Making Nandos Peri-Peri Chicken At Home | But Better

Good luck, Nandos.

Prep
40 minutes - 1 hour, 40 minutes
Cook
1 hour, 35 minutes - 2 hours
Total
2 - 4 hours
Serves
4
people
Making Nandos Peri-Peri Chicken At Home | But Better
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Ingredients

Peri Peri Chicken

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour and 35 minutes 

Peri Peri Sauce:

  • 1 white onion, quartered and peeled
  • 2 red bell peppers
  • 7 fresh Thai red chilies, stems removed
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • ⅓ cup (73g) distilled white vinegar
  • 4 tsp (10g) smoked paprika
  • ¾ tsp (0.5g) dried oregano
  • ¾ tsp (3g) ground white pepper
  • 8 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1 Tbsp (15g) light brown sugar
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1.5 Tbsp (18g) whisky, optional
  • Splash of lemon juice, if needed
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • 1-2 Tbsp (18g) honey, optional
  • ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
  • 3 cloves garlic

Peri Peri Chicken:

  • 1 whole chicken, cut into 4 pieces (leg and thigh attached and breast and wing attached)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Peri peri sauce, for basting
  • Vegetable oil or cooking spray, for greasing grill
  • Perinaise, to serve
  • Grilled corn with peri peri compound butter
  • Peri peri compound butter garlic bread
  • Peri peri fries

Perinaise

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: N/A

  • 2 large egg yolks
  • Kosher salt, to taste 
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
  • 1 Tbsp (15g) Dijon mustard
  • 1.25 cups (255g) vegetable oil
  • 1 Tbsp (15g) cold water
  • ½ lemon, juiced 
  • ¼ cup (55g) peri peri sauce

Peri Peri Compound Butter

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: N/A

  1. Add the softened butter to a medium bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat on high speed until smooth. 
  2. Add the peri peri sauce and blend until homogenous. 
  3. Store at room temperature until ready to serve. If making the butter ahead, store in the fridge. When ready to serve, remove from the fridge and set out at room temperature for 30 minutes-1 hour before serving.

Grilled Corn with Peri Peri Compound Butter

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes 

  • 4 ears of corn, husks and silks removed 
  • Peri peri compound butter, at room temperature 
  • Fresh cilantro, to garnish

Peri Peri Compound Butter Garlic Bread

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes 

  • ½ cup (110g) peri peri compound butter, at room temperature
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup (4g) finely chopped parsley
  • 1 baguette, cut in half crosswise and then in half lengthwise

Peri Peri Fries (Chips)

Prep time: 30 minutes 

Cook time: 15 minute0s 

Seasoning:

  • 2 tsp (8g) garlic powder
  • ½ tsp (0.5g) onion powder
  • ½ tsp (1g) ground cumin
  • 1 tsp (1g) coriander powder
  • 1 tsp (4g) lemon pepper seasoning
  • 2.5 tsp (5g) smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp (1g) cayenne powder
  • 1 Tbsp (11g) kosher salt
  • 1.5 tsp (10g) granulated sugar

Fries:

  • ¾ cup (112g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp (4g) garlic powder
  • ½ tsp (0.5g) paprika
  • 1.5 tsp (8g) fine sea salt
  • 1 cup (236ml) cold water
  • 2 lbs (900g) russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ⅓ - ½ “ (8.5-12mm) thick batons 
  • Kosher salt, to taste 
  • 3.5 quarts (3.3L) vegetable oil, for frying

Directions

Peri Peri Chicken

Peri Peri Sauce:

