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Piri Piri Chicken
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Piri Piri Chicken

This Piri Piri chicken gets its flavor from a spicy, buttery sauce that's basted on while it grills. Using individual chicken pieces is the way to go here; it's just easier to manage on the grill and every piece gets plenty of sauce.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Rest Time 5 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

For the Chicken

  • 2-2.5 lbs of bone-in thighs and drumsticks are best, skin-on chicken pieces
  • Kosher salt to taste

For the Piri Piri Sauce

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tsp red wine vinegar
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 5-6 hot red chili peppers like Thai chilis or cayenne
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp butter
  • 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Method

  • Blend olive oil, vinegar, garlic, chilies, bay leaf, paprika, oregano and salt until smooth.
  • Heat sauce in small pot, melt in butter, remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.
  • Heat grill to 375-425°F.
  • Pat chicken dry and season with salt.
  • Grill chicken skin-side down 4-5 minutes until browned.
  • Flip, baste with sauce, grill another 4-5 minutes.
  • Continue flipping and basting every 4-5 minutes until internal temp reaches 165°F, about 30-40 minutes total.
  • Rest 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Watch for flare-ups from sauce. Best with thighs and drumsticks.