Piri Piri Chicken
This is heat with a purpose - not just hot for the sake of being hot. The sauce gets brushed on layer after layer while grilling, building up this caramelized crust of fire. Spatchcocking makes the whole bird cook evenly, and those slits let the sauce work its way deep into the meat.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 whole chicken or 2 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken pieces
- Salt to taste
For the Piri Piri Sauce
- 1/2 cup avocado oil
- 8 Thai chili peppers
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Spatchcock whole chicken and cut 1-inch deep slits throughout meat.
- Blend oil, chilies, vinegar, garlic powder, paprika, bay leaf, oregano and salt until completely smooth.
- Heat sauce with butter in small pot until melted, cook 1 minute more.
- Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice.
- Preheat grill to 450-500°F.
- Season chicken generously with salt.
- Grill skin-side down 4 minutes until charred.
- Flip and brush with sauce, cook 4 minutes.
- Continue flipping and brushing with sauce every 3-4 minutes.
- Cook until internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 30-45 minutes total.
- Cut into portions and serve immediately while skin is crispy.
Notes
Sauce is very spicy - heat builds with each bite.