Fauzia's Kitchen Fun

Peri Peri Chicken

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Peri Peri Chicken

I have been experimenting for a while now, trying to come up with a good and authentic-tasting peri peri sauce from scratch so as to make my home-made version of spicy Peri Peri chicken and FINALLY I believe I have landed on the perfect combination. If you like grilled chicken and love the spice, this is definitely a must-try recipe!!
The word Peri Peri comes from the Swahili word Pili Pili which stands for pepper/spicy chilli. So this dish is normally most enjoyable spicy. But of course you can always adjust the amount of chilli to suit your personal taste.
Servings 5 people

Ingredients
  

Ingredients for Peri Peri Sauce

  • 2-6 birds-eye red chillis adjust spice level to your taste....2 will be mildly spicy whilst 6 will be very spicy
  • 1 big red capsicum/bell-pepper
  • juice of one lemon
  • 2 tbsp. paprika powder
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tbsp. oregano
  • 1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
  • 1/2 cup oil vegetable or olive
  • 5 cloves of garlic
  • 4 tbsp. dark vinegar
  • 1 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. red or orange food coloring

Ingredients

  • 1 chicken skin removed and cut into quarters then make 2-3 slits on each piece (approx 1kg-1.5kg)

Instructions
 

  • For the Peri Peri Sauce
    This sauce is used for marinating the chicken and any leftover is normally cooked down and served as a dip. I prefer making the sauce up to a day ahead of using as the flavors tend to develop with a bit of time. So you can go ahead and prepare the sauce up to a day before you need to use it.
    Blend all the ingredients of the sauce until smooth, then pour into a container and refrigerate until needed. You can make the sauce in bulk and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks and use as and when required.
    Prepare the Chicken
    Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken pieces, making sure it goes into the slits. Cover and refrigerate. Allow to marinate at least overnight or for up to 2 days.
    When ready to cook, shake the excess marinade off the chicken pieces. First grill the chicken on a bbq/charcoal grill (or under the broiler grill of your oven) for about 5 minutes per side, just to seal the chicken pieces so they stay nice and moist inside, and this gives the chicken that awesome bbq flavour especially if done on a charcoal grill.
    Then place the chicken quarters on a greased tray, brush some sauce over them and pop it in a pre-heated oven at 170 C and bake for about 20 minutes (turn them over midway through the baking). Next, reduce the temperature to 120 C and bake for another 15-20 minutes. Make sure to brush the chicken with some of the peri peri sauce once more during the baking so they stay moist. Once done, remove and keep the chicken covered to retain moisture.
    For the remainder of the marinade/sauce, just pour it into a small saucepan, add about half a cup of water and simmer until the sauce thickens and is cooked. You can use this to serve with the chicken.
    Serve your delicious Peri Peri chicken with fries, fresh salad and a cold drink.
    Enjoy! 

Notes

  1. To get the maximum moistness and succulence in your chicken and to infuse flavor into the meat, take a container big enough to hold the chicken quarters. Add 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, half cup white vinegar, juice of 1 lemon, throw in some roughly chopped fresh herbs like coriander or parsley. Then add COLD water and swirl/mix everything together. Now add in your cleaned chicken pieces, they should be completely immersed in the water. Cover the container and refrigerate it for 1-4 hours. Then drain out the liquid, rinse out the chicken quarters properly to get rid of any excess salt and proceed with the marination.
  2. If you did not bbq the chicken on a proper charcoal grill, you can at this point light a small coal, place it on a piece of foil and put it in the center of the dish holding the cooked chicken. Drop some oil on the lit coal and cover the dish so that the smoke released from the coal gets absorbed into the chicken. This will give your chicken a good bbq aroma.

Join the Conversation

  1. Hi fauzia, the recipe seems amazing. I just want to ask if using green chillies instead of red bird-eye ones, going to make any difference in the taste or appearance? The same goes for red capsicum. I may find them with difficulty here ,that’s why asking.

    1. Hi, yes actually the red chilli and red capsicum are really crucial for the closest Nando’s flavour and experience. You can use green but the result will not be the exact same. The red chilli and capsicum have a different and unique aroma and flavour from the regular green ones, that is why.

  2. Whats birds eye red chillie? Is it ok if I skip the dark vinegar as it’s unavailable here…how many people does this serve? How do I make the same kind of rice they serve at nandos?

    1. Please google to see how the chilli looks, and you can use white vinegar IF dark isn’t available. It is 1 chicken so it should serve 4 people. Rice recipe here: Peri Peri Rice

        1. Not sure what those are. Try
          Not sure what those are. Try checking birds-eye chillis on google please. 🙂

  3. Salaam Fauzia,

    This looks great..we actually stopped eating at Nandos b/c we found we were getting ripped off…it’s not cheap but everytime we go the chicken seems to be getting smaller and smaller…but we do love the flavor and would love to make it at home.

    I wanted to ask you want is dark vinegar? I’ve never hard of that..is it balsamic vinegar?

    1. W/Salaam, thank you! Vinegar comes in different shades of colour (from light/transparent to dark/brown) depending on fermentation processes. Balsamic is one of the dark vinegars so yes you can use that.

