Peri Peri Chicken Recipe (2024)

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With just 10 minutes of prep and a few simple ingredients, you can make my easy Peri Peri Chicken recipe right in the comfort of your own kitchen! Paired with my simple homemade peri peri sauce, this recipe for peri peri chicken is a savory dinner that’s even better than Nando’s.

Peri Peri Chicken

Nando’s peri peri chicken is one of my family’s favorite meals away from home, but this popular South African restaurant chain isn’t available everywhere, so it’s hard to find the chance to go. Naturally, I took it upon myself to learn how to make the best peri peri chicken recipe I could in our own kitchen!

There isn’t much work involved when it comes to making this incredible Portuguese chicken recipe. It’s quickly become one of my favorites – you’re guaranteed to be left with juicy, tender chicken every time, with only 10 minutes of prep!

Start by whipping together my homemade peri peri sauce in the morning, then marinate the chicken while you go about your day. When you’re ready for dinner, just toss the marinated chicken into the oven and let it do the work!

This is the best peri peri chicken I have ever tried. It is even better than the original chicken from Nando’s.

Vicky

What is Peri Peri Chicken?

Peri Peri Chicken is a Portuguese recipe consisting of chicken roasted or grilled in spicy peri peri sauce, which includes red chilies and fire-roasted peppers. I prefer to roast mine, although peri peri chicken is delicious when cooked on the grill!

Portuguese Chicken Recipe Ingredients

• Chicken thighs and drumsticks
• Olive oil
• Lemon
• Homemade Peri Peri sauce – this is the secret to what makes this dish so amazing!
• Salt
• Pepper

Piri Piri Sauce Ingredients

• Vegetable Oil
• Garlic
• Red Onion
• Sweet Paprika
• Roasted Red Peppers
• Thai Red Chilis
• Sherry Vinegar
• Lemon Juice
• Lemon
• Brown Sugar
• Dried Oregano

Portuguese Chicken Recipe Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Oil a large roasting pan and place the lemon wedges on the bottom.
2. Add chicken to the pan with the lemon wedges, and brush both sides of each piece of chicken with oil.
3. Setting aside some of your peri peri sauce for later, brush both sides of each piece of chicken liberally with the remaining sauce using a basting brush. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Make sure your chicken is facing skin-side up. Roast for 30 minutes at 400°F.
5. Brush chicken with the peri peri sauce you set aside earlier. Roast another 15-20 minutes or so until the chicken reaches 165°F internally using a meat thermometer.
6. Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with rice, fries, and/or slaw and some extra sauce!

This chicken recipe is perfect when served over my Portuguese Rice!

Chicken Peri Peri Recipe Tips

• Roast for a total of 20 minutes per pound; the total weight of my chicken thighs and drumsticks was around 2 pounds and took approximately 45 minutes total to roast. Use a meat thermometer for best results and see my Chicken Temperature Chart.
• Use my homemade Peri Peri Sauce for the best results! Although you can use store-bought sauce such as Nando’s peri peri sauce, homemade is the best option and allows you to control all the flavors in the dish.

Portuguese Peri Peri Chicken Marinade

You can marinate the chicken in the peri peri sauce for deeper flavor for up to 10-12 hours or overnight – or 30 minutes to 1 hour if you want to marinate it quickly.

Brush the chicken with the sauce, then add it to an airtight container or zip-lock plastic bag in the refrigerator and allow it to marinate until ready to use.

If you’re marinating for 30 minutes to an hour, you can brush it when it’s in the roasting pan, then cover the pan with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator until ready. Uncover before roasting.

Peri Peri Chicken Recipes Temperature

Whether you’re roasting a whole chicken or baking chicken wings, this baked chicken temperature chart has the approximate cooking times you need for the perfect internal temperature.

Chicken should always read between 165°F and 175°F on a meat thermometer.Always use ameat thermometerand follow our chicken temperature chart to ensure the chicken is cooked properly.

Peri Peri Chicken FAQ

How to Store Chicken Peri Peri

You can store Peri Peri Chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze your leftovers for up to 4 months. Make sure to label it with the date of freezing!

How to Reheat Chicken with Peri Peri Sauce

For frozen chicken, start by thawing in the refrigerator overnight. For refrigerated leftovers, you can follow these steps immediately.

• Oven – Preheat the oven to 350°F and transfer the chicken to a baking dish. Add in chicken broth or water until you have a thin layer of liquid. Cover with foil to lock in moisture, and bake for 10-15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches165°F.
• Stovetop – Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add chicken broth or water to cover the bottom of the pan. As soon as you see little bubbles, add in your chicken and lower the heat. Gently stir the chicken until warm, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Chicken Side Dishes

• Mexican Street Corn
• Corn Riblets
• Potatoes and Chorizo
• Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Fun recipe tip: I love using the leftover chicken to make Peri Peri Air Fryer Chicken Pizza. It is amazing! If you love buffalo chicken pizza, you won’t even believe how amazing this chicken pizza tastes!

Chicken Dinner Recipes

• Chick-Fil-A Chicken Nuggets in the Air Fryer
• Lemon Butter Chicken
• Smoked Chicken Thighs
• Grilled Chicken Breast
• Chicken Chili

📋 Recipe