Piri-Piri chicken, or Peri-Peri, is a delicious and spicy staple of Portuguese culture. When Portuguese explorers first brought chili peppers back with them from South America and took them to their colonies in Africa they never would have guessed what an impact it would make around the world in so many cultural dishes.
Portuguese-style Piri-Piri is generally made with chili and garlic, with an oily or acidic base, however, every restaurant and grannie has their secrets to making their Piri-Piri the best on the block. So it is not out of the realm of possibilities to dive in and have fun with this recipe in your fashion! (Our secret is adding our Applewood flake sea salt, Yum!)
Our Piri-Piri Seasoning at Chabom consists of Smoked sweet paprika, birdseye chile powder(Piri Piri Pepper), black pepper, and dried lemon peel, which gives the perfect amount of heat and citrus!
Ingredients:
Glaze:
5 Tbls. Butter
3 Tbls. Coriander Leaf & Stalk (Cilantro)
2 Cloves Garlic
2 Tbls. Lemon Juice
2 Tbls. Piri Piri Seasoning
Marinade:
1/4 cup Coriander Leaf & Stalk (Cilantro)
1 2-inch piece of Ginger
thinly sliced and peeled
1 large Shallot
peeled and quartered
3 Garlic cloves
1/4 cup Piri Piri Seasoning
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Keep on hand for brushing
1/4 cup Lemon juice
1/4 cup Orange juice
1 tsp. Applewood smoked salt
4 - 8 chicken thighs
The marinade can make up to 4 lbs of chicken.
Note from the Chef: Chop your cilantro last or it will get everywhere. Essentially the glitter of the cooking world. And don't be afraid to get dirty!
These first two steps should be done the day before you make the Piri Piri, however you can do this just two hours before if needed. But be sure to give the marinade at least two hours to set.
Step 1: Marinade Instructions:
Combine cilantro, ginger, shallot, garlic, Piri Piri, olive oil, lemon juice, orange juice, and applewood smoked salt in a blender and blend into a sauce, similar to a curry consistency.
With your chicken in a container that has a lid, pour your sauce into the dish, thoroughly covering the chicken.
With your hands massage the sauce into all the nooks and crannies of the chicken you possibly can.
Cover your chicken with the container lid and place it in your fridge for at least two hours, though we recommend letting it sit overnight.
Step 2: Glaze Instructions:
In a saucepan heat your butter.
Once melted add your garlic and cilantro and cook on medium-high heat until the butter is browned
Once browned, add piri piri seasoning and lemon and reduce heat to medium-low, then cook for an additional two minutes.
Take off the heat and once it is cool, transfer it to a container and pop it in the fridge until you're ready to use it.
Step 3: Grilling/Baking Instructions:
If Baking:
Bake at 375º
Make sure you bake to an internal temperature of 165º at the thickest part.
If Grilling:
Make sure you bake to an internal temperature of 165º at the thickest part.
We did our best to get our grill up to 400º in temp. But it was also a cold night, so long as your chicken gets up to temp you're safe.
Take your marinated chicken and pop it into your grill or onto an oven-safe baking sheet and into your oven.
If you have any excess marinade you can use that on your chicken and just let it cook.
When you start to see a char on your grilled chicken, go ahead and flip it.
If you're baking your chicken flip halfway through, if you want the char you'll want to broil your chicken.
After you flip your chicken go ahead and brush your glaze on.
Add a squeeze of lemon.
Once they are up to temperature, plate them up and brush a little more glaze on and they are ready to go!
Enjoy!
