This Portuguese Chicken recipe, also known as Peri Peri Chicken, is one of those dishes that makes winter a little more bearable. It’s hearty and satisfying and warms the soul with its deep, smoky flavors. The prep time is relatively short, and the oven does much of the work. During the cold months, I try to utilize the oven as much as possible.
What is Peri Peri Chicken?
Traditional Portuguese Chicken is called Peri Peri Chicken (or sometimes Piri Piri Chicken) and made with Piri Piri peppers which actually originated in South Africa, and were imported to Portugal from two Portuguese colonies, Angola and Mozambique, on spice ships. Today, the peppers are used widely throughout Portugal to make marinades, basting liquids, condiments and hot sauces.
There is nothing quite as satisfying as a simple roast chicken, just pulled from the oven, aromas wafting through house, infusing heart and home with warmth and comfort. Winter has arrived, dropping snow on the fallen leaves. It seemed to happen so quickly this year, the changing of the seasons. My initial reaction, truthfully, is resistance to the abrupt ending of fall and the beginning of the long winter to come. And yet, I’m lured into acceptance by little things – the sound of the crackling fire, the snowflakes, the stack of books waiting to be read, and warm comforting meals.
Peri Peri Chicken Ingredient Notes
- Chilies: Unfortunately, peri peri peppers aren’t easily available here, or if they are, I haven’t found them, so for this recipe, I substituted less spicy Ancho Chilies. This is a one-star dish, as far as heat goes. So if you like heat, you may want to add more. The Ancho Chilies also add a nice depth to the marinade.
- Peri Peri Marinade: Smoked paprika, dried ancho chilies, and fresh garlic are at the base of this flavorful, deep, smoky marinade. It looks spicy, but don’t be deceived – this version is not over-the-top spicy, and I’d only call it a “one-star” on the spiciness scale. It really lets the other flavors come through.
- Chicken: I always try to find organic, pasture-raised chickens, which to me have the best flavor and texture. Use the best quality chicken you can. If you are short on time, use chicken pieces, to save a step.
How to make Peri Peri Chicken
Step 1: Spatchcock the chicken
Place the whole chicken, breast-side down on a cutting board.
Using sharp kitchen shears, remove the spine, cutting on each side of the spine.
Open the chicken wide and turn it over so the breast side now faces up.
Press down firmly on the breastbone of the chicken to flatten. You may hear some cracking which can be disconcerting the first time. Just press down as hard as you can. And that’s it- you’ve spatchcocked a chicken!
Step 2: Make the Peri-Peri Marinade
In a blender or food processor, blend the marinade ingredients into a thick paste. Brush the marinade all over both sides of the chicken, saving the rest for basting while in the oven.
STEP 3: Assemble the Peri peri Chicken
If making the crispy potatoes that go with this, (which I highly suggest) brush marinade on the bottom of your sheet pan. Sweet potatoes would also work well.
TIP: Do not use a 9×13 inch baking dish– use a large, rimmed, metal sheet pan for best results. This enamel pan is deceiving, it is very large ( 16×22).
Layer thinly sliced potatoes, overlapping only slightly, and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Place the chicken, skin side down, tucking the wings under, over top of the potatoes. You could do all of the 1 day ahead and refrigerate (letting it come to room temp before baking.)
Step 4: Bake the Peri Peri Chicken!
Place on the middle rack of a 425F pre-heated oven. After 15 minutes, turn the chicken over and roast for another 15 minutes, basting with more marinade after flipping. Continue cooking until chicken is cooked through, and the leg reaches 165F. Depending on the size of the chicken, this could be 20-50 more minutes.
Then give a good broil in the oven so skin gets crispy and slightly charred in places. This is important!
The flavorful juices from the Peri-Peri Chicken and marinade will seep into the potatoes which will have softened and also become crispy a nice contrast. Place it in the oven.
Step 5: Make the Green Sauce
While the peri peri chicken bakes make the flavorful green sauce. Cilantro and yogurt are combined to make a delicious cooling sauce- a delicious accompaniment to the smoky chicken.
What to serve with Peri Peri Chicken?
We love serving this with a hearty green salad. Either our Caesar Salad, this Kale salad, Caprese Salad or this Arugula Salad.
