Frango à Passarinho

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy cleaver or ask your butcher
• •Deep heavy pot or Dutch oven for frying
• •Frying thermometer
• •Wire rack set over baking sheet

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the chicken small

   This is the step most people skip, and it's the whole point of the dish. The chicken must be cut into small, irregular pieces. Wings separated at the joints. Drumsticks and thighs cut through the bone into two or three pieces each. You want bite-sized, bone-in morsels that cook quickly and get crispy all over. Ask your butcher to do this, or use a heavy cleaver at home.

   The name means 'little bird style' because the small pieces supposedly look like tiny birds. The real reason is that small pieces fry better and eat faster. Bar food wisdom.
2. 2

   Marinate in wine and garlic

   In a large bowl, combine the chicken pieces with the minced garlic, white wine, lemon juice, paprika, crumbled bay leaf, salt, and a generous grinding of black pepper. Toss everything together with your hands, making sure every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight if you can. The wine tenderizes. The garlic perfumes. Don't rush this.

3. 3

   Prepare for frying

   Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Drain the marinade and pat each piece thoroughly dry with paper towels. Wet chicken doesn't crisp. Wet chicken splatters. Put the flour in a shallow dish and season it with a pinch of salt and pepper. Dredge each piece lightly, shaking off excess. The coating should be thin, just a whisper of flour.

   Some tascas skip the flour entirely. Some use a light batter. I prefer the flour method because it gives you that golden crust without hiding the chicken. Isto é como a avó fazia.
4. 4

   Fry until golden

   Heat the oil in a deep heavy pot or Dutch oven to 180°C (350°F). Fry the chicken in batches, never crowding the pot. Each batch takes about 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until the pieces are deep golden and cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 75°C (165°F). Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Don't pile them on paper towels where the bottoms will steam and go soft.

5. 5

   Fry the garlic

   Here's what separates good frango from great frango. In the last minute of your final batch, or in a separate small pan with a few tablespoons of the frying oil, add the whole garlic cloves. Fry them until golden and crispy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Watch carefully. They go from golden to burnt in seconds. These fried garlic cloves are not garnish. They're essential.

6. 6

   Season and serve immediately

   Pile the chicken on a warm platter. Scatter the fried garlic cloves over top. Hit it with another pinch of flaky salt while it's still hot. Shower with chopped parsley. Arrange lemon wedges around the edges. Serve immediately with cold beer and napkins. This is not a knife-and-fork situation. Use your hands. Get messy. That's the point.

Chef Tips

• •The chicken pieces must be small. This isn't negotiable. If your pieces are too big, they won't cook through before the outside burns. Ask your butcher to cut a whole chicken 'para passarinho' and they'll know exactly what you mean.
• •Pat the chicken completely dry before dredging. Any moisture and you'll get splattering oil and soggy coating. I use a full roll of paper towels. It's worth it.
• •Don't skimp on the fried garlic. In Portugal, we sometimes use more garlic than chicken. Those crispy golden cloves mixed into the pile are what make people reach for another piece even when they're full.
• •Serve this the moment it's done. Fried food waits for no one. The crispiness fades by the minute. Time this so everything comes together at once.

Advance Preparation

• •The chicken can marinate for up to 24 hours. Longer marinating means more flavor.
• •This dish cannot be made ahead. Fry it, serve it, eat it. That's the only way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 200g)