Easy Peri Peri Chicken Breasts Recipe (2024)

These Easy Peri Peri Chicken Breasts area tasty, quick, and easy dinner that only leaves you with ONE pan to wash! Easy to make,easier to eat!

SUPER EASY PERI PERI CHICKEN

If you are tired of boring chicken breasts recipes then you are in for a treat. This Peri Peri chicken recipe is so flavorful, easy to make, and comes together so quickly, making it the perfect weeknight dinner. Plus, it’s made in one pot. Meals with easy clean-ups are the best.

With only a handful of pantry staples, you can have this flavorful Peri Peri chicken in no time. I used skinless and boneless chicken breasts, but you can use skin-on chicken, drumsticks, or thighs… It’s totally up to you.

To prevent chicken to end up dry I used a technique, I read about at The Kitchn, called “dry-poaching”. It sounds fancy but it’s not more than covering the chicken with a piece of parchment paper. It worked very well; my chicken breasts came out perfectly juicy and tender. Trust me, you’re going to want to make this chicken recipe tonight!

WHAT IS PERI PERI?

Around the world, Peri-Peri is best known as a chili-based sauce used as a seasoning or marinade for meat, especially chicken. It was originated in South Africa and was imported to Portugal from two Portuguese colonies, Angola and Mozambique. That is why many of us know this dish as “Portuguese Chicken”.

The sauce is just delish. Not too hot, thick enough to stick, and undeniably tasty. Even my husband, who doesn’t like chicken, likes it. It’s so easy to make… so I double LOVE LOVE it!

PERI PERI CHICKEN INGREDIENTS

Amounts are included in the printable recipe below (scroll down). You’ll need:

• Chicken breasts — skinless boneless
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil
• Bell peppers — I used a combination of red, yellow, and orange bell peppers
• Lemon
• Fresh thyme
• Fresh rosemary
• Garlic
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• Smoked paprika
• Lime juice
• Red wine vinegar

HOW TO MAKE PERI PERI CHICKEN

Detailed instructions are included in the printable recipe below (scroll down).Here’s how to make Peri Peri Chicken.

1 – MAKE THE MARINADE

Place all the garlic, red peppers, smoked paprika, lime juice, olive oil, and red wine vinegar in the bowl of a small food processor and process until puréed.

Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Add the peri-peri marinade and seal. Rub the bag to coat the chicken in the marinade, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes up to overnight.

2 – PREPARE TO BAKE

Preheat the oven to 400° F.

Remove the chicken from the bag and drain off the excess marinade. Reserve marinade.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken in the skillet and brown each side until nice golden color. Turn off heat. Add reserved marinade, peppers, lemon slices, thyme, and rosemary, over the chicken. Cover the skillet with parchment paper.

3 – BAKE THE PERI PERI CHICKEN

Bake for 20 – 30 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165º F in the thickness part. NOTE: Cooking time will depend on the size of the chicken breasts. Remove from oven and allow to rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

Serve with lime wedges and pan juices.

STORING

If you like to meal prep or you like to make extra, so you’ll have a meal for the next day, here’s how to store your peri peri chicken.

LEFTOVERS

This baked chicken breast recipe keeps great in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days, in an airtight container. When you’re ready to enjoy, heat it in the microwave until heated through. Be sure to keep the pan juices as it’ll help keep it moist when you reheat it.

FREEZER

You can freeze this after it has been cooked for another day! Simply transfer it to a freezer bag along with its pan juices once it has cooled. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat when you’re ready to eat.

MORE CHICKEN RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

• Creamy Peri Peri Chicken
• Easy Chicken Piccata
• Instant Pot Mojo Chicken
• Sheet Pan Barbecue Bacon Chicken Fajitas
• Orange Ginger Chicken Breasts
• Easy Moroccan Chicken

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The recipe was originally posted in January 2015, post content edited to add more helpful information, no change to the recipe in April 2021.