Piri Piri Chicken – Mildly spicy, finger-licking-good chicken marinated with the deliciously complex flavors of the versatile and bold Peri Peri Sauce. Enjoy a taste of African heat for the win.
When grilling season rolls around, I can’t help getting outside and firing up the grill. So, if you’re craving something different, here’s a great chicken recipe to get excited about. You can make it mildly spicy or crank up the heat as much as you want. I won’t judge.
Believe it or not, my uncle used to eat these raw chilies with anything he could lay his hands on. No, I did not inherit those genes, thank God. But I love moderate heat.
Spicy but Versatile Piri Piri Sauce
So I’ve made this recipe mildly spicy because we’ve got little ones running around who love to try anything on my plate. And there’s no way I can no to those sweet faces.
Peri peri sauce is a blend of chilies, fresh garlic, jalapeno peppers, red pepper, basil, onions, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, lemon, and olive oil. The sour, lightly sweet, and salty combination makes a delightfully complex and versatile sauce you can use on almost anything. A whole chicken is a good starting point, but legs, thighs, and breasts do just fine.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken Legs – A whole chicken cut into 8 pieces or thighs and legs will also do just fine. Rub them with lemon, Creole seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Marinade – Piri-Piri sauce, onion, garlic cloves, red bell pepper, basil, oregano, white pepper, salt, pepper, and olive oil make a drool-worthy marinade.
How to Make Piri Piri Chicken
- Trim chicken of excess fat and pat dry with a cloth or paper napkin. Rub with a lemon and 2 teaspoons of Creole spice, salt, and pepper.
- Blend – Place the onions, garlic, basil, oregano, bell pepper, and peri peri sauce in a food processor or blender, then add the olive oil. Pulse for about 30 seconds until blended.
- Marinate the chicken in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the refrigerator for around 2 hours, overnight if you can.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Prep Chicken – Remove chicken from the marinade with tongs and allow excess marinade to drain back into the bowl. Reserve the marinade for your sauce.
- Grill – Place chicken on the grill for 10-15 minutes. Flip and grill for another 10-15 minutes. Turn occasionally if you notice the chicken starting to burn.
- Simmer the reserved marinade in a saucepan for 7-10 minutes. Serve over the chicken or on the side for a dip.
What Goes With Piri Chicken
Charleston red rice is a flavorful alternative to jollof rice. Baked sweet potato fries are another great option, and a refreshing glass of sorrel drink is always welcome.
More Amazing African Recipes to Try
Piri Piri Chicken
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Ingredients
- 8 chicken legs or a 2½-3-pound chicken cut up
- 1 tablespoon (15g) piri-piri sauce or more (adjust to taste)
- ½ onion, sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- ½ red bell pepper
- 6 leaves basil
- 2 tablespoons (10g) oregano
- ½ teaspoon (1g) coarsely ground white pepper
- salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup (60ml) olive oil
- 1 lime or lemon
Instructions
- Trim chicken of excess fat and pat dry with a cloth or paper napkin. Rub with a lemon and 2 teaspoons of Creole spice, salt, and pepper.
- Place the onions, garlic, basil, oregano, bell pepper, and peri peri sauce in a food processor or blender, then add the olive oil. Pulse for about 30 seconds until blended.
- Marinate the chicken in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the refrigerator for around 2 hours, overnight if you can.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Remove chicken from the marinade with tongs and allow excess marinade to drain back into the bowl. Reserve the marinade for your sauce.
- Place chicken on the grill for 10-15 minutes. Flip and grill for another 10-15 minutes. Turn occasionally if you notice the chicken starting to burn.
- Simmer the reserved marinade in a saucepan for 7-10 minutes. Serve over the chicken or on the side for a dip.
Tips & Notes:
- Chicken grills more evenly if allowed to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
L says
Do you make your own Piri Piri sauce or powder or do you purchase already made
Imma says
Yes, making your own sauce is so much better. The recipe: https://www.africanbites.com/piri-piri-sauce/
Regina says
This sounds like something I will absolutely fall in love with I will definitely try this
Immaculate Bites says
Let me know your thoughts, Regina. I hope you’ll enjoy this 🙂
Zahara says
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDD
Zahara says
This look REAL Good
imma africanbites says
Thank you. It sure does. 🙂