Frango à Passarinho

Step 1

Place each chicken breast on the cutting board and slice it lengthwise (the long direction from one end to the other) into strips about 1/2 inch thick.

Step 2

Cut each strip crosswise into 1-inch chunks — bite-sized pieces that are roughly square from above.

Step 3

Mince the garlic cloves until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice — about the size of pencil-tip dots.

Step 4

Pour the flour onto a shallow plate or into a wide bowl, then add 1 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp black pepper to the flour and stir until evenly mixed.

Step 5

Pour the lime juice into a small bowl and set it beside the stove for later use.

Step 6

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 90 seconds until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan.

Step 7

Working in batches so the pan is never crowded, dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture, shaking off excess, then place them into the hot oil.

Step 8

Let the chicken cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes until the bottom is golden and pulls away easily from the pan, then flip and cook the other side until golden, about 2 minutes more.

Step 9

Remove the cooked chicken to a clean plate, then repeat with the remaining batches.

Step 10

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the skillet, leaving the browned bits on the bottom.

Step 11

Add the minced garlic to the remaining oil and stir constantly for 30 seconds until the smell becomes strongly fragrant and the garlic turns light golden.

Step 12

Pour the lime juice into the skillet and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the stuck-on brown bits from the bottom of the pan, stirring for 15 seconds until the liquid sizzles and smells bright.

Step 13

Return all the chicken pieces to the skillet and stir gently until they are coated in the garlicky lime sauce, about 30 seconds.

Step 14

Slide the chicken and sauce onto a serving platter, then scatter the chopped parsley or cilantro over the top.