How to store Peri Peri Chicken
Leftovers can be stored up to 4 days in the fridge, in an airtight container, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
I hope you enjoy this delicious Peri Peri Chicken! Leave your comments, adaptions, and rating below. Always appreciated!
Cheers and love,
More Chicken recipes you’ll love!
- Coq Au Vin
- Berbere Chicken with Ethiopian Lentils
- How to Spatchcock a Chicken
- Chicken Tagine
- Cuban Mojo Chicken
- Portuguese Fish Stew (Caldeirada)
- Caldo Verde (Portuguese Green Soup)
- Portuguese Prawns and Cauliflower & Grits
- How to Roast a Whole Chicken!
- Harissa Chicken (or Tofu) with Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Lebanese Chicken with 7-Spice
Watch how to make Peri Peri Chicken
Peri Peri Chicken Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 70 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 6
- Category: Main, chicken recipe, sheet-pan dinner
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: Portuguese
Description
This Peri Peri Chicken recipe results in crispy, smoky chicken that is tender and juicy, with the most flavorful peri peri marinade! Bake it over potatoes and serve with the Green Sauce!
Ingredients
- 1 small Whole Chicken (3–4 lbs) or sub chicken pieces ( see notes)
- 1 1/2 lbs potatoes (Yukon or reds), thinly sliced ( 1/4 inch thick)
Marinade:
- 2 Dried Ancho Chilies-rehydrated
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, red wine vinegar or lemon juice.
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Cilantro Sauce:
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F
- Rehydrate dried chilies in a small pot of simmering water on the stove for 20 minutes. Remove stem and seeds.
- Butterfly the chicken: Rinse inside and out, removing innards. Pat dry. Place on a cutting board, breast down. Using sharp kitchen scissors, cut along both sides of the spine, remove and discard. Turn the chicken over, and placing your hand on the breast bone, press down hard with the palm of your hand, to flatten.
- Make the marinade by blending the marinade ingredients into a paste with a blender or food processor. Brush a layer of the marinade on the bottom of your large sheet pan.
- Place the thinly sliced potatoes on top of the marinade and sprinkle with a generous pinch of kosher salt, overlapping slightly but not too much.
- Brush all sides and crevasses of the chicken with the marinade, coating fairly heavily. (You will add more marinade during cooking, so be sure to save the remaining.) Place chicken, skin side down on the potatoes and place in the hot oven.
- Turn chicken over after 15 minutes, and place back in the oven. After 15 minutes, brush more marinade all over the chicken on the skin side, really lathering it up. Return to the oven and bake until cooked through another 15-30 minutes, or until leg/ thigh reaches an internal temperature of 165 F. The bigger the chicken, the longer this will take. ( A large, 5-6 pound chicken may take an additional 20 minutes!) To crisp the skin and get it deeply brown, broil for a few minutes. A little char is good here!!! Remove chicken when done and let rest 5-10 minutes before serving. You can continue to cook the potatoes or crisp them up ( with broiler) while resting the chicken and cutting it into pieces.
- While chicken is roasting, combine Cilantro Sauce ingredients together, either in a bowl- mixing by hand, or in a food processor. Serve cilantro sauce on the side.
Notes
For a healthier version, use skinless boneless chicken thighs, or breast. Feel free to marinate overnight in a zip lock bag. Cooking time will shorten significantly, so you may have to remove chicken and let potatoes continue cooking to get them crispy.
For WHOLE CHICKENS! The baking time for the chicken will vary depending on the size (weight) of the chicken. This one in the photos was a small 3.5 pound chicken. Larger 5-6 lb chickens will take longer in the oven ( 70-90 minutes). So plan accordingly.
***Use a large rimmed metal sheet pan, rather than a glass baking dish so air can circulate and potatoes can get crispy! (This enamel baking dish in the photos is much larger than it looks! )
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 2.2 g
- Sodium: 1295.2 mg
- Fat: 15.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 30.2 g
- Fiber: 4.6 g
- Protein: 54.3 g
- Cholesterol: 165.5 mg
Can you use Ancho chilli powder instead of the dried ones and how much would you need?
