Brazilian chicken bucket

This crunchy fried chicken recipe with a Brazilian twist is perfect food for friends. Juicy chicken pieces, coated in crunchy potato, finished with spicy chilli mayo – what's not to like?!

Ingredients

• 450g skinless, boneless free-range chicken thighs or breasts
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2-3 tablespoons cheiro verde (equal quantities of chopped flat-leaf parsley and spring onion)
• 5 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 125g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoon tempero baiano seasoning
• 1 large baking potato (about 100g)
• vegetable oil, for deep frying
• 1 sprig of fresh flat-leaf parsley
• chilli mayonnaise

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the chicken into 3cm pieces, then place in a large bowl.

2. 2

   Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic, then add to the chicken along with the cheiro verde and lime juice.

3. 3

   Season with a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to coat and leave to marinate for 20 to 30 minutes (or cover and chill for a couple of hours).

4. 4

   Put the flour, baking powder and tempero baiano seasoning in a large bowl and mix well.

5. 5

   Peel the potato, then finely grate it over the bowl using a mandolin. The pieces should be as fine as matchsticks. Mix the potatoes with the flour until evenly coated.

6. 6

   Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer to about 180°C/350°F.

7. 7

   Add the potato and flour mixture to the bowl of marinated chicken and mix well.

8. 8

   Fry the chicken in batches, making sure each piece is well coated with the potato matchsticks and batter. Fry each batch for 2 to 3 minutes, then turn it over and cook until both sides are evenly browned and crisp. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Keep warm while frying the remaining chicken.

9. 9

   Finely chop the parsley, and sprinkle over the chicken with a pinch of salt. Serve hot, with chilli mayonnaise on the side.