Piri-piri chicken
Spatchcock chicken marinated in homemade piri-piri sauce, griddled then roasted or barbecued until juicy and spicy, served with chips and salad.
Updated : 03 February, 2026
Easy
More than 1 hour.
Ingredients
1
Chicken
to taste
Salt
to taste
Ground black pepper
For the piri-piri sauce
10
Red chilli pepper
1 tablespoon
Garlic
1 teaspoon
Salt
0.5 tablespoon
Dried oregano
0.5 tablespoon
Ground paprika
100 milliliters
Olive oil
50 milliliters
Red wine vinegar
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
To make the piri-piri sauce, preheat the oven to 180°C. Arrange the chillies on a roasting tray and roast for 10 minutes.
Step 2
Allow the chillies to cool slightly, then roughly chop them. Transfer to a saucepan with the garlic, salt, oregano, paprika, olive oil and vinegar. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes.
Step 3
Remove from the heat and leave to cool, then blend the mixture in a jug blender or food processor until smooth. Pour into a lidded container and store at room temperature, where it will keep for about 1 month. Shake well before using.
Step 4
Place the spatchcocked chicken into a sealable plastic bag. Add half of the piri-piri sauce and massage it evenly over the chicken. Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to marinate.
Step 5
Preheat the oven to 200°C and heat a large griddle pan on the hob. Alternatively, prepare a barbecue.
Step 6
Season the marinated chicken and cook on the hot griddle pan for 2–3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Transfer to a roasting tray and roast in the oven for 30 minutes, until fully cooked.
Alternatively, cook the chicken on a medium-heat barbecue, covered, for 10-15 minutes on each side, basting regularly with the remaining piri-piri sauce, until cooked through.
Step 7
Serve immediately with chips and a salad.
Author note
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