Peri-Peri Chicken – a mildly spicy luscious chicken dish bursting with interesting complex flavors from Peri-Peri Sauce, Creole Seasoning, lemon, and herbs. Grilled to perfection until tender and juicy. Certainly, a mouthwatering chicken recipe that is amazingly good whether it’s grilled or baked.
If you are craving something different this summer, here is a great chicken recipe that will surely give Nando’s Peri-Peri Chicken a run for their money. This will get you excited about firing up the grill. You can make it mildly spicy or crank up the heat as much as you want. I won’t judge.
I have made this recipe mildly spicy because my son isn’t really a fan of spicy food. So, I made sure he’s gonna enjoy these grilled chicken as much as I do. But of course, I separate few chicken parts and amp up the spicy level coz’ hub and I love them really spicy. 😉
What is Peri-Peri Chicken?
It is a spicy chicken dish, also known as Piri Piri Chicken, introduced in Angola and Mozambique when the Portuguese settlers came with Chili Peppers or what they call, Piri Piri. The chicken is marinated in Peri-Peri Sauce along with other seasonings before grilling them.
Peri Peri Sauce is a blend of chilies, lemon, olive oil, herbs, and spices. It has a combination of sour, sweet, and salty flavors. Making it a really complex and versatile sauce that you can use on any meat like chicken, pork, and beef.
Recipe Ingredients and Substitutes
With a few ingredients and few hours to spare, you can now enjoy peri peri original with a tender and juicy goodness perfect for lunch or dinner. It’ll be more amazing if you can marinate your chicken overnight for the best-tasting flame-grilled chicken. To start, you’ll only need:
Chicken Rub
- Chicken – You can use any part of the chicken to grill. Feel free to use any meat you like – pork, beef, lamb, and even fish. Just be mindful of the cooking time since it varies depending on the size and meat used.
- Lemon – It adds a refreshing citrus flavor to your chicken recipe. This also takes out the chicken’s funky taste and smell. You can also use lime if you ran out of lemon.
- Salt and Pepper – These two seasonings may have the simplest and most basic taste but they can make any dish flavorful even in the absence of all the other seasonings.
Chicken Marinade
- Peri Peri Sauce – The secret sauce to Immaculatebites peri peri chicken recipe. It is a blend of chili, herbs, and spices that can be used as a marinade, dip, or sauce. Try to make it at home with this Homemade Piri Piri Sauce.
- Onion – Gives bold flavor to this Portuguese chicken with its pungent and spicy flavor profile. Check out my guide on How to Cut Onions.
- Garlic – I’ve always loved its inviting garlicky aroma, it also makes any dish more savory.
- Red Bell Pepper – A type of pepper that has the least level of spice. It has a contrasting bitter and sweet taste which gives character to this easy peri peri chicken recipe. You can just add paprika if you forgot to buy bell peppers. 😉
- Basil and Oregano – Aromatic herbs that blend well with other seasonings. They both add distinct sweetness and minty flavor notes to any dish.
- White Pepper – Since peri peri sauce is spicy enough, I chose a milder pepper counterpart to add more depth without the extra heat. But you can also use black pepper, of course.
- Olive Oil – Don’t forget the oil, it helps in the absorption of all the great flavors making our grilled chicken amazingly delicious. I highly suggest using olive oil, but any oil will do just fine. 😉
Recipe Variations
- Baked Peri Peri Chicken – if you’re too lazy to grill, you can just bake them at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 35-40 minutes. Or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Peri Peri Chicken Bowl – Serve your Portuguese chicken on top of a warm Cajun Rice or Jamaican Rice and Peas for the ultimate comfort food combo. Ok, now I’m hungry! Ugh!
- Piri Piri Pasta – Seafood blend and sausage in a spicy piri piri-based sauce served on top of fettucini pasta. Just wow!
- Crispy Peri Peri Marinated Tofu – Vegan? This tofu got your back! Oh yes!
Making Ahead and Storage Instructions
For best results, it is best to marinate your Peri Peri Chicken for at least 12 hours to fully absorb all the flavors.
- Store the marinated chicken in an airtight container or ziplock bags.
- Refrigerate – can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days maximum.
- Freezer – can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Pro Tip: Marinating your chicken for more than 2 days may make your chicken mushy. The acids of the marinade will start to break down the fibers of the chicken making the meat too soft. It is advised to place them in the freezer after 2 days.
Leftover
- Refrigerate – Place leftover grilled chicken in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2-3 days.
- Freezer – You can store your leftover chicken in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Reheating
- Frozen Chicken – Thaw them first inside the fridge overnight.
- Oven – transfer to a baking dish and add chicken stock or water enough to have a thin layer of liquid. Cover with foil to trap the steam, to keep the chicken moist and not dry. Bake for about 10-15 minutes at 350°F or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Stovetop – on medium heat, heat the skillet and add water or chicken broth enough to cover the skillet or pan. Add the chicken as soon as little bubbles come up, and lower the heat. Gently stir the chicken until warm or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Microwave – add a drizzle of water and olive oil or butter to keep the moisture and flavor. Loosely cover and heat for about 2 minutes. If not warm enough, flip the chicken and heat again for another 30 seconds or so until warm enough.
