PORTUGUESE-STYLE PERI PERI CHICKEN
As we were recently in Portugal, I could not wait to create some Portuguese dishes upon our return. Though seafood is an absolute favorite of mine, by the time we got home, we were craving chicken 😀. The original recipes use whole chicken or chicken pieces, but to keep things leaner, I used boneless skinless chicken thighs and breasts. I tweaked some of the spices for a delicious and moist combination, especially with the sauce. I suggest serving this Portuguese-style peri-peri chicken with cilantro sauce over brown basmati rice, with lots of fresh veggies!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless, chicken thighs and/or tenderloins, trimmed
For the marinade:
- 1 Tablespoon Ancho chili pepper
- 2 Tablespoons smoked paprika yes, the smoked is needed here, if possible
- 6 cloves garlic peeled
- ½ Tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- ¼ cup plus 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the sauce:
- 10 ounces plain Greek yogurt nonfat
- 1 bunch of fresh cilantro finely chopped (*if not a cilantro fan, you can substitute basil)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- 1 ½ Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F.
- Cover the roasting pan with nonstick foil and set aside.
Marinade
- Add the Ancho chili pepper through black pepper into a blender. Blend into a paste.
Chicken
- Place chicken pieces into a large bowl. Pour marinade on top and mix well, until all pieces are covered with marinade. (*Note: You could marinate the chicken overnight or in the refrigerator for an hour or longer, but not necessary.)
- Spread chicken onto prepared pan. Place pan in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, flip chicken, and back for another 15-20 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked through.
- Place on a serving platter and sprinkle with extra cilantro and smoked paprika.
Sauce
- While the chicken is cooking, place the sauce ingredients in the clean blender and blend until smooth. Serve with chicken. Makes 7-8 servings.
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