Easy Portuguese Chicken Recipe Using Homemade Peri Peri (or Piri Piri) Sauce Inspired by Nando's
Peri Peri Chicken is a delightful one-pot dish made by marinating bone-in chicken pieces and baking them to perfection in the oven.
Serve it alongside coconut rice and Air Fryer Corn on the Cob for a perfect family weeknight meal that everyone loves!
For Nando's fans, this piri piri chicken is a must-try, offering the same taste as the original but at a lower cost and healthier.
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The spicy peri peri marinade is what makes this dish so special.
I roast red onions, garlic, peppers, and chilies to add depth of flavor, then blend them with olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and seasoning.
You can use the remaining sauce for dipping; it's truly delightful!
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
Peri Peri Sauce
- Red peppers - I usually use romano peppers but red bell peppers or any sweet type of red pepper works great with this recipe.
- Red chilies - The sauce is originally made with peri peri chilies, also known as the 'African Bird’s Eye Chilli'. However, you can also use Thai red chilies. If you don't want too much heat, opt for a milder version to adjust it to your taste.
- Garlic - Use freshly peeled garlic cloves, and make sure to remove green bits in the center if there are any.
- Red onion - Roasting the onions enhances their natural sweetness, which balances the spiciness of red chilies.
- Vinegar - I use white vine vinegar or apple cider vinegar to add some acidity to the sauce.
- Olive oil - It helps tenderize the chicken pieces as well as add flavor. I use mild-tasting cooking olive oil but you can use extra virgin olive oil for a stronger flavor.
- Lemon juice - As always, use freshly squeezed lemon juice, not the bottled ones.
- Brown sugar - It balances the acidity from the vinegar, the sourness from the lemon, and the heat from the chilies.
Peri Peri Chicken
- Chicken legs - I choose bone-in, skin-on chicken leg quarters for extra flavor. Pat them dry with a paper towel—no need to rinse. Drumsticks, thighs, or a mix of both are also great options.
- Scallion - Or green onions - spring onions are perfect for garnishing piri piri chicken.
- Corn on the cob - It is entirely optional. I enjoy serving this Portuguese chicken dish with corn on the cob on the side as it was one of our favorite side dishes when we used to eat at Nando's.
How to Make Nando's Per Peri Chicken at Home?
Making this delicious copycat recipe for Nando's Peri Peri Chicken is pretty straightforward.
However, there are a few tips and tricks that you should follow to achieve the best results:
Prepare the Piri Piri Sauce
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Place the red onion, red chilies, red peppers, and peeled garlic cloves on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil.
Roast in the oven for about 18-20 minutes or until the vegetables are lightly charred and tender.
In a blender, combine the roasted vegetables with smoked paprika, salt, lemon juice, olive oil, white wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar), brown sugar, and dried thyme or oregano.
Blend until smooth. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Baking Piri Piri Chicken
Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C).
Pat the chicken leg quarters dry with a paper towel and place them in a baking dish.
Season the chicken with ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper and ½ teaspoon of salt.
Pour a generous amount of the prepared Piri Piri Sauce over the chicken, ensuring it's well-coated.
Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate overnight for enhanced flavor.
Put the marinated chicken leg quarters on a baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for about 45-50 minutes, or until the chicken's internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and it has a golden-brown color.
Wrap the corn on the cobs in aluminum foil and place them on a separate baking sheet to cook while the chicken legs are in the oven.
Once done, garnish the peri peri chicken with scallions, lemon slices, and chopped parsley.
Why This Recipe Works?
- This recipe is so easy with a few simple steps—you just make the marinade for the chicken and bake it in the oven.
- The recipe uses basic ingredients that are affordable and easy to find. It's much cheaper than eating at Nando's.
- The mix of ingredients in the peri peri sauce—like the sweet red onions, spicy red chilies, and tangy vinegar—creates a tasty blend of flavors.
- You can make the peri peri sauce and marinate the chicken in advance. It's perfect for meal prep or busy weeks when you want to plan ahead.
Top Tips From the Chef
- If you have time, marinate the chicken for a minimum of two hours, ideally overnight to let the flavors soak into the meat.
