Peri Peri Chicken
This family recipe for Peri Peri Chicken is spicy, juicy, and so flavorful. I’ll show you how to make true South African Peri Peri (way better than Nando’s)!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the marinade:
- 6-8 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin on
- 4 red peppers, seeds and ribs removed, cut into large pieces
- 1 medium red onion, chopped into chunks
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup lemon juice 1.5-2 lemons
- zest of 1 lemon
- 3 tbsp paprika
- 2 tbsp minced garlic 4-5 cloves
- 2 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp coriander
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 2-3 red Thai chilies we use 3 dried chili peppers
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the sauce:
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Prepare marinade:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice red peppers into large pieces, removing seeds and stems. Chop red onion into large chunks. Place on a lined baking sheet and coat with 2 tbsp olive oil. Place in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a blender or food processor.
- To the blender, add lemon juice, lemon zest, paprika, minced garlic, dried oregano, coriander, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, 2-3 dried red Thai chilies, 2 tbsp olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Blend until smooth. You should have 3 cups total marinade.
- Place chicken in a large bowl and pour over 1 cup of the marinade (reserve the remaining 2 cups marinade). Mix around to coat the chicken and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, but ideally 12-24 hours.
Bake:
- When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Transfer marinated chicken to a baking sheet with parchment paper, leaving some space in between each piece. Place in oven for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, baste the chicken with 1-2 tbsp of the Peri Peri sauce. Return to the oven for 10-15 minutes more, or until internal temp reaches 165 F.
- Remove chicken from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
Prepare Peri Peri sauce:
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add remaining 2 cups marinade, 2 tbsp olive oil, and 2 bay leaves. Optional: add juice from ½ lemon (enhances flavor and cuts the heat).
- Stir and cook for 20 minutes until sauce changes color. Remove bay leaves and discard. Store sauce in a jar and keep for up to 1 week.
- Serve chicken with side of Peri Peri sauce.
Notes
CUT OF CHICKEN: use chicken drumsticks, breasts, quarters, wings, or a whole chicken. Any cut of chicken works but cooking times may vary.
SPICE LEVEL: we use 3 dried red Thai chili peppers in the marinade. Use less for a milder heat or more to increase the spice level.
GRILLING INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat the grill to medium-high about 425°F with the lid closed, clean and grease grates with vegetable oil.
- Grill chicken skin side down first for 5-7 minutes with lid closed. Flip chicken and baste with Peri Peri sauce. Cook for 5-7 minutes more or until chicken is cooked through. Adjust the temperature if chicken is browning too quickly.
- Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with side of Peri Peri sauce.
- In refrigerator: store cooked Peri Peri Chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- In freezer: store cooked leftovers in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Make sure to label with the date of freezing.
- Peri Peri Sauce: store in an airtight jar for up to 1 week in the fridge.
- Raw chicken in marinade: store chicken in marinade in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to use, place chicken in fridge overnight to thaw then bake or grill according to recipe instructions.
- How to reheat in oven: preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place chicken on a baking sheet. Reheat for 10 minutes or until warmed through.