This Peri Peri Chicken recipe features juicy, flavorful chicken marinated in a tangy sauce made with fresh chilies, herbs, and lemon. Perfect for those who love bold flavors, it’s easy to make at home and sure to impress! This version has medium heat and is flavorful without being overpowering.
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My first experience with Peri Peri Chicken (also known as Piri Piri Chicken) was during my deployment to Qatar. I tried it at a popular international chain called Nando’s, and the flavor completely blew me away. It took me straight back to the spice markets in Bahrain!
A couple of years later, we moved to Maryland, and to my surprise, we found a Nando’s not far from our house. Krysten and I decided to have a date night there, and she absolutely loved it! We both ordered Peri Peri Chicken. Krysten went for hers in a bowl with rice, beans, grilled vegetables, and hummus, while I chose chicken thighs with French fries and their famous sauce.
We loved it so much that we decided to try making it at home. After experimenting and perfecting our own version, we couldn’t wait to share it with you all. The result was delicious, and we’re excited for you to try it!
What makes Peri Peri Chicken so special is the Peri Peri sauce that the chicken marinates in. The best part? You can adjust the heat level of the sauce based on the type of chilies you use—so it can be as spicy or as mild as you like.
What is Peri Peri Chicken?
Peri Peri Chicken is a flavorful dish that originated in Southern Africa, specifically Mozambique and Angola, and was made famous by Portuguese settlers. The key flavor comes from Peri Peri sauce, which is made from African bird’s eye chilies, along with garlic, lemon, herbs, and spices.
The chicken is marinated in this sauce, then grilled or roasted to create a deliciously smoky and spicy meal. It’s known for its tangy heat, balanced with fresh herbs and lemon. This dish is perfect for those who enjoy a kick of spice with lots of flavor!
Is Peri Peri Sauce Spicy?
Our homemade Peri Peri sauce has a medium heat level and tons of flavor without being too spicy.
- We added fresh herbs to balance the heat.
- Want it hotter? For spicy peri peri sauce, adjust the spice level by adding more serrano chilies or even a habanero.
- For a milder flavor, use more red bell pepper and remove the seeds and membranes from the chilies.
How to Use Peri Peri Sauce
Experiment with using Peri Peri marinade on other dishes like chicken, fish, shrimp, and even steak. The versatility of this sauce gives you endless options for what to pair it with.
Ingredients
Note: Normally when you make Peri Peri Chicken you use African bird’s eye chili peppers, but they’re pretty hard to find. So we adapted the recipe to use red chili peppers and bell peppers for the beautiful, crimson-orange color that peri peri sauce is best known for. (You can use green chilies if that’s what available, but the color will be different.)
- Red Bell Pepper – If you can’t find fresh, roasted red peppers in a jar (like Mezzetta) can be a shortcut—just drain well before using.
- Red Serrano Chilies – Serranos bring heat and a bright, slightly tangy flavor. If you want to dial down the spice, you can swap in Fresno chilies or use fewer serranos.
- Red Jalapeño Chilies – Red jalapeños have a natural sweetness compared to green ones. If unavailable, swap with more serranos or use a mix of cayenne pepper and smoked paprika for a similar flavor.
- Garlic Cloves – Fresh garlic is key. You can substitute with 1 teaspoon of garlic paste per clove, but fresh is always best.
- Blackening Seasoning – We used our homemade blackened seasoning. Brands like Zatarain’s or Slap Ya Mama work well too.
- Fresh Herbs: Cilantro and basil leaves at a nice, herby flavor. If you’re not a fan of cilantro, fresh parsley can be a good alternative. Be sure to chop right before using to preserve flavor.
- Vegetable Oil – Helps blend the marinade smoothly and ensures crispy, flavorful skin. A neutral oil like canola or avocado oil works too. If you want a richer flavor, a light olive oil (like Filippo Berio) can be a great substitute.
- Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice brightens up the marinade. If needed, bottled juice can work. You can also add some lemon zest.
- Salt – Enhances all the flavors. Kosher salt (like Diamond Crystal) is best because it dissolves evenly. If using table salt, reduce the amount slightly. Taste and adjust as needed.
- Whole Chicken (Quartered) or Bone-In Chicken Pieces – You can use drumsticks, thighs, or even chicken breasts. If using skinless chicken, consider basting with extra marinade while cooking to keep it moist
How to Make Peri Peri Barbeque Chicken
Step 1: Make the Peri Peri Sauce
Add all the marinade ingredients to a food processor: red bell pepper, serrano chilies, red jalapeños, cilantro, basil, garlic, blackening seasoning, lemon juice, and vegetable oil. Blend everything until smooth, then scrape down the sides and blend again. The sauce should have a little texture—not too runny, but not too thick or chunky.
