Here you go — spicy, smoky peri peri chicken 🔥
Peri Peri Chicken Recipe
Serves: 3-4 | Time: 15 min prep + 30 min marinate + 25 min cook
Ingredients:
For the peri peri marinade:
- Chicken: 1 whole chicken cut into 4 pieces, or 1kg drumsticks/thighs
- Oil: 3 tbsp olive oil
- Garlic: 6 cloves
- Lemon: juice of 1 lemon + 1 tsp zest
- Peri peri chilies: 2-3 red bird’s eye chilies, or 2 tsp chili flakes + 1 tsp paprika for less heat
- Paprika: 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- Oregano: 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt: 1.5 tsp
- Black pepper: 1/2 tsp
- Vinegar: 1 tbsp white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- Ginger: 1 tsp grated
Steps:
1. Make the marinade:
Blend oil, garlic, lemon juice+zest, chilies, paprika, oregano, salt, pepper, vinegar, and ginger until smooth.
2. Marinate:
Pat chicken dry, make a few slits. Coat well with marinade. Cover and refrigerate 30 min minimum. Overnight is best.
3. Cook option 1 - Grill/Oven:
Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F. Place chicken on a rack over a tray. Roast 25-30 min, basting once. Broil 2 min at the end for char.
4. Cook option 2 - Pan + Oven:
Sear chicken skin-side down in an oven-safe pan 4 min. Flip, then bake at 200°C for 20 min.
5. Rest + Serve:
Let it rest 5 min. Drizzle extra marinade + lemon juice on top.
Pro tips:
- Heat level: Add more chilies for Nando’s "Extra Hot" vibe
- Extra saucy: Reserve 2 tbsp marinade before adding raw chicken, warm it and brush on after cooking
- Sides that slap: Garlic rice, fries, coleslaw, or naan
Air Fryer:
Let’s get it going in the air fryer
Air Fryer Peri Peri Chicken — Time Breakdown
- Prep: 10 min to blend marinade + coat chicken
- Marinate: 30 min minimum, 4 hours or overnight for max flavor
- Cook: 22-25 min total
- Preheat: 3 min at 200°C / 400°F
- Side 1: 12 min
- Flip + brush rest marination: 10-12 min more until crispy and cooked through
- Rest: 5 min
Total: ∼1 hour with marinating, or 40 min if you’re impatient and skip long marinate
Quick checklist before you start:
1. Pat chicken dry so it crisps up
2. Don’t overcrowd — cook in 2 batches if needed
3. 2 tbsp water in the bottom drawer = less smoke
4. Check doneness: 75°C / 165°F inside, or juices run clear
Want me to set you a timer style step-by-step while you cook, or do you need the *sauce-only recipe* to use later?
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