      1. Balsamic vinegar has a very strong flavor (which I personally don’t like), so be careful with quantity. I suggest using less

  4. salams fauzia..this rec is surely a treasure..
    thank you so much!! m wondering can this chicken
    be done on bbq only ..i mean what if i dnt cook it in the
    oven???

    1. W/Salaam, yes absolutely! Just simply grill on the bbq as you would normal chicken quarters until done.

  5. Dear Fauzia’s i realy like all the way of cook Maash Allah, as advance why don’t you open teached place of cook.

  6. Salaams,

    Thanks for the recipe, been hunting for a good nandos recipe for a while. Instead of making the sauce from scratch would it be okay to use nandos sauce/cooking sauce, and if so, what quantities? Thanks!

  7. thnks a lot for this delicious recipe, i’ll prefer to grill on bbq only. may allah grant u good health n success in all ur good thoughts, ameen

  8. AWW. thanx for this great recipe!!! just one question, should i cover when cooking in the oven or leave it uncovered? JZK

    1. Uncovered, just remember to brush the sauce on the chicken so they stay nice and moist.

  9. Salaam Fauzia

    In your recipe you refer during the baking stage to brush chicken with marinade. Is it the same marinade that we shake off/excess from the chicken (as I am assuming we use the entire sauce recipe to marinate the chicken in) or do we set some marinade aside for the specific purpose of brushing/pasting.
    Also you refer again to the remainder of the marinade to reduce down and thicken over the stove as a side dip – again is this the marinade that was the excess we had in our dish from the marinating chicken or is it some we are to leave aside for this.
    Thanks for clarfying – and hoping to try this once I can find the “pili pili ho ho!!”

    1. W/Salaam, yes even aside from the marinade you shake off the chicken, there will be quite a bit of leftover marinade in the container as the sauce recipe is ample. That is what you use for the basting and whatever remains is cooked down. I never need to make any extra sauce, it is normally sufficient for 1 chicken. However of course if you want extra sauce, simply blend a double quantity of the sauce and reserve it so you have plenty of extra sauce, it keeps very well. Do let me know once you try the recipe! 🙂

      1. Hi Fauzia

        I made only the sauce so far – its in my fridge resting. Inital taste test has got the all thumbs up from my tasters at home. Just as you said the quantity is enough to marinate the 4 pcs of chicken with some leftovers – it yielded just shy of 500 ml of sauce.
        Just wanted to ask – would BBQing the chicken completely change its taste or should I stick to the instructions of partial BBQ and then remainder in the oven. I would of course continue to baste it whilst it is on the BBQ.
        Let me know if this variation would change the taste/final product.
        Thanks and I will keep you posted.

        1. Hi! Yes you can BBQ the chicken to completion, I tend to prefer finishing it off in the chicken as I find the chicken turns out more tender that way, literally falls off the bone. But either way works of course. Looking forward to your feedback!

          1. I made this for dinner today. The recipe is precise to your exact instructions. It produced an appetizing looking and moist chicken. The extra sauce when reduced down served as a great flavour enhancer to the chicken pieces as we dipped and enjoyed it. Next time I may try a different dark vinegar as the balsamic one I used somehow overpowered the other flavours.
            A nice change from my routine tandoori.
            The advanced preparation made putting it together quite easy.
            Thanks Fauzia!

  10. Salaam Fauzia… I tried the chx today. It turned out nice. We don’t have nandos here in USA, so I don’t know whatvthevtaste should be like. I made double quantity sauce. Hopefully, it will go hit at the eid party!! Thx for sharing thsvrecipe!!

  11. Salsas
    Instead of BBQ can I use simple oven grill and also plz tell what is oregano and paprika powder

  12. Asalam-Alikim

    your recipes are awsome and they solved the big problem of finding recipes here and there. we can use them without any concern that how it will turn. i just want to ask can we use a green capsicum that turns red. it is usually difficult to find red capsicum and it is very expensive too.

  13. Slmz. Any idea where I can purchase birds eye chillies n capsicum pepper in Durban, south Africa

    1. W/Salaam, check the vegetable isle at your local supermarket, should be easily available.

  14. Salaam Alaikum Fauzia ,
    i wanted to ask about the birds-eye red chillis . i googled it .i am confused. the pictures has two types of chillies one is the really small red dried chillies and the other is long dried red chillies. which one did you use. where i stay, the really small red dried chillies are available.

    Jazak Allah Khairun for such easy yet successfully tasty recipes 🙂

    please help.

  15. slaam i really love this recipe even i havnt tried it yet but will soon and can you please tell me or explain again or show pictures on lighting small coals please
    and i have a small oven is it ok if i put all the pieces in 1 tray and let it be crowded or should the pieces be spread out
    thanks

    1. W/Salaam, lighting a coal is easy just turn the stove on and place a piece of coal over the fire until it lights and use. The pieces should be spread out to cook properly.

  16. Salam
    you are doing a good job:)jazakAllah
    i want to ask about oregano.did you used ground oregano?

  17. Salamz Fauzia, my entire family is crazy about nando’s, i can’t wait to try this one! Thank you so sooo much for all the wonderful recipes you keep posting..God bless you! <3
    For some of those belonging to India/pakistan who are confused…birds-eye chilli is often refered to as kashmiri mirch here!

