Peri-Peri Chicken has become an extremely popular dish in the UK in the last decade or so, which has been thanks in no small part due to the popularity of the restaurant chain Nandos. I don’t know what it is about Nandos specifically, but their restaurants are always busy and I’ve seen queues come out of the doors before. That’s not bad for somewhere where you have to go up and order the food yourself and get your own cutlery.
It’s no surprise really that a chain like Nandos is popular because Peri-Peri Chicken is a wonderful dish. But like anything you can make a Peri-Peri Chicken dish at home which is as good as, if not better, than anything you can get from a fast food chain, which is what Nando’s is, albeit slightly more upmarket than a KFC or Maccy D’s.
This recipe allows you to make Peri-Peri Chicken using a whole chicken, and while it will take a whole lot longer than ordering at Nandos, it will be very much worth the wait. This is because we’ll be brining the chicken first to make it super succulent and juicy!
While this is a fairly mild Peri-Peri, you can always ramp up the heat by adding more chillies or some hot sauce to the marinade. Use this recipe as a starting point and add to it and tailor it to your tastes – remember, a recipe is a guide, not a rule book!
Nandos-Style Peri-Peri Chicken
Print RecipeIngredients
- For the brine:
- 2.5l Water
- 2 Tbsp Sea Salt
- 3 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar
- 1 x Chilli, chopped
- 25g Ginger, chopped
- 3 x Garlic Cloves, crushed
- 4 x Bay Leaves
- Handful of Black Peppercorns
- For the chicken:
- 1 Whole Chicken
- 2 x Red Chillies
- 6 x Garlic Cloves, peeled
- 1 x Lemon, peel and juice
- 1 x Red Pepper
- 1 Tsp Dried Thyme
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar
Instructions
Firstly, spatchcock your chicken by laying the bird on it's front and, using a pair of strong kitchen or poultry shears, remove the spine by cutting down either side of it, turn it over and then press down to the breast bone to break it (yes, this is grim) and flatten the bird out.
Once you've spatchcocked your chicken, place it into a very large bowl.
Cover the chicken in the water, and add in the salt, vinegar, chilli, ginger, garlic, bay leaves and peppercorns.
Cover with cling film and place in the fridge to brine for at least 8 hours, but preferably for 24 hours.
After your chicken has finished brining, take it out of the brine and dry the chicken thoroughly.
Pre-heat your oven to 200°C/390°F/Gas Mark 6.
For the red pepper, remove the stem and the seeds and then place in the microwave to soften it for 1 to 2 minutes.
In a food processor, add in the chillies, peeled garlic, lemon peel and juice, red pepper, oiive oil, white wine vinegar, and thyme. Blitz into a marinade.
Place your chicken into a large roasting tray, and rub the marinade into every part of the chicken.
Place into the oven and roast for approximately 1 hour, depending on the size of your chicken. If you're unsure, cut into the chicken to make sure it's not pink. Or use a temperature probe on the thickest part of the thigh and check the temperate is at least 75°C(165°F).
Leave to rest for 5 - 10 minutes, and then serve with your favourite sides.
