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Peri Peri Chicken lovers, this one’s for you! Juicy, fiery, and packed with bold flavor, this Portuguese BBQ chicken can be cooked two ways: sizzling on the grill or roasted in the oven. No matter which method you choose, the result is smoky, tender chicken that’s impossible to resist.
This easy peri peri chicken recipe brings the taste of Nando’s right to your table, complete with charred corn cobs wrapped in foil for that irresistible barbecue sweetness. Whether you call it BBQ peri peri chicken or Portuguese BBQ, it’s the ultimate crowd-pleaser for your next family dinner or backyard feast.
What Makes This Recipe Work
What makes this Peri Peri Chicken so good is its balance of smoky char and bold, tangy spice. Whether you fire it up as a BBQ peri peri chicken on the grill or roast it in the oven, the marinade infuses every bite with rich Portuguese flavors that keep you coming back for more.
This recipe also gives you that authentic Portuguese BBQ chicken experience at home, without the takeout bill. It’s a flexible peri peri chicken recipe that’s easy enough for weeknights yet impressive enough for gatherings, especially when paired with charred corn cobs or your favorite sides.
What Goes Into Peri Peri Chicken
A good peri peri chicken recipe starts with a punchy marinade and the right balance of spice, smoke, and tang.
- Whole Chicken: Using a 3–4 pound butterflied chicken helps it cook evenly and soak up all that spicy peri peri marinade.
- BBQ Sauce: The base of the marinade that gives this BBQ peri peri chicken its smoky, tangy kick and that signature sticky glaze.
- Sriracha: Adds heat and depth to the sauce, making it the fiery heart of this Portuguese BBQ chicken.
- Minced Garlic: Fresh garlic brings sharp, savory notes that balance the richness of the sauce and deepen the overall flavor.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
How To Make Peri Peri Chicken
- Prepare the Marinade: In a bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients, then stir in sriracha to your desired spice level. Taste and adjust, keeping in mind you can make it mild or fiery.
- Marinate the Chicken: Coat the chicken with three-quarters of the marinade, rubbing it under the skin where possible. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for the best flavor.
- Preheat the Oven or Grill: If roasting, heat the oven to 470°F (245°C) and place a rack in the center. For the barbecue, preheat your grill to medium heat and lightly grease the grates.
- Bring Chicken to Room Temp: Remove the marinated chicken from the fridge about 20 minutes before cooking. This takes the chill off and helps it cook evenly without drying out.
- Sear for Flavor (Oven Method): Heat oil in a large oven-safe pan or skillet, place the chicken breast-side down, and sear until golden. Flip and sear the other side for extra crispness.
- Cook the Chicken: In the oven, roast 20 minutes, then lower to 400°F (200°C) and cook 35–40 minutes. On the grill, sear 10–12 minutes, flip, baste, then cover and cook 40–45 minutes.
- Add the Corn: Wrap corn cobs in foil, place them alongside the chicken about halfway through cooking, and let them roast or grill until tender. Turn occasionally and finish with a touch of butter.
- Finish and Serve: Once the chicken is cooked and juices run clear, baste with pan drippings or grill sauce. Serve hot with charred corn and any untouched marinade as dipping sauce.
The smoky spice of Portuguese BBQ chicken is perfect next to Honey Roasted Butternut Squash & Brussels Sprouts With Bacon, a side that adds sweetness, crunch, and savory depth. For a brighter touch, pair it with Simple Lemon Garlic Asparagus, which brings freshness and a zesty pop that balances the heat of the chicken.
For a sweet finish, serve your BBQ peri peri chicken with Nutella Cookie Pie, a rich and gooey dessert that makes this meal feel restaurant-worthy at home.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes! You can easily roast it in the oven and still get juicy, flavorful results without needing a barbecue.
It depends on how much chili or sriracha you add. You can keep it mild or turn up the heat for extra spice.
At least 2 hours works well, but overnight marinating gives the deepest flavor and tenderness.
