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My peri peri chicken recipe features chicken thighs marinated in a sweet and tangy spice blend (peri peri sauce!). It’s grilled until lightly blackened yet oh-so juicy. No grill? Use the oven instead!
Need more easy chicken recipes? Try my lemon pepper chicken, saffron chicken, and Huli Huli chicken next.
Chicken is, hands down, my go-to protein. I love working with it because of its versatility and all the different cooking methods you can use.
When I need a chicken dinner to feed my family that’s restaurant-worthy, I have a few favorites up my sleeve. This time around, I’m the sweet and spicy piri piri chicken!
What is peri peri chicken?
Also known as piri piri chicken, it’s a savory Portuguese dish prepared by coating whole chicken or chicken pieces in a traditional spicy African Bird’s eye chilies (pili pili) sauce and grilling it to perfection.
It became widely popular as Nando’s signature dish, so I decided to make a healthier copycat version!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Surprisingly easy. For how much flavor goes into this dish, it’s no more work than your basic grilled chicken.
- Easy to make ahead. Marinate as much chicken as you need up to two days in advance. The longer, the better!
- Authentic flavor. The marinade is made with simple ingredients, and when combined, it explodes with flavor. Trust me, it rivals some of the chicken I ate in Portugal!
- Healthier than the fast food version. There’s very little oil, and only a touch of sugar goes into the whole recipe. But I promise you, it tastes even BETTER than Nandos (and that is coming from a 20-year Nandos veteran!).
Ingredients needed
- Chicken. I prefer boneless skinless chicken thighs, but you can use any combination of chicken or even an entire spatchcocked chicken!
- Olive oil. To build the marinade. Alternatively, use any neutral-flavored oil.
- Lemon. For acidity. I swear by freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best results, but you can also use vinegar.
- Garlic. I prefer fresh garlic cloves, but I’ve used garlic powder in a pinch.
- Red chili. For the much-needed spice. If you’re not a fan of spicy food, skip it, or use sliced red bell pepper for no heat.
- Brown sugar. Traditional peri peri is sweet and spicy. You can also use maple syrup or agave nectar if you’d like.
- Sweet paprika. For a sweet, slightly smoky flavor.
- Dried oregano. For aroma.
- Cayenne pepper. For extra heat. Again, feel free to reduce or omit this if you want it less spicy.
- Salt. To taste.
How to make peri peri chicken
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Make the marinade. In a food processor or blender, blend the marinade ingredients until smooth.
Step 2- Marinate the chicken. Add the chicken to a large bowl and cover in the marinade. Refrigerate for at least an 10 minutes or overnight.
Step 3- Grill. Grease a grill pan or preheat a charcoal grill to medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook for 12 minutes, turning regularly, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165F.
Step 4- Rest the chicken for a minute or two, then serve immediately with extra peri peri sauce.
Can I make this in the oven?
Yes! If you don’t want to grill the chicken, place the marinated chicken in a baking dish and bake at 375F for 15-20 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165F.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Slice the chicken before marinating. So the flavor infuses into the meat.
- Slather on more sauce. Make extra peri peri sauce and baste it over the chicken before serving.
- Add more heat. Use serrano chilies and add more cayenne pepper, but keep in mind the dish will intensify once it’s cooked.
- Switch up the chicken. I’ve put this sauce on everything from chicken breasts to chicken wings. You can even add it to shrimp or tofu!
Storage instructions
To store: Leftover chicken should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
To freeze: Let the chicken cool completely, then freeze in shallow containers for up to three months.
To reheat: Microwave in 30-second intervals or in a preheated oven until warm.
Frequently asked questions
This dish is known for its spiciness. However, because it is well-balanced with sweet and tart flavors, the heat doesn’t overpower the other flavors. Of course, if you don’t want things too spicy, you can use sweet red peppers and reduce or omit the cayenne pepper.
You can prepare the marinade in advance and refrigerate it for up to a couple of weeks in an airtight container.
I recommend making your sauce at home because it’s designed for this specific amount of chicmen. However, you can use the store-bought marinade and adjust the quantities as per the bottle recommendations.
What to serve with this recipe
Peri Peri Chicken
Video
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small red chili finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a food processor, add the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, red chili, brown sugar, dried oregano, sweet paprika, cayenne pepper, and satl, and blend until smooth.
- Add the chicken to a bowl and cover with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes or overnight.
- Grease a grill pan or preheat a charcoal grill to medium. Once hot, add the chicken and cook for 12 minutes, turning regularly, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165F.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published May 2023, updated and republished September 2024
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. I doubled the peri peri sauce and reduced it in a pan to add as a sauce. I also used chicken Marylands and roasted them for 40 min at 180 celsius. The dish was perfect and everyone LOVED it! Definitely going to be made a lot!
Thanks, Kassie!
one of the best chicken thigh piri piri recipes i have found and tried. perfect
thanks for a awesome chicken dinner i made it for me and my wife and she just loved it as much as i did too it it was a awesome chicken dinner !
Love that!!!!
A little to much lemon juice and I would also say to leave for more then an hour but very nice with some pasta
A little to much lemon juice and I would also say to leave for more then an hour
Hello Arman,
Thank you for sharing the recipe. I’ll be making this today, so marinating this overnight. I’ll be using a grill pan but am very worried if the chicken legs would stick to the pan. How to avoid this, please?
Would appreciate your reply.
Thank you.
Hi Sofia sorry for the late reply- Grill pans should be fine- just be sure to grease it well 🙂
Definitely a ‘keeper’!