I only ever get out the food processor if it’s really worth it…and this Oven-baked Peri Peri Chicken definitely falls into the “worth it” category! This is your beloved Portuguese chicken, but not as you know it! Think sweet, caramelised chicken, marinated in a mild blend of capsicum (bell pepper), garlic, vinegar, sugar, oregano and sweet paprika, roasted to perfection, then served with a homemade “perinaise” (a blend of mayonnaise and the peri peri marinade). Delicious! There’s no roasting of capsicums required – as there are for many peri peri recipes – as I employ a hack of using store-bought marinated capsicum to make this super quick and easy.
There are only 15 minutes of prep and then you pop the chicken in the oven for an hour to cook to tender perfection while you get some chores done, or help the kids with their homework. Although the recipe uses bone-in chicken pieces (which are forgiving to cook, staying juicy and tender), you can also use a whole chicken, or even boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breast. Apart from the chicken, I tend to have most of the other ingredients in my pantry already, so this is really economical. My family can tell you that this beats takeout Portuguese chicken any day!
What can I serve with Oven-baked Peri Peri Chicken?
Try some Oven-baked Crispy Potato Wedges, Homemade Coleslaw, Mexican Tomato Rice, Creamy Corn Salad or Mashed Potatoes!
What are some other easy chicken dinner ideas?
If your family loves chicken and it’s on repeat at your place, here are some more delicious ideas:
Peri Peri Style Chicken Burgers – Soft brioche rolls and boneless, skinless chicken breast in a simple Portuguese-style marinade (no food processor required!)
Chicken Fajita Tray Bake – A hands-off chicken dinner! All your favourite Mexican flavours in the one pan.
Creamy Lemon Chicken Risoni – My most made, viral recipe, which requires very little preparation and time to cook!
Easy Roasted Garlic Butter Chicken – No-fuss, oven-baked, herby, buttery garlic chicken, perfect with mashed potatoes, pasta or rice!
What other cuts of chicken can I use?
● Whole chicken (1.2–1.7 kg/2 lb 10 oz–3 lb 12 oz) – Use the same marinade and method in the recipe. Bake in a preheated 200°C (400°F) (180°C/350°F fan) oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes, adding ½ cup (125 ml) of water halfway through cooking.
● Boneless, skinless chicken thighs – Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F) (200°C/400°F fan). Marinate the chicken as per the recipe and use a baking tray – so you have enough space to fit the chicken pieces lying flat so they aren’t touching. Use two trays if you need to. Bake for 15–20 minutes. Spoon some of the pan juices over the chicken. Change the oven to grill (broil) and cook for a further 8 minutes or until the chicken is caramelised to your liking. Rest for a few minutes before serving.
● Boneless, skinless chicken breast – Will not give you the same caramelisation (if it’s cooked too long it will dry out) but can be used. Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally to form two thinner steaks. Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F) (200°C/400°F fan). Marinate the chicken as per the recipe and use a baking tray – so you have enough space to fit the chicken pieces lying flat so they aren’t touching. Bake for 18 minutes. Spoon some of the pan juices over the chicken. Change the oven to grill (broil) and cook for a further 3 minutes or until the chicken is caramelised to your liking. Rest for a few minutes before serving.
Can you make Peri Peri Chicken Oven Baked ahead of time?
Marinate and refrigerate the chicken for up to 24 hours before cooking.
Watch how to make Oven-baked Peri Peri Chicken
Is Peri Peri Chicken Oven Baked suitable for leftovers?
Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave (the chicken skin will soften). Not suitable to freeze.
Print
Oven-baked Peri Peri Chicken
Make your own delicious Portuguese-style Oven-baked Peri Peri Chicken at home. It’s easy-prep, low-cost and the whole family will love it!
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
Peri peri marinade
- 130 g (4 1/2 oz) store-bought marinated chargrilled capsicum (bell pepper), drained, oil reserved
- ½ tsp freshly minced garlic
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1½ tsp sea salt flakes
- ½ tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
Chicken
- 1.2 kg (2 lb 10 oz) chicken pieces (drumsticks and/or bone-in, skin-on chicken thigh cutlets)
- ½ cup (125 ml) water
Perinaise
- 2 tablespoons reserved peri peri marinade (see above)
- ⅔ cup (160 g) whole-egg mayonnaise
To serve
- Steamed green beans and corn
- 250 g (9 oz) microwave Mexican rice
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) (180°C/350°F fan).
- To make the peri peri marinade, combine the chargrilled capsicum, garlic, onion powder, sweet paprika, oregano, salt, pepper, sugar and red wine vinegar in a food processor. Blitz until smooth for 1–2 minutes, then slowly add the reserved oil while the food processor is running. This will help the marinade emulsify and thicken.
- IMPORTANT: Reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade to make the perinaise.
- Marinate the chicken in the remaining marinade in a bowl, tossing to coat. (You can marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours to intensify the flavours, although I rarely do, and it’s equally delicious.)
- Place the chicken on a baking tray with sides, skin-side up, so the chicken isn’t overlapping.
- Bake, uncovered, for 50–55 minutes, or until the chicken is nicely caramelised. Add ½ cup (125 ml) of water to the base of the baking tray halfway through to stop the marinade from burning.
- Meanwhile, mix the reserved marinade with the mayonnaise in a small bowl to make the perinaise.
- Rest the chicken, loosely covered in foil, for 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve with steamed green beans, corn, Mexican rice, lime wedges and the perinaise on the side for dipping.
Notes
Make ahead
Chicken – Marinate the chicken up to 24 hours prior to cooking. Refrigerate in an airtight container or sandwich bag.
Perinaise – Make the peri peri marinade and the perinaise up to 24 hours prior to serving. Store the marinade and the perinaise refrigerated, separately, in an airtight container.
Leftovers
Chicken – Leftovers are even better the next day! Store leftover chicken for up to 3 days, refrigerated in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave for best results (the skin will soften but the chicken will remain juicy and tender).
Perinaise – Store leftover perinaise separately, refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 60 mins
- Category: mains, dairy-free
- Method: roasting
- Cuisine: Portuguese, Australian
Kellie says:
This was so good 😋
Used bone in, skin on thighs. Might try chicken marylands next time 👌
Jodie says:
This was a hit with my family. I did a mixture of drumsticks (cooked 55mins) and breast (added at the 30min mark) and it came out perfect. Husband said it was better than our local Portuguese chicken place as the meat was so juicy.
Never used precooked rice before but the Mexican one went really well with this meal and made it a super easy dinner to prepare.
satrapien says:
The flavor OMG! Another amazing recipe from you!!!