Portuguese-Style Marinated Chicken
Bone-in chicken leg quarters are marinated overnight in lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, paprika, oregano, chili powder, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, and black pepper. Baking brings together bright citrus, warm spice, gentle heat, and savory garlic for a comforting homemade dinner, well suited to a relaxed family meal.
- Prep15 mins
- Cook55 mins
- Serves4
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Portuguese-Style Marinated Chicken, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactGood
- 72 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 18 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 83 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
- 1 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 54
- Heart Health
- 78
- Metabolic
- 23
- Digestive
- 29
- Inflammatory
- 56
- Performance
- 52
- General Wellness
- 1
Combine lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, paprika, oregano, sea salt, chili powder, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, and black pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend until the sauce is very smooth.
- 2
Use a knife to score the chicken legs a few times, then place them in a resealable plastic bag or large bowl. Pour sauce over the chicken legs and stir to coat well. Season with additional sea salt. Seal the bag or cover the bowl, and marinate in the refrigerator for 8 hours to overnight. Reserve the remaining sauce for basting.
- 3
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- 4
Place the marinated chicken in a baking dish and discard any excess marinade. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
- 5
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Turn the chicken over and baste it with the reserved sauce. Re-cover with foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 15 to 20 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted near a bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
- Calories 473.93 kcal High 24%
- Protein 62.93 g Good Source 126%
- Carbohydrate 4.42 g 2%
- Total Fat 21.53 g High 28%
- Saturated Fat 3.77 g Moderate 19%
- Trans Fat 0.03 g High --
- Cholesterol 199.15 mg High 66%
- Sodium 144.7 mg Moderate 6%
- Dietary Fiber 1.96 g Low Source 7%
- Total Sugars 0.37 g --
- Added Sugars 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Calcium 37.47 mg Low Source 3%
- Iron 1.87 mg Moderate 10%
- Potassium 1019.57 mg Good Source 22%
- Vitamin A 42.58 mcg Low Source 5%
- Vitamin C 1.21 mg Low Source 1%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Citrus 🍊
- Garlic 🧄
About This Recipe
Portuguese Style Marinated Chicken is made with 11 ingredients and serves 4. It takes about 1 hr 10 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Black Pepper, Chicken Leg Quarters, Chili Powder, and Dried Bay Leaves. Each serving provides about 473.93 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Portuguese-Style Marinated Chicken made of?
- The main ingredients are Black Pepper, Chicken Leg Quarters, Chili Powder, Dried Bay Leaves, Dried Oregano. The full list of 11 is above.
- How long does it take to make Portuguese-Style Marinated Chicken?
- About 1 hr 10 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 55 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 473.93 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Portuguese-Style Marinated Chicken easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 11 ingredients and 5 steps.
- Is Portuguese-Style Marinated Chicken healthy?
- Portuguese-Style Marinated Chicken has an easyChef Pro health score of 58/100. Per serving, it provides 473.93 calories and 62.93 g of protein, or 126% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of potassium. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 144.7 mg (6% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 3.77 g (19% of the Daily Value). It contains Citrus and Garlic, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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