  18. Hi fauzia !
    Cant tell how happy i am to come across ur website !! I improved soo much in cooking ! My mother is so happy ! May allah bless u 🙂 . Tried alot of ur recipies evrytym wit awesome results ! Thank u soo much ! Just 1 que can i shallow fry dis chicken as i just hve regular microwave and wat wud be da substitute to birds eye and paprika as i tried looking for dem but cudnt find ?? Plz help !

    1. Hi and thank you! Please try and google the words so as to see how the ingredients look, that way you may be able to recognise them.

  19. Hi fauzia, wen am rinsing out da chicken from da vinegar, salt, sugar n water do u mean rinsing with water or just drain off da vinegar water. Again can I substitute da chilli wid cayenne pepper. Shukran

    1. Hi, drain then rinse with water. For the fresh chilli, best to use it as it has a unique flavour. You can use cayenne pepper in place of the chilli powder.

  20. Jazak-Allah fauzia Ave Neva made chicken as gud as dis 1, everybody loved it n was lyk it just tastes exactly like nandos chicken, will upload da pic soon, thnx darlin

  21. hi. by oregano< do u mean < powdered oregano or oregano seeds or crushed oregano???……isnt one tbsp too much as oregano seeds have a very strong taste???
    thanks

  22. Salaams fauzia

    I just want to say I made nandos chicken and it is exact same taste as nandos! Actually this beats nandos any day! Thanks for the recipe. Everyone must try this recipe!!
    Family loved it so much they want me to make it again!!

  23. plz reply soon tell me i can make this in big patila it mean(if i preheat big bwol and grees my platter and put it in that bowl .it is write aur not

  24. hi fauzia, i recently joined your fb page.. its very helpful i tried few of your recipes, all of them came out brilliant.. next i want to try your Nando’s style peri peri chicken.. i went to buy dark vinegar but i found Malt vinegar only it is also dark, i was wondering if they are both same and can i use malt vinegar in this recipe??.. i will wait for your reply..

  25. Can’t wait to try this recipe. I love nandos peri peri chicken but The nearest nandos is a 2 hr drive away 🙁

  26. I don’t have a charcoal grill or broiler..wat do I grill it on? Can I cook it in a non stick pan?

  27. Fauzia I don’t get red capsicum and bird eyed chilli here so if I use Nandos sauce do I need to add something else as well or do I just marinate in the Nandos peri peri sauce? And will the results be any different?
    Can’t wait to try it!

  28. I have just prepared the marinating sauce and is resting in the fridge. I will be using two baby whole chickens not been chopped into pieces is that ok?

  29. Nandos chicken in restaurant is with kin and your recipe is skinless. Can I use your same recipe to make it with skin? Is the readymade sauce exact taste as your marinated sauce?

    1. Leaving the skin on or taking it off is a preference, so go with what you prefer. My family prefers this sauce to the ready made version.

  30. salam apa i want to knw can i use nandos peri peri hot sauce & how much i can use?i can’t arrange birds-eye red chillis ,so that won’t make this sauce.pls its urgent.thank u

  31. M so happy to come across ur
    M so happy to come across ur website… n must say u r doin a great job!!
    Was goin to try dis peri peri chikn bt unable to find paprika powder.
    Wat can b d substitute for d same? Will degi mirch do instead of paprika powder?
    Eagerly waitin to try dis… Please reply.. Thanks a lot!!!

    1. Thanks. Paprika powder is
      Thanks. Paprika powder is made from crushed dried red capsicum. Degi mirch will make the dish a lot spicier than it is as paprika is normally not spicy. Try checking the supermarkets, spice isles.

  32. Hi faiza, have been enjoying
    Hi fauzia, have been enjoying you website a lot, looking forward to make a lot of things. Have only made one recipe of biscuits so far.i wanted to know what dark vinegar exactly is. I just went to the supermarket and I saw 3 types of vinegar: white, red wine, balsamic.
    I bought balsamic but the red wine and balsamic is 70% wine vinegar which I don’t now is halal or not. And please tell me which of these three is the dark vinegar? If its none of these, en please tell me what to look for.
    JazakAllah

    1. Hi! The vinegar I use is
      Hi! The vinegar I use is called Brown vinegar and is made from acetic acid and caramel. So it does not contain any wine/alcoholic base. Try and check for this type of vinegar please.

      1. Fauzia, here is where you
        Fauzia, here is where you mentioned that the vinegar you use contains caramel.

        1. Yes, I read and posted that
          Yes, I read and posted that from the ingredients list on the bottle of vinegar that I use. 🙂

  33. Also the apple cider vinegar,
    Also the apple cider vinegar, is that also not dark vinegar?

    1. Yes apple cider is a dark
      Yes apple cider is a dark vinegar although it is quite a strong one.

  34. Aa..If there was a Bette word
    Aa..If there was a Bette word than an ammmmmazing cook,that will be u..I loove cooking and by trying most of ur recipes my kids call me super mum not to mention my husband who is always working and can’t wait to get home and find good home made food…if I ask him ,”what would like for lunch/dinner?” He’s respond is ,”surprise me with one of fauzia’s amazing dishes!!!”
    God bless you and give u all the happiness in life,may He grant you jannat firdaus inshallah …lots of women and men are reaching out to their families in a happy way,and that is feeding them well!!
    Keep up the good work sister.

