One of my favourite portuguese inspired dishes is the Piri Piri Chicken with its rich smoked sauce and that kick of spice. One of the great things about this sauce is how easily it can be manipulated to your liking, whether it’s less spice, more herbs, or some fruit, like mango or pineapple.
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 4 Chicken Legs
- 1 Garlic Clove
- 3 Tsp Pimenton Dulce (Smoked Paprika)
- Salt
- Pepper
- Olive Oil
- Fresh Thyme
Sauce
- 2 Tomatoes
- 3 Fresh Red Chillies
- 1 Red Pepper
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Red Onion
- 2 Tsp Pimenton Dulce (Smoked Paprika)
- 2 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 4 Tbsp Olive Oil
Peas
- Frozen or Tinned Peas
- Fresh Mint
- 1 Chilli
Method
1, Marinade the chicken legs by grating a garlic clove over them and covering them with paprika, olive oil, seasoning and a few sprigs of thyme. Rub all the ingredients together with your fingers so that all the marinade is rubbed evenly onto the chicken. Leave these to one side and if fancy, leave them it in the fridge for a few hours.
2, Heat a pan over a medium heat and place the chicken inside, leave these to cook and start your sauce. Slice your vegetables in half, remove the chilli seeds and in a griddled pan, drizzle some oil. Place the vegetables in the pan and leave them to char. The char will give them a smokey flavour.
3, Pour all the ingredients (not the chicken) into a food processor and blend, pour in the olive oil, vinegar, and seasoning. Make sure to blend until smooth. Flip your chicken over and spoon over the sauce. Continue to cook the chicken with the sauce so that it reduces for another 10 minutes, making sure the chicken is cooked through.
4, In a small frying pan drizzle a tablespoon of oil and fry the peas with the fresh chilli and mint, finely chopped. Season with salt and fry until the peas begin to char a little.
5, Serve this with some white rice and salad and spoon the remaining sauce over the chicken and rice. Pour the peas into a ramekin and serve.
Watch us cook instead

Piri Piri Chicken & Minty Peas
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 4 Chicken Legs
- 1 Garlic Clove
- 3 Tsp Pimenton Dulce Smoked Paprika
- Salt
- Pepper
- Olive Oil
- Fresh Thyme
Sauce
- 2 Tomatoes
- 3 Fresh Red Chillies
- 1 Red Pepper
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Red Onion
- 2 Tsp Pimenton Dulce Smoked Paprika
- 2 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 4 Tbsp Olive Oil
Peas
- Frozen or Tinned Peas
- Fresh Mint
- 1 Chilli
Instructions
- Marinade the chicken legs by grating a garlic clove over them and covering them with paprika, olive oil, seasoning and a few sprigs of thyme. Rub all the ingredients together with your fingers so that all the marinade is rubbed evenly onto the chicken. Leave these to one side and if fancy, leave them it in the fridge for a few hours.
- Heat a pan over a medium heat and place the chicken inside, leave these to cook and start your sauce. Slice your vegetables in half, remove the chilli seeds and in a griddled pan, drizzle some oil. Place the vegetables in the pan and leave them to char. The char will give them a smokey flavour.
- Pour all the ingredients (not the chicken) into a food processor and blend, pour in the olive oil, vinegar, and seasoning. Make sure to blend until smooth. Flip your chicken over and spoon over the sauce. Continue to cook the chicken with the sauce so that it reduces for another 10 minutes, making sure the chicken is cooked through.
- In a small frying pan drizzle a tablespoon of oil and fry the peas with the fresh chilli and mint, finely chopped. Season with salt and fry until the peas begin to char a little.
- Serve this with some white rice and salad and spoon the remaining sauce over the chicken and rice. Pour the peas into a ramekin and serve.

http://www.mamalotties.com/piri-piri-chicken-minty-peas/
http://www.mamalotties.com/piri-piri-chicken-minty-peas/
That’s not what chicken piri-piri is supposed to be, here is a more typical recipe: http://nelsoncarvalheiro.com/portuguese-piri-piri-chicken-recipe/
Thanks Paulo Castro Garrido That looks really delicious! I tried to marry it with some of the main ingredients we use in our diet to create something a little different of our own.
If you want good grilled chicken, you have to go to Portugal, we call it “frango no churrasco” with either piri-piri or garlic and lemon sauce.
That’s not what chicken piri-piri is supposed to be, here is a more typical recipe: http://nelsoncarvalheiro.com/portuguese-piri-piri-chicken-recipe/
Thanks Paulo Castro Garrido That looks really delicious! I tried to marry it with some of the main ingredients we use in our diet to create something a little different of our own.
If you want good grilled chicken, you have to go to Portugal, we call it “frango no churrasco” with either piri-piri or garlic and lemon sauce.
Portugal is definitely on my to do list once again. The food is amazing there!
I want to lick the plate clean after this!