with clear juices.
25 minStep 9: Rest for 5 minutes, scatter over 1 handful fresh coriander and serve with rice or bread to mop up the sauce.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 780 kcal
- Protein
- 48 g
- Carbs
- 15 g
- Fat
- 59 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does african chicken (Macanese galinha africana) take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 55 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of sweet paprika?
- Smoked paprika, half the amount.
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