Peri Peri Chicken

Peri Peri Chicken,

traditionally spelled Piri piri or pili pili, is made from the Piri piri chili pepper, also known as the African bird’s eye chili. A member of the capsicum family, these peppers are naturally spicy and beneficial to the metabolism. They prosper in both wild and domesticated environments and are native to Malawi, South Africa, Mozambique, among other countries with hot climates. The Portuguese are credited with bringing the plant to Goa and for the now well-known sauce from which this recipe is made.

The typical Peri peri sauce

is made from crushed chilies, citrus, onion, garlic, pepper, salt, lemon juice, bay leaves, paprika, pimiento, basil, oregano, and tarragon. Use this as both a marinade and finishing sauce.

Serve cooked, marinated Peri peri chicken

over barley, quinoa, or atop salads such as mixed greens and Caesar. This recipe is also terrific grilled on skewers as an appetizer with the sauce served on the side much like a Thai Chicken Skewer with Peanut Sauce.

This recipe was featured on The Bikini Lifestyles Show “Wine Ghetto Weekend at Alisal Ranch” episode. To hear the free podcast and learn more about Alisal Ranch, go here: Alisal Ranch podcast

Nutrition:
Serving size: 4 ounces chicken
Calories: 365
Fat: 17.9g
Saturated fat: 4.0g
Carbohydrates: 5.2g
Protein: 41.9g
Fiber: 1.8g
Sodium: 242mg

*Notes: Nutritional analysis based on CalorieCount.com recipe analyzer. Recipe is low in sugar, high in niacin, selenium, vitamin B6, vitamin C. In this calorie-slashing collection, The Bikini Chef^® Susan Irby offers recipes for switching up ingredients that keep calories to a minimum. Complete with serving-size suggestions and “Skinny Secret” shortcuts to trim calories in little ways, here you’ll get expertly crafted recipes that include offerings for every meal of the day!

Recipe

Peri Peri Chicken

Beef & Poultry

Peri Peri Chicken, traditionally spelled Piri piri or pili pili, is made from the Piri piri chili pepper, also known as the African bird's eye chili. A member of the capsicum family, these peppers are naturally spicy and beneficial to the metabolism.

Ingredients

7 fresh red chili peppers, roughly chopped
juice of one medium lemon
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 bay leaf
1/2 tablespoon paprika
1/2 chopped medium red bell pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
4 (5 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Instructions

In a large mixiing bowl, whisk together red chili peppers, lemon juice, red onion, garlic, black pepper, sea salt, orange zest, bay leaf, paprika, red bell pepper, basil, oregano, tarragon, vinegar, and olive oil.
Add chicken and toss well to coat.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and marinate 8 hours or overnight.
Heat grill or grill pan til hot.
Grill marinated chicken about 8 minutes, turn and grill an additional 8 minutes or until cooked through.
If desired, make 1 and 1/2 times the Peri peri marinade and reserve 1/3 of the marinade to use as a dipping sauce for cooked chicken.

Peri Peri Chicken