Note: Heating time varies depending on the kind and part of the chicken you’re using.
FAQs
The peri peri sauce is made of hot chili peppers, jalapenos, lemon, vinegar, herbs, and spices. It can be used as a marinade, dip, or sauce.
Yes! You can start with bird’s eye chili pepper. Or go straight to the extremely spicy chili peppers like scotch bonnet peppers, jalapenos, and habanero peppers.
The answer is yes! It is actually best to marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours before cooking. If you have more time to spare, marinating your chicken overnight yields the best results.
What to Eat with Peri Peri Chicken?
This tender and juicy Peri-Peri chicken recipe is best served with steamed rice or dinner rolls. But to satisfy my comfort food cravings, I eat them with salad or savory rice dishes like these recipes below.
More Chicken Recipes
- Smoked Chicken Legs
- Instant Pot Whole Chicken
- Blackened Spatchcock Chicken
- Tuscan Chicken
- Marinated Grilled Chicken Breast
How to Make Peri Peri Chicken
Prepare the Chicken Rub
- Trim – chicken of excess fat and pat dry with a cloth or paper napkin. (Photo 1)
- Rub – with lemon, and 2 teaspoons creole spice or season with salt and pepper. (Photo 2)
Marinate the Chicken
- Make the marinade – Place the onions, garlic, basil, oregano, bell pepper, and peri peri sauce in a food processor or blender, then add olive oil. Pulse for about 30 seconds until blended. (Photos 3-4)
- Drench the chicken – with peri peri marinade, cover the bowl with a cling wrap or place the chicken in a zip lock bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. (Photos 5-6)
Grill the Chicken
- Remove excess marinade from the chicken – When ready to grill, using a tong, remove the chicken from the peri peri marinade and remove excess marinade. Reserve the marinade. (Photo 7)
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
- Grill the chicken – Place chicken on the grill and grill for about 10-15 minutes an each side you may need to turn the chicken occasionally on each side until it is cooked all the way. Do this in batches if you have a small grill. (Photos 8-9)
- Make the sauce – In a small saucepan simmer the remaining peri peri marinade and the one from the chicken for about 7 minutes. Serve with chicken or mix with chicken. (Photo 10)
Watch How To Make It
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This post has been updated with new photos, a video, and additional information.
Peri Peri Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken Rub
- 2 ½-3 pound or (1.21-1.36 kg) chicken, cut ups or 8 pcs chicken legs
- 1 lemon or lime
- salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon or (2.40) white pepper, coarsely ground
Chicken Marinade
- ½ onion, sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 6 pieces basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons oregano
- ½ red bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon or more Peri Peri Sauce to taste
- ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Trim chicken of excess fat and pat dry with a cloth or paper napkin. Rub with lemon, and 2 teaspoons creole spice or season with salt and pepper.
- Place the onions, garlic, basil, oregano, bell pepper, and peri peri sauce in a food processor or blender, then add olive oil. Pulse for about 30 seconds until blended.
- Drench the chicken with peri peri marinade, place in a zip lock bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
- When ready to grill, using a thong remove chicken from the peri peri marinade and remove excess marinade. Reserve the marinade.
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
- Place chicken on the grill and grill for about 10-15 minutes on each side you may need to turn the chicken occasionally on each side until it is cooked all the way. Do this in batches if you have a small grill.
- In a small saucepan simmer the remaining peri peri marinade and the one from the chicken for about 7 minutes. Serve with chicken or mix with chicken.
Tips & Notes:
- You can use any part of the chicken to grill. Feel free to use any meat you like – pork, beef, lamb, and even fish. Just be mindful of the cooking time since it varies depending on the size and meat used.
- For best results, it is best to marinate your Peri Peri Chicken for at least 12 hours to fully absorb all the flavors.
- Store the marinated chicken in an airtight container or ziplock bags. Refrigerate – can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days maximum. Freezer – can be frozen for up to 2 months.
- Baked Peri Peri Chicken – if you’re too lazy to grill, you can just bake them at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 35-40 minutes. Or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Miroslav Klouda says
Imma, you answered my post from 2/23 where I complained that I can see your videos. You advised me to switch off my adblocker, and it helps! Thank you very much!
Miroslav Klouda says
I wanted to say “cannot” instead of “can”. Sorry.
Imma says
Amazing to hear that. Try some other recipes and let me know how they go for you.
Mirelle Wells says
I loved this recipe! After I had some peri peri chicken at a restaurant, I knew I wanted to recreate it at home. This recipe was simple and delicious. The chicken was tender and well seasoned. I mixed the leftover marinade with mayo and served it with zucchini and yellow rice. Delicious would recommend
Imma says
Thank you, Stay tuned for more amazing recipes.
Miroslav Klouda says
The photos (esp. 5 and 6) seem to contain much more mass than the recipe indicates. Is there really no yoghurt or curd?
Imma says
It’s been a while since I took the photos but I’m sure I didn’t add anything else. In the video, you’ll see that the chicken almost completely fills the bowl, making it look like there’s more sauce than there is.