I have not tried with the powder, so not sure how to convert this here. Sorry.
Super easy and so so so so good. It is now regularly requested by kids. We serve it in a soft taco with fresh colourful slaw, fresh mint as coriander and a drizzzzzzzzzzel of lime. (Pale ale optional 🍻)
Love it Dan!
Hi! I managed to find dried Piri Piri peppers and would like to use those. Does the recipe work the same way? Do I need to rehydrate them as well? How much should I put in? Thanks in advance! Can’t wait to try this recipe, the cilantro sauce looks amazing!
Hi Philppe- Im not sure how spicy they are, so can’t be sure here. What if you rehydrated one and tasted for spice level? Might give you an idea?
I rehydrated about a tablespoon (they are fairly small), and followed the rest of the recipe. I was very happy with the result, tastes fantastic! Loved the cilantro sauce.
Great to hear!
I managed to find some dried Peri-Peri chilis where I live. I would love to try your recipe as the marinade and sauce look amazing! Do you have any idea how much of these peppers I can substitute for the chilis? Same amount by weight? (They are fairly small). Thanks in advance!
Great question, and honestly, I have no idea. I can’t find them where I live. You may have to wing it?
could this work with red chilli powder and crushed red pepper? to replace the ancho chillies?
Hi Jasmine- I just don’t think it would be the same. Do you have access to any dried chilies?
How are there 30+g of carbs in this recipe? Am I missing something?
Nevermind. Forgot about the potatoes!
I have fresh pablano chili’s. Can I use these? Do I need two?
These will not work here. I’m so sorry. A dried red chile is best here.
No problem! I dehydrated them myself in the oven over 7 hrs instead! Trying it tonight’ can’t wait
Oh wow! Good for you! Let me know how it goes.
Absolutely amazing dish, had the whole family almost licking plates clean and going back for thirds
I’m going to try this because it looks excellent. A small point, though. The instructions clearly say to put the chicken “skin side down”. But … all the pictures show the chicken in the dish skin side up. Also a last step can be to broil char the chicken (skin side up). I’m gonna guess that skin side up is the way to go with this recipe.
Cook skin side down for first 15 minutes, then turn over. 🙂
Our family absolutely loved this dish! If someone can’t have coriander in the marinade, would you recommend substituting with either ground caraway or cumin?
Cumin would work great!
Delicious! Now one of my “go to” recipes. Can’t get sriracha so just used chilie powder. Layered potatoes with sliced onions. Thank you for recipe!
Very good. I made the marinade which is very thick and I wasn’t sure it would work. I skinned my chicken and scored it like a tandoori chicken, and I cooked mine on the gas BBQ. It was incredible but I would half the recipe for a whole chicken. I was lavish on the marinade and still binned a lot. I didn’t do the cilantro sauce.
The chicken took a little bit more than what was indicated in the recipe, but the waiting was more than worth it, the flavour was terrific and the cilantro sauce was also divine. I used pasilla chile and it was just the right amount of flavour, not too spicy but the flavour of the chile was there
This was my first attempt at Portuguese Chicken!
I used pre cut chicken legs and thighs. The flavour was sooo delicious! The potatoes cut thin and round made them so flavorful and with a nice crispiness
Amazing! It was like eating chicken at the local portuguese restaurant. The potatoes were d-i-v-i-n-e. Everything was simple to make, full of flavour and finger-licking good! Thank you so much!
Glad you enjoyed this Mary!
I do not have ancho chilies so can I use chilli powder or Adobe peppers instead. Or would cayanne pepper be better? Thank you!
Adobe would work.
I’ve made this a couple times already. So delicious. Highly recommend.
This is ridiculously good! Thank you for sharing.
This was wonderful. I used habanero instead to bump up the heat.
Thanks!
Very tasty
Absolutely delish
What should I use if I don’t have the chilies?
Hey Laurie- the chilies really make the dish here.
Could be very good but….how thin are the potatoes? The chicken/parts should cover most of the pan/ potatoes; I added some cayenne and did not have (smoked paprika) (used sweet). I would have made a little more marinate. The flavor was quite good.
About 1/4 inch thick.
The Best thing I’ve ever made.
I’m making it today 🙂
Thank you sooo much