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Piri Piri Chicken
Flame-grilled chicken marinated in fiery piri piri sauce: crispy charred skin, juicy meat, and a slow-building heat.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Piri Piri Chicken, in 5 ideas
- Butterflying lets the chicken cook evenly and quickly
- Reserve some sauce before it touches raw chicken for serving
- Adjust the chile count to your heat tolerance; the flavor should shine through the fire
- Charred bits are flavor; do not be afraid of color
- Fries and a simple salad are the classic accompaniments
What you need
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, about 4 lbs, butterflied
- 6 red piri piri or bird's eye chiles
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Extra sauce for serving
How to make it
Directions
- Blend the chiles, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, oregano, salt, and lemon juice into a smooth sauce.
- Rub the chicken all over with half the sauce, getting under the skin. Marinate at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Heat the grill to medium-high. Grill the chicken skin-side down first for 15 minutes.
- Flip and grill 20 to 25 minutes more, basting with marinade, until the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 165 F.
- Rest 10 minutes.
- Serve with the reserved fresh sauce and lemon wedges.
Money saver. Whole chickens are far cheaper per pound than parts; learn to butterfly and you save every time.