Introducing a fiery yet perfectly balanced peri-peri chicken sauce that will ignite your taste buds and leave you craving more! Rooted in Portuguese and African culinary traditions, peri-peri sauce is a flavor-packed blend of African bird’s eye chilies, tangy citrus, smoky paprika, and bold garlic. This vibrant and versatile sauce is the ultimate complement to flame-grilled peri-peri chicken, adding a tantalizing kick of spice and a burst of bold flavors to every bite. Whether you’re cooking for a casual family dinner or a weekend barbecue, this sauce transforms ordinary chicken into an extraordinary dish. Dare I say, for those of you who want me to compare this sauce to Nando’s sauce then here’s what I have to say… I think it’s better —try it and taste the difference for yourself!
The Rich History of Peri-Peri Chicken
Peri-peri chicken, also known as piri-piri chicken, carries a rich history that reflects the fusion of Portuguese and African influences. The dish originated in Portugal and was brought to Africa by Portuguese settlers, where it became a culinary staple in countries like Mozambique and Angola. The name “peri-peri” is derived from the Swahili word for chili, referencing the African bird’s eye chili pepper, a star ingredient in the marinade. This flavorful marinade combines garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, paprika, and olive oil to create a tangy, spicy, and slightly smoky flavor profile that perfectly complements flame-grilled chicken. Over time, peri-peri chicken has gained global popularity, and chefs worldwide continue to innovate on this iconic dish, adding their own unique touches.
Mastering the Flame-Grilled Peri-Peri Chicken
Flame-grilled peri-peri chicken is as much about technique as it is about the marinade. Start by generously coating your chicken with this marinade, ensuring every piece is fully covered for maximum flavor. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least a few hours—or better yet, overnight—to let the bold flavors penetrate deeply. Grilling the peri-peri chicken over an open flame imparts a delicious smokiness, while caramelizing the marinade to create a tantalizing charred crust. The result is succulent, juicy chicken with layers of spice, tang, and smokiness in every bite. Pair it with simple sides like roasted vegetables, fluffy rice, or crispy potato wedges to let the chicken shine as the star of the meal.
Why This Sauce is a Must-Have
This sauce isn’t just a marinade—it’s a kitchen essential for anyone who loves bold and spicy flavors. Beyond flame-grilled peri-peri chicken, this versatile sauce works wonders as a dipping sauce, salad dressing, or even a drizzle over roasted vegetables. Its tangy, smoky, and fiery notes make it the perfect companion for elevating any dish. Want to add a twist to your sandwiches or burgers? Spread a layer of the sauce for an instant flavor upgrade. For heat seekers and food enthusiasts alike, this sauce is a must-have staple in your culinary arsenal. Whether you’re recreating the flavors of Mozambique or exploring your love for spice, flame-grilled peri-peri chicken is an unforgettable dish that delivers flavor, history, and excitement to your table.
Naturally, this peri peri sauce gets better with time as the flavours starts to settle and marry together. This is a great selling point because it’s already delicious from the get go but honestly, it never lasts as long as I’d like it to because I end up drizzling a bit over my eggs, spreading it on to sandwiches and adding a few dollops to winter stews.
If I make a big batch of peri peri sauce I like bottling them and storing them in the pantry for about 6 months to a year. It also makes for a great gift, especially if the receiver loves hot sauce, specifically Nando’s hot sauce and is one who appreciates sentimental gestures.
Flame Grilled Peri-Peri Chicken
Equipment
- 1 blender
- 1 oven
- 1 bbq
Ingredients
Peri Peri Sauce
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 300 grams red onions cleaned and roasted *see notes
- 300 grams red pepper deseeded and roasted *see notes
- 6 garlic cloves peeled and roasted
- 3 garlic cloves peeled
- 5-8 birds eye chili stems removed *see notes
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 4 tbsp lemon juice fresh
- ⅓ cup white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar or honey
- 4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried origanum
- ½ tsp white pepper ground
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 dried bay leaf
- ½ cup neutral oil
Chicken
- 1.5 kg chicken spatchcocked or sectioned *see notes
- 1 cup peri peri sauce
- 1 lemon cut in half *see notes
- Handful of parsley chopped
Instructions
Peri peri sauce
- Preheat the oven to 225 degrees Celsius/450 Fahrenheit. Line a large baking tray with baking paper or foil.
- Remove the core from the red peppers, remove any seeds and place on the lined tray with the skin facing upwards. Remove the bottom roots from the onions and any outer layers that might be damaged. Quarter the onions and place on the same tray as the red peppers. Lightly cover the vegetables in oil.
- Add 5 or more garlic cloves in the center of a small piece of foil, add a touch of oil and close. Place the garlic in the center of the lined tray with the red peppers and onions. Bake for 25 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through the baking process.
- Once the red peppers are done baking and have cooled slightly you can remove most of the charred skin from the red peppers.
- To a blender add the roasted red onions, peppers, roasted garlic, raw garlic, birds eye chili (see notes), lemon zest, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, smoked paprika, origanum, white pepper, salt and a bay leaf. Blend until a paste forms. Add 1/2 cup neutral oil and blend until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container. This recipe yields about 2 1/2 cups worth of sauce.
Flame Grilled Chicken
- Preheat the oven to 165 degrees Celsius. Place the chicken on a prepared ovenproof tray and generously baste the chicken with the peri peri sauce. Bake for 45minutes.
- Remove from the oven and transfer to your grill. Apply another coat of the peri peri sauce and grill the chicken on a high heat until a charr forms - about 2-3 minutes per side. Continue basting the chicken while you grill both sides. Cut a lemon in half and grill the lemons as well. Once you've created a lovely charr on the chicken and lemons, garnish with some chopped parsley and you're ready to serve!
Video
Notes
- Red Onion and Red Pepper: You need 300g of red onions and 300g of red pepper AFTER they've been cleaned and sectioned. Do not weigh the vegetables before trimming.
- Garlic Cloves: I prefer the flavour profile of the sauce when I combine roasted garlic with raw garlic but you can easily go add less or more of either - this'll be based on your personal preference. Just be careful too not add too much raw garlic as it can easily overpower the other ingredients.
- Bird's Eye Chili: You could also use Thai Red Chilies if you're struggling to source Bird's Eye Chilies. Adding 5 chilies will result in a hot peri peri but adding 8 will result in very hot and so on. This will also depend on the actual chili used.
- Chicken: Baking the chicken prior to hitting the grill will ensure an evenly cooked chicken that's not undercooked or overcooked. This step is optional and depends on how skilled you are at cooking a whole raw chicken on the grill. Marinading the chicken in the sauce a day in advance is also a great way to infuse the meat with as much peri-peri flavour as possible.
