Piri piri chicken is a spicy dish that originates from both Africa and Portugal. The dish was created in Angola and
Mozambique, where Portuguese settlers brought chili peppers, called piri piri in Swahili. The key to cooking this
dish is that the chicken must be marinated for at least four hours before baking.
To make the piri piri sauce:.
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan/gas 4). Place the peppers in a roasting dish and roast for 10 minutes.
Allow the chiles to cool and roughly chop. In a sauce pan, combine chilies, garlic, salt, oregano, paprika,
olive oil, and vinegar; cook for 2-3 minutes.
Allow mixture to cool and puree in a blender or food processor. Store in an airtight container at room
temperature. Will keep for about 1 month. Shake well before using.
Place chicken, backbone removed, in a Ziploc bag. Sprinkle half of the piri piri sauce evenly over the chicken.
Seal and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan/gas 6) and heat a large grill pan on the stove. Alternatively, prepare a
barbecue.
Season the marinated chicken with salt and pepper and grill on the grill pan for 2-3 minutes per side. When
browned, transfer to a roasting dish and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Alternatively, cook on the barbecue
for 10-15 minutes on each side, tossing with the remaining piri piri sauce.
