Piri-piri chicken and slaw

Piri-piri chicken and slaw
Piri-Piri Chicken and Slaw

A Taste of Sunshine: Our Family's Piri-Piri Chicken

There are some recipes that feel less like a list of instructions and more like a welcome guest. This piri-piri chicken is one of them in our house. It’s not fussy or complicated. It doesn’t require any fancy techniques. It’s just honest, flavorful food that fills the kitchen with the most incredible aroma and always brings everyone to the table with a smile. It’s our little shortcut to a warm, summer evening, even on the cloudiest of days.

The Heart of the Dish: The Marinade

It all starts with the marinade. This is where the magic happens. Don’t worry about tracking down special ingredients; the beauty of a home recipe is its flexibility. The goal is to create a paste that’s fragrant, a little spicy, and packed with flavor.

  • 4-6 chicken leg portions (thighs and drumsticks)
  • 4-5 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1-2 red chilies (adjust to your heat preference!)
  • A good handful of fresh oregano leaves (or 1 tbsp dried)
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • Juice of 1 large lemon
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp sea salt

A Little Patience Goes a Long Way

Simply whizz all the marinade ingredients together in a small food processor until you have a rough, fragrant paste. If you don’t have a processor, just finely chop the chili and garlic and mash everything together in a bowl—it works just as well. Rub this glorious paste all over the chicken, getting into every nook and cranny. Then, and this is the only hard part, walk away. Let it sit at room temperature for about an hour. This waiting time lets the flavors truly get to know the chicken.

Time to Roast

Heat your oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Place the marinated chicken in a roasting tray and let it cook for about 1 hour and 20 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the skin is dark, crispy, and irresistible. Once it’s out of the oven, tent it loosely with foil and let it rest for a full 20 minutes. This makes all the difference, keeping the chicken incredibly juicy.

The Crisp, Cool Sidekick: Simple Slaw

While the chicken is resting, throw together a quick slaw. It’s the perfect cool, crunchy contrast to the spicy, warm chicken.