Crispy golden chicken in a family-friendly peri peri mayo with a crunchy cabbage salad on the side. On the table in 30 minutes!
I almost didn’t share this recipe as I thought it was “too simple” – but is that even a thing? I mean, there’s got to be a good reason why I cook these Peri Peri Chicken Bowls at LEAST once a fortnight – everyone seems more than happy to eat them and the bowls are always cleared! For starters, this dish looks beautiful – crispy golden chicken with a creamy sauce paired with a vibrant red cabbage salad with pops of yellow corn. And, because we all love options, I’ve provided instructions for cooking the chicken in an air fryer, oven or pan. Personally, I find myself using the air fryer so I can speed through dinner.
This dish has mild, family-friendly peri peri flavours, but below I’ve suggested ways to amp up the spice if you prefer some heat. The marinade and the peri peri mayo are so simple and made with pantry staples, but their flavour is next level! Those store-bought versions can stay on the supermarket shelves!
You can serve the chicken with whatever you have on hand (see suggestions below), but my favourite is the crunchy cabbage salad I’ve included here – my kids love it so I consider that a win. If I look in the fridge and see that Past Me has kindly prepped some shredded cabbage ahead of time, it makes the meal super quick and easy. You could also use a bag of supermarket coleslaw mix and some microwave rice for extra speed.
What other vegetables can I add to the recipe?
If you serve these bowls with the cabbage salad, it’s already a full meal. However, you could add some quick-cooking veggies to the pan, such as peas, corn kernels (or a frozen mixture of diced peas, carrots and corn). If you are oven-baking and cooking on a baking tray, you could add some diced tomato, finely sliced onion, sliced red capsicum (bell pepper), spring onion (scallion) or sliced green beans. Just make sure you don’t overcrowd the tray so the chicken has room to brown, rather than steaming. Instead of serving with the cabbage salad, you could serve the bowls with Homemade Coleslaw or corn cobs (charred is nice).
Can I make this dish vegetarian?
Instead of chicken, try using cubes of firm tofu instead but only cook for 1–2 minutes each side.
Can I spice it up?
You could absolutely amp up the spice by using chilli powder in the marinade or an extra squeeze of sriracha in the peri peri mayo.
Watch how to make Peri Peri Chicken Bowls
If you enjoyed Peri Peri Chicken Bowls, I think you’ll love:
Oven-baked Peri Peri Chicken
Bang Bang Chicken
One-pan Tandoori Chicken and Rice
Chicken Adobo
Chicken Teriyaki Bowl
Peri Peri Chicken Bowls
Peri Peri Chicken Bowls are family-friendly, full meals in a bowl that are simple to make and guaranteed to please everyone.
- Total Time: 25–35 minutes
- Yield: 4 serves 1x
Ingredients
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 800 g (1 lb 12 oz) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces (you can use up to 1 kg/2 lb 3 oz of chicken)
PERI PERI MAYONNAISE
- ⅔ cup (160 g) whole-egg mayonnaise (or plain Greek yoghurt)
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp sea salt flakes
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1–2 tbsp water
CABBAGE SALAD
- 1 cup (75 g) finely shredded red cabbage
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 1 cup corn kernels (tinned; fresh; or frozen, thawed and steamed)
- ½ bunch coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
- ½ red onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes
TO SERVE
- Steamed rice
- Lime wedges (optional)
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken – In a large bowl, combine the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt, pepper and olive oil. Add the chicken and toss well to coat.
- Cook the chicken (choose your method):
Pan-fry – Heat a large non-stick or cast-iron pan over medium–high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer (cook in batches if needed) and cook for 3–4 minutes per side, or until golden and cooked through.
Oven-bake – Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) (200°C/400°F fan-forced). Spread the chicken in a single layer on a baking tray lined with baking (parchment) paper. Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. For extra char, place under the oven grill (broiler) for the last 2–3 minutes.
Air fry – Preheat the air fryer to 200°C (400°F). Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the basket (cook in batches if needed). Air fry for 12–15 minutes, shaking halfway, until golden and cooked through. - Make the peri peri mayonnaise – In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise (or Greek yoghurt), paprika, onion powder, salt and lime juice until smooth and combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Make the cabbage salad – In a medium bowl, combine the cabbage, tomato, corn, coriander, red onion, lime juice and salt. Toss using tongs to combine.
- Assemble – Divide the rice and cabbage salad among four bowls. Top with the cooked chicken and juices from the pan/oven tray or air fryer basket. Drizzle with the peri peri mayonnaise. Serve with extra lime wedges, if desired.
Notes
Make ahead
Chicken – Marinate in the fridge in an airtight container up to 24 hours ahead, or freeze raw marinated chicken for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before cooking.
Peri peri mayonnaise – Can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge in an airtight container.
Leftovers
Store leftover chicken, rice and toppings separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the chicken and rice in the microwave until warmed through. Enjoy as a bowl, wrap filling, or use the chicken as a salad topper.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15–25 minutes, depending on cooking method
- Category: Chicken, Quick and Easy
- Method: One Pan, Air Fryer, Oven
- Cuisine: Modern Australian
Monica says:
Looks amazing. I started eating cabbage thanks to your recipes. Can you please share how do you cook the rice on the stove and your rice/water ratios?
Thanks!!
Nicole says:
Hi Monica, my exact method for cooking rice is as follows: 2 cups rice, 3 cups water in a saucepan. Cover, bring to the boil over high heat. Immediately reduce the heat to low and cook for 12–14 minutes. Turn off the heat, don’t remove lid. Allow to stand for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, fluff the rice with fork to the separate grains. Nic x