Piri Piri Butterfly Chicken
Piri piri is the Swahili word for ‘pepper pepper’. From Portuguese origin and African descent this hot and fiery homemade piri piri sauce, adds a delicious bite to the butterflied chicken.
Serves
4Preparation time
20 minsCooking time
50 minsIngredients
- 1 butterflied chicken (approximately 1.8kg)
- for the piri piri sauce
- 8 fresh long red chillies, deseeded and very roughly chopped (add a few little birds eye chillies if you want it really hot)
- 8 garlic cloves, peeled and very roughly chopped
- 3 teaspoons sea salt flakes
- 3 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped or 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- to serve
- 1 lime cut in wedges
Method
- To make the piri piri sauce, place the chillies in a small pan on a low heat and add ½ of the olive oil, cook gently for about 5-6 minutes until they start to soften.
- Add the garlic and cook for another 5 minutes or so until the garlic becomes transparent but not coloured.
- Add all the remaining sauce ingredients to the pan turn up the heat slightly and bring to a gentle simmer for 5-6 minutes until the mixture starts to thicken slightly.
- Use a stick blender to blitz the mixture smooth and allow it to cool thoroughly.
- Place the butterflied chicken in a large freezer bag and add the cooled piri piri sauce.
- Seal the bag and massage the sauce all over the chicken.
- Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to develop the flavours.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C or your BBQ to medium high.
- Take the chicken out of the bag (reserve any of the piri piri sauce left in the bag) tuck back the wings and use 2 soaked bamboo skewers to hold the chicken flat and its legs in place.
- Place the chicken on a large ovenproof frying pan or sauté pan.
- On a hot heat, seal the chicken in the pan for 3-4 minutes on both sides until it starts to colour.
- Once the bird is sealed place it breast side up in the pan, drizzle any piri piri sauce remaining in the freezer bag.
- Transfer to either the oven or BBQ with the lid down and cook for a further 40-45 minutes basting occasionally with the pan juices until the chicken is totally cooked through.
- Serve with lime wedges, and possibly with chips and salad.
Tip: You can make double quantities of the piri piri sauce. It will keep in a sealed plastic container in the refrigerator for up to one month. Shake well before you use it.