  35. Assalamu alaikum sis. I just
    Assalamu alaikum sis. I just tried this recipe and subhanAllaah, it was sooooo GOOD. And so close to Nandos! Granted I’ve only tried Nandos once, but I loved it and since I moved out of the UK there are things that you just can’t find. I’m so glad I found your site, and inshaAllaah I will try a lot more of your recipes. BaarakAllaahu feeki dear sis.

  36. Salam Fauzia,
    Salam Fauzia,
    Will dried red chillies make a difference if I don’t have fresh ones on hand? Also, how many chillies did you use for your recipe?
    Thank you!

    1. W/Salaam, dried chillis will
      W/Salaam, dried chillis will make a difference in flavour yes. Best with fresh ones. I use 4-5.

  37. Salam,
    Salam,
    I would like to know what kind of grill you use for all your grilled items? is it a charcoal grill or oven grill. can charcoal grills be used indoor?

    1. W/Salaam, I have a charcoal
      W/Salaam, I have a charcoal grill but I use it in my balcony not exactly indoors. 🙂

  38. I tried this recipe but it
    I tried this recipe but it didnt turn out very well..,,
    I used nando’s pre made sauces, but used about 1 cup becz they were extra hot ones….do u think that is why the chicken was nowt so tasty???

    1. Like I’ve mentioned before am
      Like I’ve mentioned before am not a fan of the ready made sauces, try the same recipe with my ingredients and see the difference. 🙂

  39. Dear Fauzia- browsed the web
    Dear Fauzia- browsed the web for a Peri Peri sauce and finally tried your recipe. Amazing !! and near to the original not only the family loved it but also my colleagues at work. I have stored the sauce in the fridge and it is so convenient . thanks and God bless you for being wonderfully dedicated.

  40. This recipe turned out just
    This recipe turned out just perfect! Mashaallah…better than Nandos anytime…
    Thank you so much for sharing it with us…Be blessed:)

  41. Found this on google and I
    Found this on google and I will be coming back in the future!Just wanted to say, this recipe was ace! It tastes wayyyyyyy better and so much more real than nandos. Thank you!

  42. Hi I would be using chicken
    Hi I would be using chicken breasts instead of a full chicken, what alterations should I make the cooking method/recipe? Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

    1. Hi, you can use 1 kg of
      Hi, you can use 1 kg of boneless chicken cut into cubes or leave them whole but slice them to make each breast into 2 layers for even cooking. Skewer them (if cubed) and the rest of the method and recipe remains same. 🙂

  43. Dear Fauzia….
    Dear Fauzia….
    Thanksssss alot for the recepie..I just love it……how can i make it in my electric oven? like there are no degrees to set up thr..any ideaa???

    1. Hi! Without the temperature
      Hi! Without the temperature markings on the oven, it would be really difficult to guess what the heat is like in there, I would suggest that you get an oven thermometer which you can place inside the oven and it will read the temperature. Then you can use the oven for baking. 🙂

  44. I’ve decide to cube the
    I’ve decide to cube the chicken and skewer it, should I change cooking times at all because its obviously smaller pices therefore require less time to cook through? Could you give me a rough estimate of how long to cook them? Also I’m grilling them in the oven. What temperature should the grill be and for how long? Sorry to be a pest haha thanks.

    1. The oven should be very hot,
      The oven should be very hot, around 200C when you place the skewers in it so that the chicken cubes get sealed instantly and don’t loose all their moisture. Approximately 8-10 minutes per side for the skewers to be done. You can then cut into one cube and check. 🙂

  45. I tried your bounty cake it
    I tried your bounty cake it was very good!!!im confused about the bird’s eye chilli, is it the same as lal mirch one that is traditionally used in Pakistan and India??? i googled it and read about it but mostly on indian websites i was called lal marach and i coudnt really get to know the answer

    1. Thanks for the lovely
      Thanks for the lovely feedback. Yes I would guess bird’s eye chillis would be the lal mirch. They will work fine. 🙂

  46. Thanks to you for providing
    Thanks to you for providing us with these perfect recipes in one place….Its like if you are following a recipe from FKF then it definitely will be what it looks like in the picture….no hassle of ingredients or method and really easy to follow. i never go to any other site now just follow your recipes 🙂

  47. Does it matter if I use green
    Does it matter if I use green birds eye chillies?

    1. I think the aroma from the
      I think the aroma from the red ones works out better for this recipe.

  48. Salaam Fouzia,
    Salaam Fouzia,

    I would like to ask that is the peri peri sauce suppose to taste herby, and if it is herby then what do you do?

    1. W/Salaam, no it shouldn’t be
      W/Salaam, no it shouldn’t be too herby but it does have a herb flavour along with the more prominent bell-pepper flavour.

