Peri Peri Marinated Chicken Skewers

Flavor-packed BBQ chicken marinated in a spicy pepper, garlic, lemon, basil, and oregano sauce, and grilled on skewers. Marinate overnight for extra delicious skewered meat for grilling time and great entertaining!

Course Appetizer, Main

Cuisine African

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 255kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

1 red jalapeño, seeds removed and coarsely chopped
1 red chili pepper, seeds removed and coarsely chopped (see notes)
¼ medium red bell pepper, seeds removed and coarsely chopped
¼ cup (30g) chopped onions
3-4 cloves garlic
4-6 large basil leaves
2-3 tablespoons (6-9g) fresh oregano or parsley
1 medium lemon, juiced (adjust to taste)
1 teaspoon (3g) smoked paprika
1 teaspoon (3g) chicken bouillon (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup (60g) olive oil
½ cup (120g) coconut milk (optional)
2-3 pounds (1-1.5kg) boneless, skinless chicken thighs (excess fat trimmed)

Instructions

Soak wooden skewers totally submerged in water for at least 60 minutes before grilling to prevent fires. Skip this part if using a grill pan or stainless steel skewers.
Blend the red jalapeño, chili pepper, bell pepper, onion, garlic, basil, oregano or parsley, lemon juice, smoked paprika, bouillon, and salt and pepper to taste. Add olive oil and optional coconut milk as needed to facilitate blending, then set it aside.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then cut them into 2-inch chunks and put them in a large non-reactive bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste (¾-1 teaspoon per pound of each is average).
Pour the peri peri marinade over the chicken, and mix until thoroughly coated. At this point, you can cover the bowl with plastic wrap to marinate for around 2 hours, or go ahead and thread the skewers. Alternatively, you can use a large zip-lock bag to save space in the fridge.
I marinated the chicken first (overnight), then put about 4 chunks on each skewer before grilling.
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and drain the excess, reserving the extra marinade for basting. Remember that it has been in contact with raw chicken, so make sure not to baste immediately before removing the skewers from the grill.
Thread 4-5 chunks of chicken on each skewer if you haven't already, brush the grill with vegetable oil to prevent sticking, and place chicken directly on the grill grates.
Cook for 10-15 minutes, rotating from side to side for even cooking. If the chicken is browning too quickly, lower the heat.
In a small saucepan, simmer the reserved peri peri marinade for 7-10 minutes to kill the bacteria from the raw chicken.
Transfer the grilled chicken skewers to a platter and let them rest for about 5 minutes. Serve them with the peri peri sauce on the side.

Notes

Adjust the amount of hot pepper to taste. If you can't find peri peri, Thai bird's eye, jalapeño, cayenne, serrano, and Fresno peppers will all work fine. However, if you do have access to them, please use them instead.
Remember that the marinade has been in contact with raw chicken, so be sure to simmer the marinade for at least 5 minutes to kill the bacteria.
Please take into account that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary considerably based on the products used.

Nutrition