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Plate with a sliced chicken breast covered in dark red piri piri sauce with lots of diced onions. Side dish is buttered fettuccini noodles with parsley. Background has a pair of tiny wooden elephants and a colorful striped bit of fabric like a circus clown outfit.

Latelle's Piri Piri Chicken

Roasted chicken with lemon, onions, and spices.
5 from 1 vote
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Course Main Course
Cuisine African, Sharan, Wheel of Time

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch Oven or large cast iron frying pan
  • 1 Meat thermometer

Ingredients
  

  • 6-7 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (from two medium lemons)
  • 1 Tbsp white vinegar
  • ¼ cup avocado oil or olive oil
  • 1 white or yellow onion roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp table salt
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 ½ tsp chili powder
  • 1 ½ tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • Pasta, rice, or couscous for serving

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, mix together everything except for the chicken. Add the chicken and toss with tongs to coat in the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, or at least three hours.
  • If you are making pasta, start the pasta just before starting the chicken so they get done just about the same time.
  • When ready to cook, preheat your oven to 350 F.
  • On the stovetop, heat a Dutch Oven pot or large oven-safe skillet (such as cast iron) on medium-high heat until hot.
  • Use tongs to transfer the chicken breasts out of the marinating bowl and into the pan, reserving the marinade. Let cook for two or three minutes per side, until nice and browned.
  • Pour the reserved marinade into the hot pot over the top of the chicken. Turn off the stovetop burner. Use oven mitts to transfer the pot to the pre-heated oven.
  • Let cook in oven for 25-35 minutes (depending on thickness of chicken breasts), or until cooked through. Use a meat thermometer to confirm that chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 F. (with all the spices it is hard to see whether the juices run clear - be safe, use a thermometer)
  • Serve with your favorite veggies and/or starchy side dish.

Notes

Careful not to marinate for too long - this changes the chicken texture.
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