  49. Hi and thank you for the grat
    Hi and thank you for the grat recipe I am making food for a large family and only have one gas oven can I make the peri peri chicken during the day and serve in the evening as I wil need my gas to make rice. What’s the best way to store the cooked chicken until serving please

    1. Thanks! Yes you can make the
      Thanks! Yes you can make the chicken ahead and then just warm it up right before serving.

  50. hi, can I cook this in a
    hi, can I cook this in a microwave? would it come as same taste ?

    1. I would not recommend that.
      I would not recommend that. Have not baked in the microwave but am doubtful that the results will be good.

  51. I tried this yesterday in
    I tried this yesterday in microwave. tasted good but did not come out like nandos though.

    1. Try this on a bbq grill or
      Try this on a bbq grill or under an oven grill for best results. Not in a microwave.

  52. Assalamualikum,
    Assalamualikum,

    I wanted to know that after preparing the sauce we have to marinated the chicken with all the sauce we have made or is there any specific amount we have to use..

    JazakAllah Khair.

  53. Salams sister, I can see that
    Salams sister, I can see that you have mentioned we can use pre made peri peri sauce for this but I am just wondering if we need to just use it or do you thinking is better to add some red or orange food colouring? As bottled sauce ir orengy colour and I want my chicken to be just like yours. So pls recommend if I should make the sauce or bottled one should do same as your recipe. JazakaAllah Khair.

    1. W/Salaam. I would recommend
      W/Salaam. I would recommend for you to make the sauce from scratch, it is really easy and will give such yummy results. 🙂

  54. Good day. Thank you for the
    Good day. Thank you for the great recipe.

    Can you explain the exact volume of half cup of oil or water in your recipe?

    When making the Peri Peri sauce, how much sauce recipe is required to mix with half cup of water?

    1. Thanks! Half a cup is 100ml.
      Thanks! Half a cup is 100ml. Just add half a cup of water to whatever is left from the marinade after you get the chicken out of it. 🙂

  55. What is oregano?
    What is oregano?
    I googled it but couldnt understand what actually it is..is it ajwain??

  56. Do we need to place the
    Do we need to place the marinated stuff in fridge or freezer?

  57. Salam
    Salam

    I just joined your website and I want to try this recipe, and I was just wondering which dark vinegar you used for the sauce? Because I heard that balsamic vinegar has quite a hard taste. Thanks, Lubna

    1. W/Salaam, I use regular dark
      W/Salaam, I use regular dark vinegar, the ascetic kind. Not balsamic.

  58. salaam. We like to eat with a
    salaam. We like to eat with a sauce after marination the left over sauce I have to cook it or serve like that?

    1. W/Salaam, you HAVE to cook it
      W/Salaam, you HAVE to cook it first as it was used for marinating raw chicken. It would be very unhealthy to serve it without cooking.

  59. Salalms…. its been soo
    Salalms…. its been soo hectic at home on all you receipts… but my family members love it…. do u conduct any classes online. kindly please provide me the details if so………………..

    1. W/Salaam, thank you! At the
      W/Salaam, thank you! At the moment I just share my recipes online, no classes. 🙂

  60. aoa. i dont have grill so i
    aoa. i dont have grill so i roasted it for 1 hour but still it was pink from inside not whitish. y is that so?

  61. i am not sure about exact
    i am not sure about exact temperature. Numbr on oven was at 4. I preheated oven for half hour.

  62. Wow, this Nando’s style peri
    Wow, this Nando’s style peri peri sauce is absolutely stunning. well done on you. The marinade was good enough on its own, but I cooked down the excess and what a great addition, especially to dip my curly fries in mmmmmmm

  63. thanks for all the tips and
    thanks for all the tips and delicious recipes…Excellent job…

  64. If I have store bought Peri
    If I have store bought Peri Peri sauce, how many tbsp/cups do I need for this recipe?

  65. Hi Fauzia! I’m dying to try
    Hi Fauzia! I’m dying to try this out. I have a question, I have dried bird’s eye chillies instead of fresh ones. Do you think they’ll work as a substitute? I do know that they’r very spicy.

  66. Salaam thank u for wonderful
    Salaam thank u for wonderful and tasty recipes fauzia. How long can i keep the sauce in the fridge also can we freeze the sauce. Thank u

    1. W/Salaam, uncooked the sauce
      W/Salaam, uncooked the sauce will keep for a couple of days in the fridge. Cooked it can last up to 2 months frozen.

  67. Thank u for reply,am going to
    Thank u for reply,am going to make the sauce now. Can you please please get recipe for peri peri salt,the one that you get in nados to sprinkle on fries. Thank you may Allah swt bless you and your family.

  68. Hi, can I ask what type/brand
    Hi, can I ask what type/brand of dark vinegar you used? I’m in the UK, and the olnt kind of “dark” vinegars you can buy are balsamic, and malt. I’m guessing, from the comments regarding balsamic, that you used malt, but I would like to know for sure 🙂

    1. Hi! I think balsamic will be
      Hi! I think balsamic will be fine for this recipe. One of our fans wrote to say she made this with balsamic and the results were great. 🙂

  69. hi fauzia
    hi fauzia
    no words to say.. i tried out this.. came out yumm yumm.. we liked it so much..we said bye to nandos.. thank u so much

  70. Hi fauzia, just tried this
    Hi fauzia, just tried this recipe with chicken corn soup. It was a hit, thank you

  71. Hi Fauzia, I’m still confused
    Hi Fauzia, I’m still confused about which vinegar you use. You mentioned it contains acetic acid and caramel. All vinegars are made of acetic acid. The 2 with caramel added are balsamic and east asian black vinegar. Both of these have very strong, disctinctive tastes.

