Recipe · Peri-Peri Marinade (Frango Piri-Piri) · +258

Peri-Peri Marinade (Frango Piri-Piri)

From Gabriella. The Mozambican-Portuguese marinade we use on every grilled chicken we serve.

The story

Where this dish comes from

Piri-piri isn't a sauce, it's a way of cooking. In Mozambique and southern Portugal you'll find some version of this marinade in every grilled-chicken kitchen, and every cook insists their version is the right one. What stays constant: bird's-eye chillies, garlic, lemon, paprika, olive oil. What varies: the heat level, the vinegar, the sugar. This is the version we use at Plus258 — closer to the Mozambican side than the Portuguese, with more lemon and less vinegar.

Ingredients

What you'll need (Serves 4)

  • 8–10 red bird's-eye chillies (piri-piri), stems removed
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • Juice and zest of 2 lemons
  • 100 ml olive oil
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp brown sugar (optional, balances the heat)
  • Enough for one whole chicken or 4 large pieces

Method

Step by step

01

Blend the marinade

Put the chillies, garlic, lemon juice and zest, vinegar, paprika (both), oregano, salt, pepper and sugar in a blender. Blend until smooth — 30 seconds.

02

Loosen with olive oil

With the blender running, pour the olive oil in slowly until it emulsifies into a loose, vivid red sauce. Taste. Adjust salt and acid.

03

Marinate the chicken

Spatchcock a whole chicken (or use bone-in pieces). Score the thickest parts. Rub the marinade over and under the skin — generously. Reserve about a quarter of the marinade for basting on the grill.

04

Rest

Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. The longer the rest, the deeper the flavour.

05

Grill

Cook over charcoal at medium heat (you should be able to hold your hand above the grate for 4 seconds). Skin-side down first, 8 minutes. Flip, baste with reserved marinade, cook 10 more minutes. Flip again, baste again, finish to 75 °C internal at the thigh — about 8 more minutes. Rest 5 minutes before serving.

Gabriella's tips

Three things that make the difference

Three tips: (1) The chillies vary wildly in heat — taste one before you blend, and dial the count up or down. (2) Marinate longer than you think. Four hours is the floor; 24 is the ceiling; overnight is the sweet spot. (3) Charcoal, not gas. The smoke is half the dish. If you only have gas, finish the chicken under a hot grill for the last 2 minutes to crisp the skin.

Rather have us cook?

Want Peri-Peri Marinade (Frango Piri-Piri) without doing the cooking?

Plus258 caters Peri-Peri Marinade (Frango Piri-Piri) for weddings, corporate events and parties across the Eindhoven region. Request a quote and we'll handle the rest.

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