I am a bit of a barbecue nut. I have several different barbecues at home – a Weber, a Tuscan grill, a table-top satay-griller and a classic gas-fired barbie – and think it’s a great social way of entertaining. This Portuguese-style marinade is one of my favourites and I often use it for a whole chicken, poussins, or even quail, as well as chicken skewers. For a whole bird, whatever the size, I’ll remove the backbone and flatten it out to remove some of the bones. I then make deep slashes through the skin and flesh, which helps the marinade to penetrate the meat.
You can use metal or wooden skewers for this dish, but if you use wooden ones, remember to soak them for at least 30 minutes before threading on the marinated chicken.