    What is the name or brand of the ‘dark vinegar’ you use?

    1. Hi, I dont recall ever
      Hi, I dont recall ever mentioning that the vinegar contains caramel, where did you see this? The brand I use is called Zesta Substitute Brown Vinegar.

  72. while making the peri-peri
    while making the peri-peri sauce ,should we add the seeds of the capsicum or not?
    thank u

  73. Hi, thanks for sharing the
    Hi, thanks for sharing the recipe. I tried making it once and my parents (who hate Nandos btw) fall in love with it and I just made another batch of marinade for tomorrow. I had Nandos once but I don’t really think its the same as what I had seem to have a REALLY strong lemon base. Bird’s eye chili is native in malaysia. We call it “Cili Padi” (rice or small chili) or thai chili. Curious enough, normally three of those pack a punch but it was really mild as a marinade and the kids love it. I use apple cider vinegar instead of dark vinegar and for my second attempt, I use turmeric powder instead of red colouring. I used a powder red colouring but it turn the chicken cherry red-pink. I tried grill option in my oven but it end up charring the marinade instead of really cooking the chicken so I end up baking on 200C for 40 minutes and it turn up well and juicy and delicious. I tweeted about it and a local Nandos branch pop up in my feed and ask about these homemade peri peri marinade. I guess, we could drive them out of business hehe

  74. Hey Fauzia. I have made peri
    Hey Fauzia. I have made peri peri sauce, I also added shaan chicken masala for flavour. Is that ok? How long can I store the sauce for?

    1. Hi, I actually have never
      Hi, I actually have never added shan masala in this recipe, it is extremely flavourful without it. Also, shan masalas are really salty so take care that you do not oversalt the dish. You can freeze the sauce for up to a month.

  75. But is it normally ok to keep
    But is it normally ok to keep any sauce for longer time if we add shaan masals? I have made a large quantity of sauce.

    1. Like I said, have never tried
      Like I said, have never tried this recipe with shan masala and am normally completely not a fan of shan masalas or any ready made mixes. So am not sure how well it will keep with that addition.

  76. Assalamualaikum
    Assalamualaikum
    This is no doubt the best chicken I had yet… I cooked them for a family lunch and all were craving for more.. Even the dip was over.. The taste lingers even after few days… This is the best.. Jazakallah for sharing such a wonderful recipe. May Allah reward you abundantly..

  77. Thanks for this great recipe!
    Thanks for this great recipe! I love the Nandos garlic sauce, but it’s way to expensive to cook with at ~1$ per ounce. I changed it a little to 7-8 spoons of cider vinegar, 1 tsp tumeric for color and added some onion -not exact but fresher and maybe better than the bottled kind.

  78. Hi there, I have been trying
    Hi there, I have been trying to find a decent recipe for years and it is such a let down when they don’t come up to expectations. Yours is the best without doubt. Nandos marinates then roasts then grills from what I can find out, do you think we could brine then roast for a short time ( Nandos 30 mins ) then charcoal grill to finish with baste on the grill only. slap some sauce on after. What do you think? Thanks again.

  79. Aoa the recipe looks
    Aoa the recipe looks delicious i m planing on making it tonight 🙂 i dnt have a grill and i dnt think my oven has a broiler can i just bake the chicken ?? Will it taste same or is grilling necessary??

    1. Simply baking it may end up
      Simply baking it may end up making it a bit drier than if you grilled/broiled it first. The grilling helps seal the meat so that all moisture is retained in the chicken during baking. You could try though. 🙂

  80. A.aleikum Fauzia. I loveee
    A.aleikum Fauzia. I loveee this page. Im getting married In December In shaa Allah so learning your recipes which are easy to understand. Although im afraid of trying some 🙁 hope il be as good as cook as you

  81. Mine didn’t taste like nando
    Mine didn’t taste like nando’s because I don’t have a chargrill, and because I used habenero chillies instead of bird’s eye, it tasted more like jerk chicken, but it still tasted great. Thanks for the recipe, and I will definitely be trying some of your other recipes! 🙂

  82. Assalamoalaykum Fauzia
    Assalamoalaykum Fauzia

    Just wanted to know dark vinegar is same as malt vinegar.

    1. Not malt, I use a brown
      Not malt, I use a brown synthetic vinegar. You can even use apple cider.

  83. Salaams. Fauzia
    Salaams. Fauzia
    Tried the peri peri chicken exactly and it turned out awesome. Very very tasty. But I have one question, can I BBQ the whole procedure instead of BBQ it for 5 minutes and then putting it in the oven. Thanks

    1. W/Salaam, yes you can. Thanks
      W/Salaam, yes you can. Thanks for the lovely feedback!

  84. Hi fauzia..yr recipees r
    Hi fauzia..yr recipees r awesome
    ..plz telk me the recipee of the best filled donuts..

