Peri Per chicken - smoky, spicy, and just the right amount of tang. I’ve roasted the capsicums to build depth in the marinade and dialled in the heat with birds eye chillies. Cooked low and slow on the rotisserie, it’s juicy with crispy skin and a sauce that packs a punch.
Category
Lunch
Servings
4
Prep time
20 minutes
Cook time
1 hour 15 minutes
Peri Peri chicken - smoky, spicy, and just the right amount of tang. I’ve roasted the capsicums to build depth in the marinade and dialled in the heat with birds eye chillies. Cooked low and slow on the rotisserie, it’s juicy with crispy skin and a sauce that packs a punch.
Ingredients
- 2 red capsicums (bell peppers), sliced into chunks
- 1 red onion, cut into wedges
- 60ml (¼ cup) olive oil
-
sea salt, to season
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1½ tbsp smoked paprika
- 60ml (¼ cup) red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2-3 birds eye chilies, chopped
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp caster sugar
-
zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tsp sea salt
-
freshly ground black pepper
- 1.65 -1.8kg (3.65 - 3.95lbs) whole chicken
- 3 fresh bay leaves
- 1kg potatoes, cut into wedges
-
salad, to serve
Directions
Prep the marinade
Preheat a charcoal grill with rotisserie to 200°C (390°F). Allow room for a drip tray underneath the rotisserie.
- Drizzle capsicums and onions with a little of the oil, then place over the grill. Cook for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally to char and soften.
- Transfer to a tray and allow to cool for 5 minutes, then place in a blender with the garlic, paprika, vinegar, oregano, chillies, coriander, sugar, lemon zest, remaining oil, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
Marinate the chicken
Place bay leaves and some of the marinade in the cavity of chicken, then tie legs together with some kitchen string to enclose, then tie underneath chicken to hold wings in place.
- Place in a large bowl and coat all over with half of the marinade, then refrigerate for 1 hour to overnight.
Cook the chicken
Thread chicken onto the rotisserie prong and secure in place. Place potatoes in a tray (that can sit in the base of the BBQ), oil and season with salt, and place on top of the BBQ coals under the chicken.
- Cook chicken turning on rotisserie for 55-60 minutes with the lid on, until skin is well coloured and chicken juices run clear when tested at the thighs.
- Set aside to rest for 10 minutes.
Finish and serve
Meanwhile, place the remaining marinade in a small saucepan with the lemon juice. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Add any resting juices from the chicken and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Carve the chicken and serve with the peri peri sauce, the roasted potatoes and a green salad.
Recipe notes
Origins
This one started in Portugal then reaching parts of Africa. Peri Peri's base of whole chillis, makes it a fiery and tangy sauce for chargrilled Portuguese chicken, and it's absolutely delicious. I have tried to keep as close to the original recipe as possible with a few tweaks here and there.
Gas BBQ method
You could cook this with a gas BBQ and rotisserie if you don’t have a charcoal one, but you will lose some smokiness to the dish. Turn the outer burners on but leave the inners off and place the drip try over the middle burner with the chicken rotating over it.
Oven method
To use an oven instead of BBQ, preheat the oven to 180°C fan forced (355°F) and line a large baking tray with baking paper.Place chicken on the tray and potatoes around it. Roast for 55-60 minutes until skin is well coloured and chicken juices run clear when tested at the thighs.
Storage
Any leftovers can be carved off the frame and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Serving ideas
You could serve this up in fresh rolls or wraps with salad or grill some corn cobs to serve with.
Spice level
This is medium-hot in spice level, which can be altered by the number of chillies you choose to add. Choose your spice journey.
