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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:
- Best Portuguese Chicken Recipe
- Portuguese Chicken Recipe FAQs
- Peri Peri Chicken Ingredients
- How to Make Peri Peri Chicken
- Piri Piri Chicken Recipe Tips
- How to Store Leftovers
- How to Reheat Chicken with Peri Peri Sauce
- What to Serve with Peri Peri Chicken
- Internal Temperature for Chicken
- Chicken Dinner Recipes
- 📌 Pin it for later!
- 📋 Recipe
Best Portuguese 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!
My take on Nando’s chicken recipe is one of my favorites for a busy weeknight, and once you try it, you will see what I mean.
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
Portuguese Chicken Recipe FAQs
Peri Peri Chicken is a savory dish made up of chicken that’s marinated in spicy peri peri sauce, then roasted or grilled to perfection. I prefer to roast mine, although peri peri chicken is delicious cooked on the grill.
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.
Peri Peri Chicken Ingredients
- Whole chicken
- Olive oil
- Lemon
- Homemade Peri Peri sauce – this is the secret to what makes this dish so amazing!
- Salt
- Pepper
How to Make Peri Peri Chicken
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Oil a large pan and place the lemon wedges in the bottom. Use kitchen scissors to cut the backbone from the chicken, then open it. Flip it over and press down on the breast with the palm of your hand to flatten it out.
- Rub a little oil all over the chicken. Place sauce into a small bowl, then use a basting brush and brush the chicken on both sides liberally with sauce. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken breast side up in the prepared roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes. Apply the remaining sauce over the top.
- Turn the oven down to 350°F and roast for another 20 minutes per pound or until the chicken reaches 165°F on a meat thermometer. Turn the tray in the oven so it browns evenly, and baste twice more during the cooking.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before cutting it into pieces or slicing it. Serve with rice, fries, and/or slaw and some extra sauce.
Piri Piri Chicken Recipe Tips
- 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.
- The longer you marinate your chicken, the better! For the most flavor, it’s best to marinate your chicken for at least 10-12 hours. Store marinated peri peri chicken in an air-tight container or ziplock bag for up to 2 days. Or, you can store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Flattening out the chicken is optional, but will help it cook more evenly and quickly.
How to Store Leftovers
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 if 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.
What to Serve with Peri Peri Chicken
- Portuguese Rice
- Mexican Street Corn
- Corn Riblets
- Potatoes and Chorizo
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Tomato Cucumber Feta Salad
Fun recipe tip: I love using the leftover chicken to make Peri Peri Chicken Pizza. It is amazing! If you love buffalo chicken pizza, you won’t even believe how amazing peri peri chicken pizza tastes!
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 |
Chicken Dinner Recipes
- Chick-Fil-A Chicken Nuggets in the Air Fryer
- Lemon Butter Chicken
- Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Grilled Chicken Breast
- Sheet Pan Chicken
- Lemon Kale Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken
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📋 Recipe
Peri Peri Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- Large roasting pan
Ingredients
- 4 pound whole chicken
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lemon cut into wedges
- ¾ cup peri peri sauce
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Oil a large roasting pan and place the lemon wedges in the bottom. Use kitchen scissors to cut the backbone from the chicken, then open it. Flip it over and press down on the breast with the palm of your hand to flatten it out.1 lemon, 4 pound whole chicken
- Rub a little oil all over the chicken. Place ¾ cup of sauce into a small bowl, then use a basting brush to brush the chicken on both sides liberally with sauce. Sprinkle over some salt and pepper.4 pound whole chicken, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¾ cup peri peri sauce, Salt and pepper
- Place the chicken breast side up in the prepared roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes. Apply the remaining sauce over the top.4 pound whole chicken
- Turn the oven down to 350°F and roast for another 20 minutes per pound or until the chicken reaches 165°F on a meat thermometer. Turn the tray in the oven so it browns evenly, and baste twice more during the cooking.4 pound whole chicken
- Remove the chicken from oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before cutting into pieces or slicing. Serve with rice, fries and/or slaw and some extra sauce.
Notes
- Don’t forget to use my Peri Peri Sauce for the best results!
- For the best results, it’s best to marinate your chicken for at least 10-12 hours to ensure all flavors have been absorbed. Store marinated peri peri chicken in an air-tight container, or ziplock bag for up to 2 days. Or store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- In a rush? You can use Nando’s peri peri sauce or your favorite hot sauce. This will work too and you will have a delicious chicken dinner the family will love!
- Flattening out the chicken is optional but will help it to cook more evenly and more quickly.
Nutrition
Photos by Marie Roffey.
Let us know what you think or ask a question about the recipe!