    1. Hi, thanks. Will add a filled
      Hi, thanks. Will add a filled doughnut recipe soon inshaAllah.

  85. Hello Fauzia, I’m very
    Hello Fauzia, I’m very anxious to try this peri peri chicken recipe (will be my first attempt) but it seems that I can not find red bird eye chillies, I’ve been to numerous grocery stores and no luck.
    Therefore I bought scotch bonnet pepper! I know they are very hot peppers..did I do a mistake by buying those? Or will they be good enough for this peri peri chicken recipe? If they are good to go, how many bonnets to make it a mild spicy peri peri 1 or 2?
    Pls let me know if I made a mistake by buying them or I’ll be good to go??
    Thank you for your answer!

    1. Hi, red bird eye chillies
      Hi, red bird eye chillies look like regular green chillies, just red in colour. You can use ONE of the scotch bonnet peppers but I would recommend that you get some plain old red chillies to add to it, about 2 or more for spicier. 🙂

  86. Thank you for your quick
    Thank you for your quick reply Fauzia…I’m a little confused on your reply, sry! What do you mean “get some old red chillies to add to it”
    What kind of red chillies are you talking about? Dry spice chilli flakes? Or a specific chilli?
    Also you said ONE scotch bonnet pepper is sufficient..would 2 scotch bonnet be too spicer?
    Can u also indicate the differences between the scotch bonnet peppers vs red bird eye chilli?
    Thank you so much for educating me and the viewers reading this!
    I’m from Canada and I’ve heard about nandos online therefore I’m very anxious to try your great recipe! 🙂

    1. Mimmo, the expression ‘plain
      Mimmo, the expression ‘plain old …. ‘ doesn’t mean literally old lol. It just means regular red chillies. Not dry, not flakes. If you can please google for the image of how the red bird eye chillies look, it would be SO much easier than me having to explain or describe them as that way you will actually SEE how they look. As for the scotch bonnet, I wrote you can use 1 along with a couple of red chillies. Everyone has a different spice level of tolerance. Go with your own taste on this and see if you want it spicier. 🙂

  87. Fauzia as I said in my 1st
    Fauzia as I said in my 1st message…I can not find red bird eye chillis
    therefore I bought the scotch bonnet peppers!
    So if I use 2 bonnet peppers will the peri peri sauce come out as good as though I used red bird eye chili?
    That’s why I asked what’s the difference in taste between bonnet vs bird eye?
    I know what bird eye chili look like!
    Sry for the msgs, I just want the peri peri to come out good!
    Thanks again for ur reply, greatly appreciate it

    1. I think you misunderstood me.
      I think you misunderstood me. Forget the red bird eye chilli. Get any red chillies that are not dried. There are so very many different kinds available everywhere. The ones that resemble the green chillies, long and slightly slender. The reason I told you to use just ONE bonnet pepper is because it has a very strong flavour that is not required for this dish. Using two may be overwhelming in flavour, not spice content. You can balance by using just one and then adding the red chillies that I have described above. I hope it is now clear.

  88. can we use ready nandos peri
    can we use ready nandos peri peri sauce for this? as we cant get those chillies easily avlbl here and if yes then wich flavored ?

    1. If you are using nandos ready
      If you are using nandos ready made sauce please follow the instructions on their bottle as that sauce is made differently from mine. 🙂

  89. Hi, this recipe sounds
    Hi, this recipe sounds delicious.
    My worry is I’m not sure which vinegar is halal?
    balsamic is really made of wine vinegar, would malt vinegar work.
    I’m not really a fan of vinegar but my husband loves peri peri chicken and i would love to prepare it for him

  90. Assalam Aleyikum Fauzia, I
    Assalam Aleyikum Fauzia, I pray that you are in the best of health and happiness. absolutely love you’re site. May Allah continue to fill your beautiful and generous head with many more wonderful recipes. i am from Nairobi, Kenya and I am cooking this for dinner on Friday Inshallah. My question is i put in the moistness mixture of the chicken and i refrigerated it overnight. However you only indicated 1-4 hours, will this make the chicken too tender. As for the marinade i also refrigerated it separately overnight to develop the flavors and mixed everything in together in the morning. Am i right? Thank you Darling. Looking forward to your prompt response.

    1. W/Salaam, thank you! Actually
      W/Salaam, thank you! Actually you should never soak the chicken for longer than 4 hours as sometimes the reverse happens, the chicken may become tough and it is also risky health-wise to leave chicken soaked for that long. Hope it turns out well, please let me know how it goes.

  91. Hi, I live in Los Angeles CA
    Hi, I live in Los Angeles CA USA. Can some one help me where I cab find birds-eye red chillis? Fouzia, which supermarket/grocery store did u purchase birds-eye red chillis?

    1. Hi, I am not from the USA so
      Hi, I am not from the USA so am not sure where you can find the chillies. Please google to see how they look and any RED chilli that resembles those can be used.

