Mozambican Spicy Chicken (Galinha à Zambeziana) with Coconut Rice
Take a trip to Mozambique with this perfectly juicy and tender chicken that's made with the best marinade ever - lemons, garlic, serrano peppers, and coconut milk. Serve over a fragrant coconut rice. It's so bomb!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skin-on chicken thighs
- 4 cups rice
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 7 lemons, juiced and zested (I zested 3 lemons)
- 2 red serrano peppers, diced (I included the seeds for the extra spice, but feel free to omit them if you prefer less spicy)
- 2 cans (13.5 fl oz each) coconut milk (1 can for the marinade and 1 for the rice)
- 1 bunch parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Step 1. Prepare the chicken marinade by combining the garlic, peppers, coconut milk, lemon juice and zest, salt, and pepper in a gallon bag. Add in the chicken thighs, close the bag, mix everything around, and pop it in the fridge and marinate for about 2 hours.
- Step 2. Cook the rice in a rice cooker with coconut milk and water as the liquid, then set aside.
- Step 3. Add olive oil to a Dutch oven. Sear the chicken skin-side down to let it crisp up and get a nice golden-brown color. Flip to sear the other side. Be sure to baste the chicken on both sides to help it stay moist throughout the cooking process. To know when the chicken is done, cut into it and see if the juices run clear. If they do, then it is fully cooked. Take the chicken out and set aside.
- Step 4. Sauce: Using the same pot or in another pot, add in the marinade and reduce by about ⅔ of the starting volume (15-20 minutes).
- Step 5. For plating, start by putting down a bed of the coconut rice then top with the chicken. Drizzle on the sauce. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.