Pollo alla diavola (grilled chicken)

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PRESENTATION

Crunchy, juicy, aromatic, and bursting with flavor... we're talking about pollo alla diavola (grilled chicken)! Although its origins are still uncertain, its name is certainly attributed to one of the spices used to cover the chicken before cooking: chili pepper! Today's recipe is medium hot, but of course you can increase or decrease the amount of spice as you prefer and choose the type of chili pepper you love the most! The characteristic feature of pollo alla diavola is precisely the way it is cooked, and the version we chose is the Roman way, cooked whole in a pan! The secret to getting a crispy skin will be to place a weight on the chicken while it cooks!

If you love chicken you could also try these recipes:

INGREDIENTS
Chicken 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg) - whole
Coarse salt 1 tbsp (20 g)
Peperoncino 0.65 tsp (4 g) - Cayenne
Sage 6 leaves
Rosemary 3 sprigs
Garlic 1 clove
Extra virgin olive oil to taste
Preparation

How to prepare Pollo alla diavola (grilled chicken)

To prepare the pollo alla diavola (grilled chicken), first take a whole chicken and cut the breastbone in half 1. Remove the central bone 2 and flatten the chicken completely 3

Now place the salt, aromatic herbs, garlic and chili pepper in a mixer (adjust amounts to taste: the amounts given here are for medium hotness) 4. Blend the seasonings 5 and pour into a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons (25 g) of oil 6

and stir with a spoon into a paste 7. Using a meat tenderizer, lightly flatten the chicken. Spread the freshly prepared seasoning mix on the entire chicken, outside

and inside 10. Grease a large pan and heat it. Place the chicken in it 11 and place a weight on top. We used a heavy meat tenderizer on an aluminum pan 12

Cook over low heat for about 25 minutes without moving it. Then turn the chicken 13 and you will notice that a nice crust has formed. Cook for another 25 minutes or so, always making sure that the weight presses the chicken down to the bottom of the pan, until the other side is golden too 15. Do not turn the chicken or move it while cooking.

Now transfer the chicken to a chopping board and, using poultry shears, cut it first in half 16 and then into pieces 17. Place the chicken pieces on a serving plate and enjoy 18

Storage

Pollo alla diavola can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 days. 

Freezing is not recommended. 

Tips

For a refreshing touch, you can also add fresh chili pepper and lime peel to the other seasonings!

For optimal cooking, turn the chicken only once as indicated and make sure that the weight keeps it pressed down to the bottom of the pan.