Portuguese Clams & Piri Piri Chicken

Free Bert with LeeAnn Kreischer, Arden Myrin & Mandell Maughan | Something’s Burning | S6 E22

Arden Myrin and Mandell Maughan from Bert’s new Netflix series Free Bert hang out in the kitchen with Bert and LeeAnn to talk about the show, acting, and a few “little guy” problems — all while Bert cooks Portuguese-style clams and spicy Piri Piri chicken with rice. No spoilers, just heat.

Portuguese-Style Clams (Ameijoas à Bulhão Pato)

Ingredients

  • 2 lb littleneck clams
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt
  • 3 whole sprigs cilantro
  • ¼ cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
  • ¼ cup parsley, roughly chopped
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • Lemon slices, for serving
  • Fresh baguette slices, for serving

Steps

  1. Sort clams and discard any with broken shells. Soak clams in cold salted water (¼ cup salt) for at least 30 minutes to release sand.
  2. Drain and rinse clams. Scrub shells if needed.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large lidded saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and bay leaves; sauté until fragrant and lightly golden.
  4. Add clams, stir to coat, then increase heat to medium-high.
  5. Add white wine, a pinch of salt, and whole cilantro sprigs. Cover and cook, shaking pan occasionally, until clams open (5–7 minutes).
  6. Remove any clams that open early. Add butter, cover again, and cook until all clams open.
  7. Discard bay leaves, cilantro sprigs, and any unopened clams. Toss with chopped cilantro and parsley.
  8. Transfer to a serving bowl with pan juices. Serve with lemon slices and crusty bread.

Piri Piri Chicken & Rice

Chicken Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp cayenne (optional)
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 bird’s eye chili, minced (or 1 tsp Calabrian chili paste)
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, bite-sized

Rice Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ yellow onion, finely diced
  • 1 red pepper, finely diced
  • 1½ cups basmati rice
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • ½ chicken bouillon cube
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp cayenne
  • 4 green onions, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup cilantro leaves

Steps

  1. Mix brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, cayenne, salt, garlic, and chili. Toss chicken with spice mix and red wine vinegar. Marinate while prepping other ingredients.
  2. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sauté chicken 3–4 minutes until lightly browned. Remove and set aside.
  3. Lower heat to medium. Add onion and red pepper; sauté 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
  4. Add rice, turmeric, cayenne, bouillon, and salt. Stir to toast rice.
  5. Deglaze with white wine, scraping up browned bits. Add chicken broth and return chicken to the pot.
  6. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on medium-low for 15 minutes.
  7. Turn off heat and let steam, covered, for 10–30 minutes until rice is tender.
  8. Fluff with cilantro and green onions before serving.

Creamy Piri Piri Sauce

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup Greek yogurt
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp hot sauce (or more to taste)
  • 1 tbsp ketchup
  • Salt, to taste

Steps

  1. Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl.
  2. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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