Frango Recipe

Choose and prepare chicken

Decide whether to make marinated chicken legs or bacon-wrapped chicken breasts. If using legs: pat 4 chicken legs dry with paper towels. If using breasts: trim any excess fat and, if thick, butterfly or pound to an even 1-inch thickness; pat dry.

Wrap breasts with bacon (if using)

If making bacon-wrapped breasts, place 1-2 bacon strips along the length of each breast and wrap so bacon overlaps slightly. Secure with toothpicks if needed. Do not salt the bacon-wrapped breasts yet — bacon adds saltiness.

Make the marinade

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup olive oil, 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tbsp brown sugar or honey, 1.5 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper until combined.

Marinate the chicken

Place the prepared chicken (legs or bacon-wrapped breasts) in a resealable plastic bag or shallow dish. Pour marinade over the chicken, turning to coat thoroughly. Seal or cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours. For best flavor, marinate 4–8 hours. If using bacon-wrapped breasts, reserve about 2 tbsp marinade to brush during cooking.

Preheat and prepare

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). If you prefer, you can grill instead: preheat grill to medium-high (about 200–230°C / 400–450°F). Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top, or use a rimmed baking pan.

Roast chicken legs

For marinated chicken legs: remove from marinade and let excess drip off. Arrange legs skin-side up on the rack so air circulates. Roast in the preheated oven for 35–45 minutes, or until skin is crisp and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part (not touching bone) reads 74°C (165°F). If skin browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.

Cook bacon-wrapped breasts

For bacon-wrapped breasts: place on the rack, bacon seam-side down. Brush with the reserved marinade once or twice during cooking. Roast 25–35 minutes, or until bacon is crisp and the internal temperature of the breast reaches 74°C (165°F). To crisp bacon further, broil 1–2 minutes watching carefully.

Alternative: Grill

To grill legs: place skin-side down over direct heat to sear for 4–6 minutes, then move to indirect heat and cook 20–30 minutes with lid closed, turning once, until 74°C (165°F). For bacon-wrapped breasts on grill: sear over direct heat 2–3 minutes per side then move to indirect heat and cook until done, turning occasionally and watching bacon to avoid flare-ups.

Remove chicken from oven or grill and let rest 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. Remove any toothpicks if used. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the top and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve immediately.