Nandos has made Peri Peri Chicken a household favourite but thanks to this Peri Peri Chicken Bites recipe you don’t need to leave home to enjoy the deliciousness!

I’ll get straight into the full recipe below after the brief introduction, so that you don’t have to scroll down to get the details.

However, after the recipe there are tips and variations that are worth reading, so make sure to check them out.

This is one for the spice lovers , Peri literally means chilli ie ‘chilli chicken’ . My husband loves an extra kick, I personally don’t. So feel free to tweak the amount of cayenne pepper to your taste. But be careful, as it will absolutely blow your head off if you use too much.

This recipe is so versatile you can serve it with anything you like. I like to go with a Peri Peri Rice Recipe (you can find a quick recipe for the rice below), steamed vegetables, and of course some whole egg mayonnaise for dipping!

Peri Peri Chicken Bites

Yield: serves 4

No Ratings

Ingredients

1kg free range thicken thigh, cut into 5cm thick slices
1.5 tbsp. paprika
1/2 to 1 tsp. cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. ginger powder
2 tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper

Instructions

Combine all of the ingredients except the chicken in a large bowl. Taste the marinade to see if the spice level suits you, you can add more cayenne if you want it hotter.
Add the chicken pieces and use your hands (or a spoon) to massage the flavours evenly onto the chicken.
If you have a couple of spare hours, cover the chicken and place in the fridge to marinate , this will add some depth to the flavour. If not, it’s okay to get cooking right away.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the chicken but don’t crowd the pan , you want some space between each piece. You may have to do two batches.
Let the chicken pieces fry on one side for about 15 minutes, until the bottom has gone brown and crunchy and the chicken has released a bit of white juice.
This white juice + brown and crunchy and nearly burnt on the bottom = flip time!
Use tongs to flip the pieces over and fry the other side until it is also brown and crunchy. A little bit charcoaled, but not burnt. This will likely only take 5 minutes on the second side.
To check if it’s cooked through, cut open the thickest, largest piece. If the juices inside run clear and there is no pink meat, it is done. If the thickest, largest piece is done, all the others will be done too.
If the chicken is cooked through but still not looking crunchy, turn the heat right up and give it a good sizzle for a couple of minutes on each side.

Nutrition Information

Yield 4 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 605Total Fat 42gSaturated Fat 11gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 30gCholesterol 320mgSodium 728mgCarbohydrates 2gFiber 1gSugar 0gProtein 59g

Variations of Peri Peri chicken Bites

While chicken thigh is my hands down favourite, you can use any cut of chicken that you like, just cook for longer if using larger sized pieces, and especially it will take a bit longer if you have used bone in pieces.
You could instead bbq, grill or bake the chicken. Baking it wouldn’t give that crunchiness unless you broiled it at the end.
You could substitute chicken with any other meat, tofu or vegetables that you enjoy.

How to Serve The Peri Peri Chicken Bites

There are endless ways and ideas that you can serve these, and I’m sure you will come up with your own, but I have outlined some ideas here:

Peri Peri Rice Recipe

To make a peri peri rice recipe to go with your chicken: After you finish cooking the chicken bites above, and take the chicken out of the pan, you’ll see there are quite a few flavoursome pan juices left in the pan. Add in one chopped onion and one crushed garlic clove right into those juices and fry them until golden.

Then add a couple of those supermarket rice sachets and 1/2 cup of water and let the rice warm through. Add 1/2 tsp each of salt, pepper, and oregano. Also add 1/2 cup each of a couple of extras you already have in the fridge or pantry (like sultanas, dried cranberries, feta cheese, roast pumpkin, cashews). Warm through for a minute. This peri peri rice recipe makes a perfect side for the peri peri chicken bites you’ve just made and only takes a few mins.

Note: to keep the chicken warm while you make the rice, you can put it in an oven safe container or tray and pop into the oven on very low heat just until the rice is ready.

peri peri chicken wrap

Turn these peri peri chicken bites into a delicious peri peri chicken wrap for an easy lunch or dinner. Simply warm a tortilla or flatbread and fill it with chicken, then add your favourite fresh toppings. Lettuce, tomato, cucumber and sliced avocado all work beautifully with the spicy chicken. For something creamy to balance the heat, add mayonnaise. You can also add some grated cheese if you like. Wrap everything up and you have a quick peri peri chicken wrap that is packed with flavour.

peri peri chicken burger

For a fun twist, use your peri peri chicken bites to make a peri peri chicken burger. Toast a burger bun and pile in the peri peri chicken bites with crisp lettuce, tomato and your favourite burger toppings like tomato, lettuce, cucumber or grated carrot. Add mayonnaise to bring a creamy contrast to the spicy peri peri flavour. A slice of cheese is also delicious here, and a slice of pineapple adds something too. You can spread out toppings and let everyone make their own peri peri chicken burger.

