Peri Peri Chicken

Popularized by Nando’s Peri-Peri chicken in London and now in some cities in the US. Since we don’t have it in our area, I experimented and combined couple of copy cat recipes online. This is South African blends of spices created by Portuguese explorers when they first reach the land in South Africa. They make use of turmeric, ginger, cumin, smoked paprika and peppers. Using the right blends as marinade and sauce creates a crowd favorite savory grilled chicken that is now rapidly being popularized in the US.

Peri Peri Chicken

Savory butterflied chicken marinated and grilled into perfection. Best eaten with peri peri rice.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 1 whole Chicken

Marinade and sauce

• 1 piece Red onion (chopped)
• 6 ears Garlic
• 1 tsp Minced ginger
• 3 tsp Thyme (fresh) 1 tsp if you use dried thyme
• 1/2 cup Cilantro (fresh) Include stems and leaves
• 1 tbsp Smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp Turmeric
• 1 tsp Black pepper
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 tbsp Salt
• 1/4 cup Red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup Olive oil
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 1 tbsp Crushed thai peppers optional or adjust according to your taste
• 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce
• 3 tbsp Lemon juice

Method

 

1. Give the chicken a good rub inside and outside using coarse salt. Rinse thoroughly. Remove the backbone to create a butterflied chiicken cut. Set aside.
2. Add all marinade ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until it becomes a thick liquid marinade.
3. Using 3/4 of the marinade rub generously and thoroughly to the chicken inside and outside. Set aside for at least overnight inside the refrigerator to let the flavor soak into the meat.
4. You can either grill it for a better flavor or baked it in the oven. I baked in the oven but first using a cast iron pan, I seared it in the stove for 5 minutes on each side.
5. Preheat to 400 degrees F. Bake for 40-50 minutes with skin on top. Rub with the remaining marinade and roast for 5-10 minutes more. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving,