
Portuguese Chicken with Piri Piri Style Sauce
A low fat version of spicy piri piri chicken that brings back memories of our holiday in Portugal. Rich and flavoursome with lower calories as baked rather than fried.
Once we hit the beginning of February, we’ve already shrugged off the heady festivities of Christmas, and it’s chocolate filled all day pyjama wearing sessions, I am looking forward to the tale-tale signs of spring. I get a burning need to clean everything (don’t worry it soon passes) and declutter and paint everything white (again it soon passes). But mostly I start thinking of summer holidays and discovering new food and flavour combinations, in fact, everything new. Bring on the newness of everything.
Last summer we holidayed in Portugal and every restaurant featured piri piri flavoured dishes on their menus. I became a little obsessed in finding the right combination: not too hot, not too mild, just right. I think with the dish below I got it just right.
We also drank rather a lot of White Port and Tonics which will always remind me of our trip to Lisborn midway through our holiday.
Normaly Piri Piri chicken is cooked with the skin on and although this is delicious, I wanted to cook a lower fat version, which we happily ate cold the next day. Perfect for lazy slow days in a villa with the only jobs to do were which book to read by the pool. Now tell me you’re not ready to hit the new season and embrace the newness.
Portuguese Chicken with Piri Piri Style Sauce
(serves 4)
2 large onions, chopped
2 lemons
4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
½ teaspoon piri piri sauce or Tabasco
Pinch of sea salt
Parsley, chopped
Place the onions on the bottom of a large ovenproof dish, cut up one of the lemons, and add. This will act as a base for the chicken.
Place the chicken over the onion and lemon mix.
Zest and juice the remaining lemon.
Mix together the garlic, oil, smoked paprika, piri piri sauce, salt, lemon zest, juice, and pour over the chicken. Massage into the chicken.
Sprinkle over some parsley, keeping some for the end and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes at 180°C/Gas Mark 4/356 °F.
Serve with roasted red peppers and potatoes.
43 Comments
Looks delicious – roll on spring! By the way, where did you get those lovely serving spoons – are they ceramic heads or silicone?
They were at the holiday villa, aren’t they great. In fact everything in that villa was great!
This looks so yummy and I love that it’s a lower fat version of the traditional recipe. I’ll have to put this in my meal plan for next week.
I’ve never been to Portugal but I would love to 🙂 and not only for the delicious food ! Generally, I do not like spicy food so I will probably decrease the amount of piri piri sauce to only 1/3 spoon. Love your photos… Just looking at them… Now I get my mouth watering 🙂
This is always a favourite in our house and so many things you can serve it with too. We make our own really easy peri peri sauce too.
Love the pictures reminds me of summer bbq and I love the look of your lovely dish – great to share with family and friends x
This recipe looks amazing! I haven’t had lunch yet today and am salivating over this!
The sauce and flavors sound amazing! I’m veg and I’m wondering if I can make this work with tempeh!
Oh yes that would be a great alternative!
I have heard that piri piri sauce is tops. The recipe looks so good and easy.
I substitute cauliflower as a vegan, and I love cauliflower wings. I’ll try this version this weekend. Your pictures are lively!
Oh my that sounds delicious!
Summer is coming! And this dish looks delicious to have for lunch on the poolside. I like dishes like this during summer, need some little spice to enjoy the meal with your family and friends.
Yes!!! I am such a fan of Piri Piri chicken…it works so well. I do mine in the oven like you…but I must confess I always leave the skins on…it’s the best bit!! 😀 Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare. Eb x
How gorgeous is this?! I love piri piri sauce, but I rarely make it because of all the oil involved. I’m so glad to see that you’ve lightened it up! Portugal is on my bucket list, but for now I’ll enjoy the flavors in this fantastic chicken!
Oooh yum! That looks amazing & has gone on our list for summer evening allotment picnics as I reckon this would be perfect for enjoying in the sunshine!
Oh yes I’m loving the sound of allotment picnics x
I’ve been to Portugal but was just saying this weekend I really need to go! Love Piri Piri and the idea of the only job being reading by the pool sounds dreamy to me. Time to get inspired and make this recipe!
Oh Fiona that holiday was just the best. I so didn’t want to leave x
This looks easy and tasty I will mark this up to have a go at home.
This looks amazing! I love piri piri chicken too and always bake mine in the oven as well. Yours looks so healthy with all that salad on the side too! I’m even tempted to alter my plans and make piri piri chicken tonight now – the plan is a stir fry but it could change!
I love this recipe so much, I also love your photographs – capturing people eating and enjoying the recipe is super fun! All round great post.
Aw thanks so kind of you. I love to feed people so i love to capture that in my photos too! X
I am the same when Spring rolls around. I actually started a bit early this year and just purged my closet. I may need to purge my shoes too 😧This chicken sounds delicious, full of flavor, and I love that it is baked!
Your Piri piri chicken looks delicious and perfect on a bbq too! we like it quite hot – yummy!
I must make this for my husband – he loves anything with piri piri flavour on it!
Oh yum! I love piri piri sauce, especially with chicken. It sounds delicious!
I love piri piri and this is an awesome recipe. I have got to try yours, the flavors are awesome
This sounds delicious and looks yummy. A new recipe for me to try out and lift our spirits during this long winter!
This sounds just the type of food my family would like. Thanks for sharing -I’m going to try it. #bloggerclubuk
Oooh I love piri piri chicken it makes me think of summer just thinking about it!
That looks sooo delicious! Perfect summer food. I’m going to bookmark this and make it one day soon 🙂 #BloggerClubUK
We have just got back from Portugal and loved their food. Definitely going to try and make this
I love Piri Piri this looks delicious. We love Portugal, its a firm favourite for us as a family
Oh yes Laura. I fell in love with the place. I found everyone so friendly too. X
Perfect timing with this recipe – I was literally just looking for a spicy chicken recipe for dinner tonight! This looks nice and simple, I think we’ll give it a try! The white port and tonics sound delicious too!
Fantastically easy recipe, that looks so yummy. I love Nandos, so if I can have piri piri chicken at home too, then that’s good enough for me!
Thank you, gosh I do miss that holiday home I can tell you x
I LOVE piri piri. I have a bottle of sauce in the fridge that I use on EVERYTHING…you know like that Frank’s Hot Sauce commercial. This sounds delicious….you have my mouth watering.
I’m definitely trying this one at home (just pinned it too). As we’re now living in Portugal we eat Piri-piri chicken regularly in a restaurant near us but I want to try make it at home. So thanks so much for sharing this!
You’re living in Portugal?! I’m so jealous!
That sounds delicious. I know what you mean about this time of year, I have had a bit of a mad cleaning frenzy too! 😀
Oh yummy! I will have to give this to my hubby so that he can make it for us. He loves cooking 🙂