Frango Assado

Name: Frango Assado
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 110 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Portuguese
Ingredients: 4 lbs whole chicken, patted dry; 6 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tsp sweet paprika; 1 tsp dried oregano; 2 bay leaves, crushed; 1 lemon lemon; 1/4 cup olive oil; 1/2 cup dry white wine; 2 tsp kosher salt; 1/2 tsp ground black pepper; 2 lbs baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved; 1 onion yellow onion, cut in wedges

A whole chicken rubbed with garlic, sweet paprika, oregano, and lemon, then roasted over potatoes and onions, a weekend staple across Portugal. Plan ahead: marinate the chicken 4 hours.

110 minEasyServes 4620 cal/serving

PortugueseDinnerOvenStandardGluten-FreeEgg-FreeDairy-FreeNut-FreeShellfish-Free

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Ingredients

4 lbs whole chicken, patted dry
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
2 bay leaves, crushed
1 lemon lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 lbs baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved
1 onion yellow onion, cut in wedges

Instructions

1

Mix 6 cloves minced garlic, 2 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp dried oregano, half of 2 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 2 crushed bay leaves, 1/4 cup olive oil, and the juice of 1 lemon lemon into a paste.
2

Rub the paste inside and out of 4 lbs patted dry whole chicken, working some under the skin. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
3

Heat the oven to 425°F. Sprinkle 2 lbs halved baby Yukon Gold potatoes and 1 onion cut in wedges yellow onion with the remaining 2 tsp kosher salt, then spread them in a roasting pan. Pour 1/2 cup dry white wine into the roasting pan with the potatoes and onion. Set the chicken on top, breast side up.
4

Roast 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, until the breast reaches 165°F and the thickest part of the thigh reaches 175°F.
5

Rest the chicken 10 minutes, then carve. Serve with the potatoes, onion, and pan juices.

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Questions

What is Frango Assado?

A whole chicken rubbed with garlic, sweet paprika, oregano, and lemon, then roasted over potatoes and onions, a weekend staple across Portugal. Plan ahead: marinate the chicken 4 hours. This reference files it under Portuguese dinner: made in the oven, rated easy and about 110 minutes start to finish.

What temperature do I cook Frango Assado at?

For Frango Assado, the oven is set to 425 F (about 220 C) in step 3. The longest stretch at that heat is 1 hour, in step 4. The target internal temperature is 165 F (about 75 C), given in step 4. A probe thermometer removes the guesswork. The target internal temperature is 175 F (about 80 C), given in step 4. A probe thermometer removes the guesswork.

How do I know when Frango Assado is done?

Go by the cues in the method rather than the clock. Step 4: cook until the breast reaches 165°F and the thickest part of the thigh reaches 175°F. A reading of 165 F on a thermometer settles it.

Why rest the meat in Frango Assado?

Step 5 reads: "Rest the chicken 10 minutes, then carve." Heat drives the juices toward the center. The rest in step 5 lets them spread back out, so they stay in the meat instead of running onto the board when you cut.

What can I use instead of white wine in Frango Assado?

The entry for Frango Assado calls for 1/2 cup dry white wine. In its place: Use chicken or vegetable stock with a teaspoon of white wine vinegar or lemon juice per half cup for the acidity.

Can I start Frango Assado the day before?

Yes. Step 2 is a built-in pause of overnight, or about 8 hours: "Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight." Do everything up to that point ahead of time and pick up at step 3 when you are ready to finish.

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