Piri-Piri Chicken

Spicy African/Portuguese grilled chicken

Category
Dinner
Cuisine
Spanish
Serves
4
Time
45 minutes
From
Bobby Flay

Adapted from Bobby Flay: Chapter One

This chicken dish is so tantalizing. Piri-piri (also called peri-peri or pili-pili) takes its name from the Swahili word for "pepper"-specifically, the pepper known as the African bird's-eye pepper in English. Piri-piri chicken is a dish with African and Portuguese influences. The recipes vary, but most involve chiles, garlic, lemon, and vinegar. My interpretation isn't super traditional (it's quite difficult to source African bird's-eye chiles in the United States, which is why I substitute Fresnos), but it is savory and spicy in a way that makes your mouth water. You will not want to stop eating this.

En lieu of Fresnos, you can also use Thai chiles or chiles de árbol from Mexico, which will also give you that fruity, searing heat you need.

Ingredients

Marinated Chicken

  • 1(3-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 1 medium Spanish onion, quartered
  • 12 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
  • ½ cup neutral oil, such as avocado or canola, plus more for searing the chicken
  • 2 (3-pound) whole chickens, trimmed of excess fat, butterflied, and halved

Green Sauce

  • 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • 2 large scallions, green parts only
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup neutral oil, such as avocado or canola
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Apricot-Chile Hot Sauce

  • 5 dried apricots, soaked in boiling water for 15 minutes
  • 8 large Fresno chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • ½ cup red wine vinegar
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Marinate the chicken: In a food processor, combine the ginger, onion, garlic, cilantro, and oil and process until smooth. Place the halved chickens in a large baking dish. Add the marinade and coat the chickens completely. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
  2. Make the green sauce: In a blender, combine the cilantro, scallions, vinegar, oil, and a splash of water and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

  1. Make the apricot-chile hot sauce: Drain the apricots but reserve their soaking liquid. In a blender, combine the apricots, chiles, mustard, vinegar, and a splash of the reserved soaking liquid and blend until smooth.

Season with salt and pepper. Let sit for at least 30 minutes before using to allow the flavors to meld. (The sauce will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.)

  1. Remove the chickens from the refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat.

Drizzle some oil over two of the chicken halves and place in the skillet, skin-side down, until the fat has rendered and the skin is golden and crispy, about 10 minutes. Turn the chicken halves over and cook until the bottoms are golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with the other chicken halves and oil.

  1. Transfer ½ cup of the apricot-chile hot sauce to a bowl and set aside. Brush the chicken liberally with the remaining apricot-chile hot sauce, transfer to the oven, and roast until just cooked through, about 12 minutes.

Remove from the oven and brush with reserved hot sauce. Let rest for 10 minutes.

  1. To serve, place the chicken on a platter and spoon some of the green sauce over the top.

Notes