More Ways To Serve Peri Peri Chicken Bites

Peri peri chicken bites are delicious on their own, but they can easily become a more complete meal with a few simple sides. Serve them with crispy roast potatoes, wedges or your favourite potato chips for a hearty option. Garlic bread is another great choice, especially for soaking up any leftover peri peri sauce.

For something lighter and fresher, serve the chicken alongside a simple salad, some corn cobs or steamed veggies. You can even put everything on the table and let everyone build their own plate. Whole egg mayo is good for dipping.

You can also turn the peri peri chicken bites into a next level sandwich! Check out this post about 20 Gourmet Sandwiches if you would like some ideas (just replace the protein in the idea you like with the peri peri chicken bites).

Another thing I love doing with these is turning them into a rice bowl or a sushi bowl. For a rice bowl, cook some rice, and broccoli and serve both in a bowl topped with the chicken bites. For a sushi bowl, follow this recipe and use the peri peri chicken bites instead of schnitzel.

Peri Peri Spice Recipe

If you like, you can make the spice ingredients into a Peri Peri Spice Recipe, making a bigger spice mix, and store it in a jar in your pantry so that it is ready to go when you need it. Use some masking tape and a texta to label the jar so you don’t forget what is in there!

Making your own peri peri spice blend at home is quick and easy, and you can adjust the cayenne pepper to suit your preferred level of heat. Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl, then put it into your storage jar

The ingredients are:

6 tbsps. paprika
2 to 4 tsps. cayenne pepper, or to taste
4 tsps. dried oregano
2 tsps. garlic powder
2 tsps. ginger powder
2 tsps. salt
1 tsp. black pepper

When you are ready to use, take a bit of the spice mix out of the jar and mix with a bit of oil then use as a marinade as in the above Peri Peri Chicken Bites recipe.

Meaning of Peri Peri

So, what is the meaning of peri peri? Peri peri refers to a fiery chilli pepper commonly known as the African Bird’s Eye chilli, as well as the sauces, marinades and spice blends made using it. You may also see it written as piri-piri or pili-pili, depending on the region.

The name is linked to the Swahili words pili pili, meaning pepper or chilli. The term became particularly associated with the small, hot chillies used in parts of Africa, including Mozambique. Portuguese influence later helped spread peri peri cooking beyond Africa, which is why piri-piri is now strongly associated with Portuguese cuisine as well.

Interestingly, chilli peppers themselves did not originate in Africa. They are native to the Americas and spread around the world following European exploration. Once they reached Africa, they became an important ingredient in many local cuisines.

Today, the meaning of peri peri is much more than the chilli itself. Peri peri sauces and seasonings can include ingredients such as garlic, lemon, herbs, paprika and oil, with recipes varying from one cook or region to another. Some are intensely hot, while others are milder and focus more on the garlic, herbs and smoky flavours. You can always play around with the flavours in the spice mix for your Peri Peri Chicken Bites!

Peri Peri and Nando’s

For many people, especially in Australia, the word peri peri is now closely associated with Nando’s. The restaurant chain helped make peri peri chicken and its fiery chilli sauce hugely popular, with the sauce becoming a signature part of its menu.

But peri peri doesn’t always mean a sauce. It can also refer to the chilli itself, a marinade or a dry spice blend. The meaning has also become broader over time, and “peri peri” is now often used more generally for a hot chilli flavour rather than referring strictly to one particular variety of chilli.

At Nando’s they would have peri peri seasoning on the chicken, in the rice, and on the chips. They also have peri peri sauce that they serve with the food.

For these Peri Peri Chicken Bites, I’m using peri peri as a dry spice blend rather than a sauce. My version combines paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano, garlic, ginger, salt and black pepper to give the chicken plenty of spicy, savoury flavour. I’m using cayenne rather than African Bird’s Eye chilli, which makes this an easy peri peri-inspired seasoning using ingredients that are readily available at home.

Health Benefits of Peri Peri

What are the health benefits of peri peri? Peri peri and cayenne pepper can add plenty of flavour to food without needing a complicated list of ingredients. The main ingredient responsible for the heat is chilli, which contains a natural compound called capsaicin. Chilli peppers also provide nutrients such as vitamin C and other antioxidant compounds.

Capsaicin has been studied for its potential effects on metabolism, blood flow and pain perception, although eating peri peri foods should not be considered a treatment or guaranteed way to improve your health.

It’s also worth remembering that “peri peri” can mean very different things. A simple homemade spice blend, like the one used in these Peri Peri Chicken Bites, is quite different from a bottled peri peri sauce. Some commercial sauces can contain significant amounts of added salt, sugar or oil, so checking the ingredient list can be worthwhile if you’re trying to keep those things lower in your diet.

One of the easiest ways to make peri peri part of a balanced meal is to pair your spicy Peri Peri Chicken Bites with plenty of vegetables, salad or other nutritious sides. That way, you get all the bold flavour of peri peri while still enjoying a varied meal, and getting the health benefits of peri peri and cayenne.

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