Portuguese BBQ Peri Peri Chicken (Homemade Nandos Recipe)
Ingredients
For The Marinade:
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup BBQ sauce
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice fresh squeezed, optional
- 2-4 teaspoons sriracha
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 pinch cracked pepper to taste, optional
Chicken:
- 3-4 pounds whole chicken Butterflied is preferred
- 1 pinch salt to season
- 1 pinch pepper to season
Corn (OPTIONAL):
- 6 corn cobs
- 3 teaspoons butter optional
Instructions
- Mix all of the marinade ingredients (except for the Sriracha) together until well combined. Mix in 2-4 teaspoons of Sriracha, taste test, and work up from there until reaching your desired level of heat (or leave it out all together if you don’t want any spice at all).
- Using 3/4 of the marinade, coat the chicken evenly on the outside, as well as under the skin where possible (the breast especially), until fully coated in sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night if time allows. (I recommend a minimum marinade time of two hours for this chicken. The longer you leave it, the better the flavours.)
FOR THE OVEN:
- When ready to cook, arrange oven shelf to the middle of the oven, and preheat to 470°F | 245°C.
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it sit on a bench top for 20 minutes, or just enough time to take the chill out of the chicken. (I find 20 minutes plenty of time. Don’t leave it any longer than half an hour at room temperature.)
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in an oven proof pan or well seasoned skillet over medium heat. When pan is hot, place the chicken, breast-side down into the pan, and sear for a good 5-6 minutes, until the skin becomes golden browned. Flip and sear on the other side for a further 5 minutes.
- Add 2 more tablespoons of vegetable oil to the remaining marinade, and pour half of it over the chicken. Use a basting brush to coat evenly.
- Place the chicken in the preheated oven, and cook for 20 minutes. Reduce heat down to 400°F (200°C) and roast for a further 35-40 minutes, or until cooked right through to the centre and juices run clear.
- (If serving with the corn: completely wrap each cob in foil large enough to cover them, and add the corn foil packets to the same pan as the chicken, half way through cooking time (after 30 minutes). If your pan is too small, arrange them on another pan. They only need 30-35 minutes of cooking time.) Once corn is done, dollop with 1/2 teaspoon of butter per cob (optional).
- Once the chicken is done, baste with the pan drippings and serve with any remaining UNTOUCHED marinade to use as a dipping sauce.
- Serve with the corn!
FOR THE BBQ:
- Place chicken on well-greased grill over medium heat, skin-side down, for 10-12 minutes, until the skin begins to have a nice char on it. Add 2 more tablespoons of vegetable oil to the remaining marinade. Flip and baste with a small amount of sauce (not too much or it will burn on your grill plates). Close barbecue lid and cook for 40-45 minutes, flipping once or twice while cooking, until chicken is completely cooked through and juices run clear.
- Follow corn foil instructions above. Place corn foil packets on the grill halfway through chicken cook time (after 30 minutes), turning the corn every 5 minutes or so to ensure an even char.
Notes
2 teaspoons of Sriracha yields a very mild spicy result. So mild we could hardly taste it. Feel free to leave it out if you have doubts, but we love it in there for the flavour enhancement. For a good kick of spice, 1-2 tablespoons is a good start. I started with 2 teaspoons, taste tested, and added extra teaspoonfuls from there until reaching our desired spice level (we loved ours at 1 1/2 tablespoons of Sriracha). For an extremely HOT marinade, add in 3-4 tablespoons. When taste testing, the marinade will be strong. Don’t worry, and please don’t add any water to dilute it. It will dilute naturally in the oven when cooking through the pan drippings. *COOK time does not include marinating time
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I wasn’t really sure about this marinade, but man was it delicious. The flavor was amazing. I couldn’t find bone in breasts so I cubed up boneless; skewered them and grilled them. I wish I would have kept some of the marinade out to brush on the chicken on the grill. This one’s a keeper.
Excellent recipe. Turned out really good. I would recommend increasing tanginess and spicy flavors. Excellent for parties too. Boneless leg and thighs were a bonus and turned out juicy when BBQ’d after overnight marinating. Thank you!
Thanks so much for this recipe – we used it for chicken leg quarters on the grill tonight and they were delicious.
My husband is addicted to Nandos till I made this. Now here reckons its second rate. GREAT revipe. Thank you
This is the best recipe ever
What an amazing recipe!!! My husband asked me to make this weekly haha.