This copycat Nando's peri peri sauce & chicken brings a restaurant favourite recipe home, with all the flavours you know and love. Packed with bright flavours, with the right amount of acid and heat, this sauce is a spice lover's dream!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Simple marinade ingredients: Even though this chicken is full of flavor, you probably already have everything you need in your pantry and fridge. That means you do not need to make a special trip to the grocery store!
Different cooking methods: Traditionally Nando's chicken is made on an open-flame grill, but other methods work too! This chicken can be made in the air fryer, in the oven, or on a grill pan.
Great for spice lovers: If you are always looking for that extra bit of spice, then this sauce is sure to please. Every bite packs a punch!
Ingredient Notes
- Thai red chilies: Peri peri chicken is traditionally made with pili pili peppers, which look like a smaller version of Thai chilies. They are not as easily accessible in regular grocery stores, so Thai red chilies are a perfect substitute.
- Red bell pepper: Red bell pepper is much sweeter than green peppers, which is why it is the perfect base for the peri peri sauce. The sweetness of the bell pepper also balances out the heat of the chili peppers.
- Yellow onion: I opt for sweeter onions like a Vidalia onion. Red onions, for example, are slightly sharper and overpowering. If you are using a large onion, you only need to use half for the marinade.
- Bone-in chicken legs: Traditionally, Nando's chicken is made with bone-in, skin-on chicken. Chicken legs tend to be inexpensive, and are easier to cook since they don't dry out easily.
- Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise is not traditional in peri peri chicken. I recommend full-fat mayonnaise as it will help keep the chicken moist.
- Spices: You will need smoked paprika and dried oregano.
A full list of ingredients with measurements is located on the recipe card, below.
Substitutions
- Red bell pepper: You can use jarred roasted red pepper if you are short on time. Make sure you drain the liquid from the roasted pepper before adding it to the marinade.
- Thai chili pepper: Substitute with pili pili or fresno chilies if you do not have Thai red chilis on hand.
- White vinegar: Substitute with apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.
- Bone-in chicken legs: Feel free to use a whole chicken that is broken down into smaller pieces. This will give you a variation of white and dark meat. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs if that is what you have available.
Variations
- Wings: Use this peri peri sauce on homemade chicken wings for a delicious party or game-day snack.
- Mild: If you like the flavor of Nandos chicken but don't love the spice, use fewer Thai chilies.
- Skewers: Use this marinade on boneless, skinless chicken breast chunks to make chicken kebab skewers.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep Work Before Cooking
Collecting all ingredients: This will make cooking so much easier. Gather all the spices you will need, and keep them nearby.
Score chicken: Using a sharp knife, cut slits into the skin-side of the chicken.
Char Pepper and Onion
Place the bell pepper and onion over a gas flame, or on the barbecue. Continue rotating until the pepper and onion have a charred exterior.
Let the pepper cool, and remove the skin and seeds.
Blend the Marinade
Add all the ingredients to the jar of an immersion blender, or to a food processor. Blend the mixture together until it is mostly smooth.
Simmer the Sauce
Transfer the blended sauce to a small sauce pan over medium-low heat. Stir the sauce often, and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Remove the sauce from the heat, and let it cool to room temperature.
Marinate Chicken
Pour ¾ of the cooled marinade onto the chicken legs, in a large mixing bowl. Toss to cover the chicken in the peri peri sauce.
Cover with plastic wrap, and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Grill the Chicken
Preheat your barbecue by turning one side to high heat, and one side to low.
Once the barbecue is hot, place the chicken, skin side-down on the hot side of the grill. Sear the skin side of the chicken for 5 minutes.
Finish the Chicken
Flip the chicken and transfer to the cooler side of the barbecue.
As the chicken cooks, baste with the reserved peri peri sauce.
The chicken will be finished when it reaches 165°F internally on a meat thermometer.
Expert Tips
Using a meat thermometer: When you are checking the temperature of bone-in chicken, put the meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat, without touching the bone.
Use indirect heat: If you are using bone-in chicken and your barbecue, indirect heat is key. Having two separate heat zones prevents the chicken from burning quickly on the outside, and being raw on the inside.
Let the sauce cool: It is important to let the sauce cool before pouring it over the raw chicken. You do not want to pour hot sauce over the chicken, as this will start to cook the chicken.
Make Ahead & Storage
- The chicken can sit in the marinade up to 48 hours before cooking. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
- You can prepare the peri peri sauce 3-4 days in advance. Let the sauce cool, and transfer to an airtight jar. Keep the sauce in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
- Leftover cooked chicken will last 2-3 days in the fridge.
- Reheat the chicken in the oven, or in the air fryer. Wrap the chicken in foil to avoid burning the skin.
Serving Suggestions
- Salads: This Nando's chicken pairs perfectly with your favorite homemade salads, like Cactus Club avocado kale salad, warm potato salad, honey lime coleslaw, or grilled corn and avocado salad.
- Sides: Serve this grilled chicken with loaded mashed potato rolls, air fryer sweet potato wedges, garlic butter potatoes, or sweet and savory mashed sweet potatoes.
Recipe FAQs
Peri peri is a South African/Portugese sauce, known for the spicy and acidic flavor profile. The sauce is traditionally made with pili pili peppers, but many recipes have adapted to use more accessible chili peppers.
You can freeze leftover chicken. Seal in an airtight freezer container or freezer storage bag. Remove the excess air from freezer bag, and freeze for upto 3 months.
More Chicken Recipes
Nando's Peri Peri Sauce & Chicken
Equipment
- Gas Grill
- Immersion Blender - or a food processor
Ingredients
- 3 lb Chicken drumsticks and thighs - bone-in, skin-on
- 1 Red bell pepper
- 1 small Yellow onion
- 4 Thai red chillies - or to taste
- ¼ cup White vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Honey
- 1 tablespoon Smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
- 10 cloves Garlic
- ¼ cup Mayonnaise
- ½ Lime - juiced
- 1 tablespoon Brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt - or to taste
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife, cut slits into the skin-side of the chicken.3 lb Chicken drumsticks and thighs
- Place the bell pepper and onion over a gas flame, or on the barbecue. Continue rotating until the pepper and onion have a charred exterior. Let the pepper cool, and remove the skin and seeds.1 Red bell pepper, 1 small Yellow onion
- Add all the ingredients to the jar of an immersion blender, or to a food processor. Blend the mixture together until it is mostly smooth.4 Thai red chillies, ¼ cup White vinegar, 1 tablespoon Honey, 1 tablespoon Smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon Dried oregano, 10 cloves Garlic, ¼ cup Mayonnaise, ½ Lime, 1 tablespoon Brown sugar, 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
- Transfer the blended sauce to a small sauce pan over medium-low heat. Stir the sauce often, and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove the sauce from the heat, and let it cool to room temperature.
- Pour ¾ of the cooled marinade onto the chicken legs, in a large mixing bowl. Toss to cover the chicken in the peri peri sauce.
- Cover with plastic wrap, and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat your barbecue by turning one side to high heat, and one side to low.
- Once the barbecue is hot, place the chicken, skin side-down on the hot side of the grill. Sear the skin side of the chicken for 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and transfer to the cooler side of the barbecue.
- As the chicken cooks, baste with the reserved peri peri sauce. The chicken will be finished when it reaches 165°F internally on a meat thermometer.
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