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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.
Jump to:
- Peri Peri Chicken Recipe
- What is Peri Peri Chicken?
- Portuguese Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken Peri Peri Recipe
- Peri-Peri Chicken Recipes Tips
- Recipe for Peri Peri Chicken Marinade
- Internal Temperature for Chicken
- Peri Peri Chicken FAQ
- How to Store Leftover Portuguese Chicken
- How to Reheat Chicken with Peri Peri Sauce
- Chicken Side Dishes
- Chicken Dinner Recipes
- 📌 Pin it for later!
- 📋 Recipe
- 💬 Reviews
Peri Peri Chicken Recipe
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 on Pinterest
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 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
Chicken Peri Peri Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Oil a large roasting pan and place the lemon wedges on the bottom.
- Add chicken to the pan with the lemon wedges, and brush both sides of each piece of chicken with oil.
- 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.
- Make sure your chicken is facing skin-side up. Roast for 30 minutes at 400°F.
- 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.
- 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!
Peri-Peri Chicken Recipes 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 really is the best option and allows you to control all the flavors in the dish.
Recipe for 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-1 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.
Internal Temperature for Chicken
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 a meat thermometer and follow our chicken temperature chart to ensure the chicken is done cooking properly.
| Chicken Part | Oven Temperature | Cooking Time |
|---|---|---|
| Whole Chicken | 350°F | 20 minutes per pound, plus 15 minutes; ex. 5-pound chicken for 1 hour 55 minutes |
| Boneless Chicken Thighs | 425°F | about 35 minutes |
| Bone-in Chicken Thighs | 425°F | about 45 minutes |
| Boneless Chicken Breasts (Large) | 375°F | 20 to 30 minutes |
| Bone-in Chicken Breasts (Large) | 375°F | 35 to 40 minutes |
| Chicken Wings | 400°F | 45 minutes |
| Chicken Legs | 425°F | 40-45 minutes |
| Chicken Tenders | 375°F | 20-25 minutes |
Peri Peri Chicken FAQ
You can make peri-peri chicken using any cut of chicken, from bone-in to boneless, chicken breasts, thighs, or even wings. Pick your favorite and follow our chicken temperature chart for the best cooking times for your cut.
Peri peri chicken is a mildly spicy, luscious chicken dish bursting
with flavors of garlic, chili, and herbs. Although it is naturally spicy, because the sauce is homemade, you can easily control the level of spice going into the dish.
How to Store Leftover Portuguese Chicken
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 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 reaches 165°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
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
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Peri Peri Chicken
Equipment
- Large roasting pan
Ingredients
For Peri Peri Chicken
- 3 chicken thighs approx. 1 pound
- 4 chicken drumsticks approx. 1 pound
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lemon cut into wedges
- ¾ cup peri peri sauce divided
- Salt and pepper to taste
For Peri Peri Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- ½ medium red onion diced
- 2 Tablespoons sweet paprika
- 2 large fire roasted peppers
- 6-7 Thai red chilis seeds removed, finely chopped
- ¼ cup sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
- Zest of one lemon
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 4 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
See our Cooking Conversions Chart for help converting measurements!
Instructions
Making Peri Peri Sauce
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat, then saute the onions, garlic and paprika until softened, about 5 minutes.1 Tablespoon olive oil, ½ medium red onion, 2 Tablespoons sweet paprika, 4 cloves garlic
- Add the onion mixture along with Thai red chilies, fire roasted red peppers, sherry vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, brown sugar, dried oregano, salt, and pepper to a blender.2 large fire roasted peppers, 6-7 Thai red chilis, ¼ cup sherry vinegar, 3 Tablespoons lemon juice, Zest of one lemon, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, 4 teaspoons dried oregano, 1½ teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- Blend until smooth.
Making Peri Peri Chicken
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Oil a large roasting pan and place the lemon wedges on the bottom.1 lemon
- Add chicken to the pan with the lemon wedges, and brush both sides of each piece of chicken with oil.3 chicken thighs, 4 chicken drumsticks
- 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.Salt and pepper, 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, ¾ cup peri peri sauce
- Make sure your chicken is facing skin-side up. Roast for 30 minutes at 400°F.
- 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.Salt and pepper, ¾ cup peri peri sauce
- 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!
Video
Notes
- 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 really is the best option and allows you to control all the flavors in the dish.
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