  92. can u please teell if v can
    can u please teell if v can use white vinegar insted of drk one?? i have checked the super market thre are apple vinegar and grape vinegarr but not specifically dark vineger?? it is ok tou use apple or grape vinegar ??
    and should oreganno be in dried form or grounded???

    1. Please read previous comments
      Please read previous comments re the vinegar, have addressed that before. Oregano in dried form.

  93. Salam Fauzia
    Salam Fauzia

    Can I make peri peri strips..the boneless ones using the same recipe?

    Thanks

  94. I haven’t red capsicum, can I
    I haven’t red capsicum, can I use green one??

  95. Fauzia I also don’t have red
    Fauzia I also don’t have red chilli, can I use green one??

  96. Hi Fauzia. thank you for all
    Hi Fauzia. thank you for all the wonderful recipes always turn out perfect! Ive got all my friends hooked on your website too!..
    but please help on this one a bit of a disaster as the blend was not smoothing out so i added water and its become too thin to marinate with need it to be thicker.what shall I do now??

    1. Hi, thank you! You absolutely
      Hi, thank you! You absolutely should not have added water as now the marinade will not stick well to the chicken! Usually if you keep at it the mixture blends together perfectly with just the oil, vinegar and lemon juice used. Am not sure how it can be salvaged, but maybe you can attempt to cook it down and use it as a sauce instead of a marinade. You could try using it to marinate but the flavour will not be as intense due to the excess water. Sorry!

  97. As salaamu alaykum wa
    As salaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh.
    May I know what is dark vinegar? I googled it but didn’t find what exactly it is. It isn’t available in the stores here too. Can vinegar malt be used as a substitute?
    Jazaakillaahu khayra

  98. Hello, thank you for sharing
    Hello, thank you for sharing such lovely recipes! I read the previous comments stating balsamic is too strong – is possible to use half balsamic and half white vinegar? I don’t want the vinegar to overpower the flavours. Thank you and look forward to your reply x

  99. Salaams Fauzia!
    Salaams Fauzia!
    This recipe is awesome. I made it last night for dinner and it turned out fantastic. I did not put it in the oven rather I fully cooked it on my bbq griller. I tried the ‘tip’ and it really made the chicken tender and moist. The smell was soo good that we had five uninvited cats coming over for a feast. hehe! (not joking)

    Thanks for sharing. 🙂

  100. Salam,
    Salam,
    I misread the amount of salt u put in to the mix and added waaaay too much! What do I do?? Im cooking this tonight so please reply asap, jzk

    1. The only way is to make a
      The only way is to make a batch more extra sauce without salt and then mix it in, hopefully it cuts down on the salt level.

  101. Salam Fauziah. I love this
    Salam Fauziah. I love this recipe and I have been using it for years now. I’ve always BBQ-ed whole deboned chicken thighs but I want to try something new – skewered chicken thighs pieces, much like satay, in the oven. Would you have any suggestions as to how long they’d take to cook in the oven and at what temperature?

    1. W/Salaam, thank you. I would
      W/Salaam, thank you. I would suggest 200 C for about 20-30 minutes total (turn them midway during baking.

  102. Salaam Fauzia. Thanks for all
    Salaam Fauzia. Thanks for all the lovely recipes. Can I use ‘Green & Black’s Organic Dark 85% Chocolate Vinegar. I have searched for dark vinegar, but I cannot find any. I can also get Balsamic vinegar. Which one you think will give me a good result? Please advice

    1. W/Salaam, I do not know what
      W/Salaam, I do not know what chocolate vinegar is. Just use any simple brown vinegar.

  103. Can apple cider vinegar be
    Can apple cider vinegar be used as dark vinegar? Or please recommend any alternate.

  104. Hi Fauzia, I’m looking
    Hi Fauzia, I’m looking forward to trying out your recipe! I’m cooking for 12 pax so am pretty nervous. Can I use chicken thighs instead of a whole chicken? Do I flatten the chicken pieces or do i just make slits in them? Thanks, looking forward to your reply soon!

    1. Hi, if it is chicken on the
      Hi, if it is chicken on the bone then do not flatten, simply make slits in them. 🙂

  105. Thanks Fauzia. Another thing
    Thanks Fauzia. Another thing – how much ingredients do I use if I am cooking 10 whole chicken legs? (thigh + drumstick). Thanks again.

    1. Double the recipe, or
      Double the recipe, or alternatively weigh the chicken and for every 1 kg or so, you can use one batch of the recipe ingredients.

  106. I made it for Christmas lunch
    I made it for Christmas lunch today. Everyone loved it. I served the cooked sauce as a dip and the chicken with sliced lemon wedges. I regretted not adding more bird’s eye chilly & reducing the lemon juice & vinegar cos I thought the uncooked sauce was moderately spicy & too sour but turned out mildly spicy & not sour when cooked. I will definitely be making this again. Thanks Fauzia!

  107. Hi Fauzia,
    Would you recomend covering the tray with foil in the oven?
    Previously the chicken has dried out when cooked uncovered 🙁

    1. Hi, I usually dont but you could do that if you find yours drying out too much. Also do not forget to baste the pieces regularly with the leftover marinade.

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