Peri-Peri Chicken-style flame-grilled chicken

Ingredients

Marinade

• 4 chicken leg quarters (thigh + drumstick)
• 4 red bird’s eye chillies (or 2 for milder)
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp oregano
• 100 ml olive oil

Peri-peri sauce

• 4 red bird’s eye chillies
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 60 ml olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Method

1. Marinade. Blend all marinade ingredients except oil. Slowly drizzle in oil until smooth. Coat the chicken. Marinate minimum 4 hours, ideally 24 hours.
2. Peri-peri sauce. Blend all sauce ingredients until smooth. Adjust heat to taste.
3. Preheat. Heat a grill or barbecue to high heat. Alternatively, use a screaming-hot oven at 250°C.
4. Cook. Grill the chicken skin-side down for 6–7 minutes until charred. Flip and cook 8–10 minutes more until the internal temp hits 75°C.
5. Rest. 5 minutes before serving. Brush with extra peri-peri sauce.
6. Serve. With lemon wedges and extra sauce. Pick up the chicken with your hands — that’s the Nando’s way.

Tips

• The marinade is the secret. Lemon + garlic + smoked paprika + bird’s eye chillies is the base.
• 24-hour marinade is ideal. Overnight in the fridge.
• Charred skin is the whole point. Grill hot and don’t move the chicken too much.