Want extra sauce for serving? Double the recipe! It keeps in the fridge for a few days.
Step 2: Marinate the Chicken
Place the chicken in a large bowl or a zip-top bag. Pour the peri peri marinade over it, making sure every piece is coated. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes, but if you have time, 1 hour is better—and overnight (up to 24 hours) for the best results.
Before cooking, remove the chicken from the marinade and let any excess drip off. Discard the used marinade—don’t use it for basting since it had raw chicken in it.
Step 3: Grill or Bake the Chicken
Grilling is the best way to cook Peri Peri Chicken. But don’t worry if you don’t have a grill, the oven works too. The cooking time will vary best on which method you choose.
- For the grill: Heat to medium (350°-400°F). High heat will burn the outside too fast.
- For the oven: Preheat to 400°F and place the chicken on a baking sheet.
What to Serve With Peri Peri Chicken
- We served our Peri Peri Chicken with flavorful yellow rice, grilled peppers, onions, and tomato, and a side of fresh arugula. But feel free to get creative—this chicken goes with just about anything!
- Want to switch things up? Shred the chicken off the bone and make a Peri Peri Chicken bowl (like Nando's PERi-PERi Chicken Bowl) with hummus, black beans, rice, corn, or any veggies and toppings you love. Mix and match however you like—the possibilities are endless!
Commonly Asked Questions
Peri Peri sauce has a bold, tangy, and spicy flavor profile. It’s a combination of heat from the chilies and a bright acidity from ingredients like lemon juice. Depending on the chilies used, you can make it as mild or as fiery as you like. It’s the perfect balance of spicy, savory, and zesty.
Yes, Peri Peri sauce can be made a day or two in advance. Just store it in an airtight container in the fridge. The flavors will even develop more as it sits.
The best way to know if the BBQ chicken is fully cooked is by checking its internal temperature with a meat thermometer. For chicken, the temperature should reach 165°F. Check the thickest part of the meat (like the thighs).
📖 Recipe
Peri Peri Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 red bell pepper
- ¼ pound red Serrano chilies
- ¼ pound red jalapeno chilies
- 4 garlic cloves peeled
- 2 teaspoons blackening seasoning
- ½ fresh cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup vegetable oil plus more for oiling cooking grate
- Lemon juice from 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 1 whole chicken 3-4 pounds, quartered, or chicken pieces
Instructions
- Seed and roughly chop bell pepper, Serrano chilies, and jalapeño chilies.
- Add bell pepper, chilies, garlic, blackening seasoning, cilantro, basil, oil, and lemon juice to a food processor or blender. Whirl until marinade is fairly smooth but still has some small chunks. Taste marinade; if the blackening seasoning you used was unsalted, you may want to add salt. Set aside ¼ cup marinade in the refrigerator for basting later.
- Put chicken in a large zip-top bag. Add remaining peri peri marinade. Squeeze out air from bag, seal bag, and gently toss chicken to be sure it’s evenly coated all over.
- Refrigerate chicken in marinade at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. The longer it marinates, the more flavorful it will be.
- Set out chicken at room temperature. Set up a grill for direct heat cooking over medium heat (350°-400°F), preferably using lump charcoal. Remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade.
- Using grill tongs and a wad of oiled paper towels, lightly oil cooking grate to prevent sticking. Cook chicken over hot coals, turning every 5-6 minutes to prevent it from burning, until chicken reaches about 10°F below your final temperature (cook to 150°F in the thickest part of the breast or 155°F in the thickest part of the thigh not touching bone), 40-50 minutes.
- Baste chicken with half of reserved peri peri marinade and cook 5 minutes. Turn chicken over, baste with remaining marinade, and cook until chicken reaches 160°F in the thickest part of the breast and at least 165°F in the legs and thighs, about 5 minutes more.
- If you like, cut chicken into smaller pieces and season with more salt, then serve.
Marrekus says
I had my first taste of Nando's when I was deployed to Qatar in 2016, and I already knew right then I was going to have to recreate it for the blog.
That peri peri flavor is on a whole different level. It is smoky, tangy, a little spicy, and packed with bold garlic and citrus notes that wake everything up.