Peri Peri Chicken has skyrocketed into a top spot in my chicken rankings. It’s an absolute flavor bomb without being intimidating.

GROCERY LIST:

• 4 red bell peppers
• 2 red chili peppers
• 1 white onion
• Handful of garlic
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Splash of Apple Cider Vinegar

• 2 tbsp Paprika
• 1 tbsp Cumin
• 2 tsp Oregano
• Dash of Garam Masalla 
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil to start – can add more to achieve velvety smooth texture in marinade
• Chicken (whole & halved is preferred – but whatever is easiest)
  • Season the chicken with whatever rub you prefer

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Roast red bell peppers and white onion on a cast iron skillet until charred
• Add garlic and slightly char, making sure not to burn. 
• Combine peppers, onions, garlic, olive oil and seasonings in a blender- blend until smooth. You can add more water or olive oil to achieve the correct texture.
  • Let the mixture cool to room temperature. You don’t want to put a hot marinade on raw chicken. 
  • Split the mixture into two separate containers – one to baste onto the chicken, and one to top the finished product with, and also use for leftovers if you’d like. 
• To cook the chicken, you can really do it however you’d like. I cooked mine over a live fire. Really hot at first to develop some color, then I pulled the grates up off the heat to let the chicken cook through. For those of you without a live fire Santa Maria grill, I imagine an oven at 375 until the internal hits 160, then a little broiler action would do the trick.

I served this with Spanish rice and a pickle / red onion salad situation that I’ve included below.. Just mix all of these ingredients with some pickle juice from the Grillo’s jar and let them hang out in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. 

• Grillo’s Pickle Chips
• Thinly Sliced Red Onion
• Finely diced red chili pepper
• Quartered cherry tomatoes
• Finely chopped parsley