Piri Piri Chicken Recipe
This is Portuguese-African fire on a plate. The key is a vibrant, blended sauce that’s used as both a marinade and a finishing baste, building up layers of heat and flavor. Cutting slits into the chicken is a non-negotiable step; it’s what allows that sauce to penetrate deep into the meat.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
For the Piri Piri Sauce
- 1 12-ounce jar roasted red bell peppers, drained
- 4-6 red Fresno chiles, stemmed
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Make the Piri Piri Sauce
In a blender, combine the drained roasted red peppers, Fresno chiles, garlic, cilantro, olive oil, red wine vinegar, smoked paprika, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Blend until the sauce is completely smooth.
Pour the blended sauce into a small saucepan. Add the butter and heat over medium-low, stirring until the butter is melted and fully incorporated. Remove from the heat and stir in the fresh lemon juice.
Marinate the Chicken
Pat the chicken thighs completely dry. Using a sharp knife, cut 2-3 shallow, 1-inch long slits through the skin and into the meat of each thigh.
Place the chicken in a large bowl or zip-top bag. Pour about half of the Piri Piri sauce over the chicken and reserve the other half for basting later. Toss the chicken thoroughly to ensure it’s coated on all sides and the marinade gets into the slits.
Let the chicken marinate for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
Grill and Baste the Chicken
Preheat your grill for two-zone cooking: one side on high heat (450-500F) and the other on low.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and season it lightly with salt. Place the chicken skin-side down on the hot side of the grill. Cook for ~3-4 minutes, until the skin is well-marked and lightly charred.
Flip the chicken and move it to the cooler side of the grill. Cover the grill and cook for another 15-20 minutes.
During the last 5 minutes of cooking, begin basting the chicken with the reserved Piri Piri sauce. Flip and baste every minute or so. Watch it like a hawk during this stage; the sauce can burn quickly.
The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165F.
Rest and Serve
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Serve hot.
Piri Piri Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 3 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
For the Piri Piri Sauce
- 1 12-ounce jar roasted red bell peppers drained
- 4-6 red Fresno chiles stemmed
- 5 cloves garlic peeled
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Method
- Blend roasted peppers, chiles, garlic, cilantro, oil, vinegar, paprika, and salt until smooth.
- Heat sauce in saucepan with butter until melted, then stir in lemon juice.
- Pat chicken dry and cut 2-3 shallow slits in each thigh.
- Coat chicken with half the sauce, reserve remainder. Marinate 1-4 hours in refrigerator.
- Set up grill for two-zone cooking: high heat (450-500F) and low heat.
- Season marinated chicken with salt. Grill skin-side down on hot side 3-4 minutes until charred.
- Move to cool side, flip, cover and cook 15-20 minutes.
- Baste with reserved sauce during final 5 minutes, flipping frequently.
- Cook until internal temp reaches 165F.
- Rest 5-10 minutes before serving.
