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Smartphone photo of authentic Portuguese grilled chicken pieces with glossy reddish-orange sauce and grill marks. (Portuguese Grilled Chicken)

Portuguese Grilled Chicken: The Ultimate Spicy Piri-Piri Recipe

Authentic Portuguese Grilled Chicken featuring charred, crispy skin and a thick, glossy piri-piri sauce. Perfectly spiced with bird's eye chilies and garlic, served with charred lemon wedges and fresh cilantro for a restaurant-quality dinner.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Portuguese
Calories: 445
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Recipe Ingredients
  • 3 lbs Chicken Thighs and Drumsticks Skin-on, bone-in
  • 6-8 whole Piri-Piri Peppers Sub Fresno or Thai chilies
  • 0.5 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil 120ml
  • 0.25 cup Fresh Lemon Juice 60ml
  • 6 cloves Garlic Peeled
  • 2 tbsp Smoked Paprika 14g
  • 1 tbsp Dried Oregano 3g
  • 2 whole Lemons Cut into wedges for grilling
  • 0.25 cup Fresh Cilantro Finely chopped
  • 1 tsp Red Chili Flakes For extra heat

Equipment

  • 1 Outdoor Grill Gas or charcoal
  • 1 High-speed blender For the piri-piri sauce
  • 1 Meat Thermometer To ensure internal temp of 165°F

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Blend peppers, garlic, oil, lemon juice, paprika, and oregano until smooth and glossy. Reserve half for later basting.
  2. Coat chicken pieces in the first half of the sauce and refrigerate for 4-24 hours.
Grilling
  1. Grill chicken skin-side down over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes until charred and grill marks appear.
  2. Flip chicken, move to indirect heat, and brush generously with the reserved thick piri-piri sauce glaze.
  3. Cook until internal temp reaches 165°F. Grill lemon wedges until charred. Garnish with cilantro and chili flakes.

Notes

Use a thermometer to ensure 165°F internal temperature.
Rest chicken for 10 minutes before serving to keep it juicy.