  1. Place a cooling rack over an open flame on your stovetop. Add the onions and cook until charred on all sides. Transfer to a metal bowl and then add the bell peppers to the open flame. Cook the bell peppers on all sides until deeply charred all over. Transfer the peppers to the bowl with the onions. Cover with plastic wrap and steam for 10 minutes.
  2. Using paper towels, wipe the charred skin off the bell peppers. Remove the stem and seeds and add to the carafe of a blender.
  3. Remove the root end of the onion and add to the blender with the peppers. 
  4. Add the Thai chilies, vinegar, paprika, oregano, white pepper and the chopped garlic. Blend on high speed until smooth.
  5. Pour the sauce into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, bay leaf, and whisky, if using. Increase the heat to medium-high and to bring to a boil.
  6. Remove the bay leaf. 
  7. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes until the sauce is reduced.
  8. Return the sauce to the blender. 
  9. Add a splash of lemon juice or water, if needed, to loosen the consistency slightly. Season with salt, to taste. Add the honey and blend on high speed to get as smooth of a sauce as possible.
  10. With the blender running, gradually pour in the vegetable oil until the sauce is smooth and emulsified. 
  11. Add the 3 whole garlic cloves and blend for 1 minute until smooth. 
  12. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a mixing bowl over an ice bath, and cool completely. 
  13. Season with salt to taste. 

Peri Peri Chicken:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325℉ (163℃).
  2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and top with a cooling rack. 
  3. Place the chicken pieces, skin side up, on the cooling rack and season generously with salt. Lightly brush the chicken with the peri peri sauce.
  4. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165℉ (73℃).
  5. Heat an electric or charcoal grill, allowing for one hot side and one cold side. Grease the grill grates with oil. 
  6. Brush the chicken with a coating of peri peri sauce. 
  7. Add the chicken to the hot side of the grill. Baste and flip the chicken pieces every 15 seconds or until the chicken is charred in spots and the sauce glazes the chicken all over.
  8. Serve immediately with the peri peri fries, garlic bread, grilled corn and perinaise.

Perinaise

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, salt to taste, garlic, and mustard until combined.
  2. While whisking constantly, gradually and slowly add the oil, a few drops at a time. As the oil incorporates, increase the amount to a slow, thin stream. Once the mixture starts to thicken, add the water and then keep adding the oil until the sauce is thick and emulsified.
  3. Stir in the lemon juice and peri peri sauce. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.

Peri Peri Compound Butter

  1. Add the softened butter to a medium bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat on high speed until smooth. 
  2. Add the peri peri sauce and blend until homogenous. 
  3. Store at room temperature until ready to serve. If making the butter ahead, store in the fridge. When ready to serve, remove from the fridge and set out at room temperature for 30 minutes-1 hour before serving.

Grilled Corn with Peri Peri Compound Butter

  1. Preheat a grill over medium-high heat.
  2. Cut the ears of corn in half crosswise. 
  3. Grill the corn until lightly charred in spots and the kernels are bright yellow and tender.
  4. Remove to a serving plate, top with some peri peri compound butter and cilantro leaves. Enjoy while still hot.

Peri Peri Compound Butter Garlic Bread

  1. Preheat the oven to 375℉ (190℃).
  2. In a small bowl, combine the peri peri compound butter, garlic, and parsley.
  3. Spread the butter on the cut-side of each of the 4 baguette halves and place on a baking sheet cut-side-up. 
  4. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and toasted.
  5. Cut into smaller servings and serve immediately while hot.

Peri Peri Fries (Chips)

Seasoning:

  1. In a bowl, add all the ingredients and mix until combined. Set aside.

Fries:

  1. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and the cold water until a smooth batter forms.
  2. Place potatoes in a large bowl, generously season with salt, and cover with cold water. Soak the potatoes for 10 minutes and then drain.
  3. Line a baking sheet with a layer of paper towels. Arrange the potatoes in an even layer on the paper towels and pat dry. 
  4. Fill a 7-8 quart (6.6-7.5L) heavy bottomed pot just over halfway with oil. Heat to 350℉ (175℃). Line a baking sheet with a cooling rack and paper towels and place that next to the hot oil.
  5. In batches, dip the potatoes into the batter and place directly in the fryer. Fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Remove to the prepared cooling rack and sprinkle the seasoning generously over top of the hot fries. Repeat with the remaining potatoes and serve immediately.