- Taste the peri peri sauce before marinating the chicken and adjust the amount of chili to your preference for heat.
- Watch the chicken while baking to avoid drying it out. Use a cooking thermometer to check if it's done, ensuring the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- You can store extra peri peri sauce in the fridge for up to a week for later use as a marinade or dipping sauce for other dishes.
- Try grilling the chicken for a more authentic Nando's flavor instead of baking it.
What is Peri Peri?
Peri peri, also spelled as "piri piri" or "pili pili," is a type of chili pepper, specifically the African Bird's Eye chili.
It's also the name of a spicy sauce or marinade made from these peppers, commonly used in Portuguese and African cuisine.
Peri peri is a fiery and flavorful sauce that typically includes ingredients like chili peppers, garlic, vinegar, oil, and spices.
Storage and Reheating
Allow the peri peri chicken to cool completely before storing.
Store leftover Peri Peri chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat peri peri chicken, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Place the chicken on a baking sheet and cover it loosely with aluminum foil to prevent drying.
Heat the chicken in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until warmed through.
Alternatively, you can reheat individual portions in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, checking periodically to ensure it's heated evenly.
What to Serve with Homemade Peri Peri Chicken?
At Nando's, this delightful chicken dish is typically served with corn, slaw, and a choice of rice or fries.
Some side dish options you can make at home are:
Crispy Saute Potatoes with Garlic
Homemade Sourdough Dinner Rolls
Recipe FAQs
You can use boneless chicken thighs or breasts if you prefer. Just adjust cooking times to avoid overcooking.
Peri peri chicken originated in Portugal and was popularized by Portuguese explorers who introduced chili peppers to Africa. The dish became particularly associated with Mozambique and Angola, where it evolved into the peri peri chicken we know today.
You can use store-bought peri peri sauce for convenience. But making your own allows you to adjust flavors and spice levels to your liking.
Related Recipes
For more delicious chicken recipes perfect for weeknight dinners, why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below, tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram, and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this Easy Homemade Peri Peri Chicken as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!
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Easy Homemade Peri Peri Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
For Piri Piri Sauce
- 1 small red onion (120 g)
- 2 red chilies
- 2 red peppers (sweet Romano peppers) (250 g)
- 4 cloves garlic (peeled)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ lemon (juiced)
- ⅓ cup good quality olive oil
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme or oregano
For the Piri Piri Chicken
- 4 chicken leg quarters
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 pieces corn on the cobs
- 4 sliced scallions (to garnish)
- lemon slices (to garnish)
- chopped parsley (to garnish)
Instructions
Preparing the Piri Piri Sauce
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Place the red onion, red chilies, red peppers, and peeled garlic cloves on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil.
- Roast in the oven for about 18-20 minutes or until the vegetables are lightly charred and tender.
- In a blender, combine the roasted vegetables with smoked paprika, salt, lemon juice, olive oil, white wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar), brown sugar, and dried thyme or oregano.
- Blend until smooth. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Baking Piri Piri Chicken
- Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C).
- Pat the chicken leg quarters dry with a paper towel and place them in a baking dish.
- Season the chicken with ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper and ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Pour a generous amount of the prepared Piri Piri Sauce over the chicken, ensuring it's well-coated.
- Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate overnight for enhanced flavor.
- Put the marinated chicken leg quarters on a baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for about 45-50 minutes, or until the chicken's internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and it has a golden-brown color.
- Wrap the corn on the cobs in aluminum foil and place them on a separate baking sheet to cook while the chicken legs are in the oven.
- Once done, garnish the peri peri chicken with scallions, lemon slices, and chopped parsley.
Notes
- If you have time, marinate the chicken for a minimum of two hours, ideally overnight to let the flavors soak into the meat.
- Taste the peri peri sauce before marinating the chicken and adjust the amount of chili to your preference for heat.
- Watch the chicken while baking to avoid drying it out. Use a cooking thermometer to check if it's done, ensuring the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- You can store extra peri peri sauce in the fridge for up to a week for later use as a marinade or dipping sauce for other dishes.
- Try grilling the chicken for a more authentic Nando's flavor instead of baking it.
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