What is piri piri?

This spicy grilled chicken dish hails from Portugal, although it has its roots in the spicy cooking of Mozambique and Angola. The tiny red chillies used to make the dish – often referred to as piri piris – lend a fiery heat to this red hot sauce, that is as both a marinade and finishing sauce to barbecued chicken. In Portugal piri piri sauce is a popular table condiment, and is used alongside seafood, pork, poultry and vegetables. In fact, there are countless uses for a fiery piri piri, and we're sure that just one taste will make you fall for its zingy flavour.

Why make piri piri chicken at home?

Piri piri is a simple marinaded chicken dish that is ideal for making at home. Unlike store-bought piri piri chicken, this authentic recipe is made for chicken that is butterflied and grilled over charcoal for that authentic taste and aroma. With easy to find ingredients, and a simple preparation, making homemade piri piri chicken is something anyone can master.

What you'll need

Piri piri sauce

  • 8 small red chillies
  • 100 mL olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • Zest and juice ½ lemon

Chicken

  • 1 large chicken, butterflied
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • Juice of ½ a lemon

Step 1

Start by making the piri piri sauce. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until a thick sauce forms. Cover and put aside while you prepare the chicken.

Step 3

Using a sharp knife, make several slashes through the thickest parts of the chicken's thighs and breasts. Using a fork, prick the skin all over. Mix together the oil and lemon juice and massage into the chicken, then season generously with salt and pepper.

Step 4

Divide the piri piri sauce in half. Grill the chicken on a hot barbecue or char-grill, turning frequently and brushing regularly with half the piri piri sauce until it is golden and cooked through (roughly 30-40 minutes). Cut the chicken into pieces and serve with the reserved piri piri sauce alongside.

How to adjust hotness

If you prefer your chicken mild, instead of fiery, try limiting the amount of chillies included in the recipe. Try replacing some with red capsicum, and instead of basting the chicken with the sauce, try using a simple mix of olive oil, lemon, sweet papkika, bay leaf powder and garlic for an equally tasty result that isn't as spicy.

If you want things even fierier than this recipe, try marinading the chicken in half the piri piri for two hours before barbecuing.

Piri piri recipe

If you'd like to try another piri piri recipe, check this one out:

How to serve piri piri chicken

The best accompaniments to piri piri chicken are crusty bread, grilled corn on the cob and salad. Here are a few recipes that are ideal to pair up with this tasty barbecue chicken:

For more inspiration, check out our Chicken recipes collection.