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• Why You’ll Love This Peri Peri Chicken Recipe
• What Is Peri Peri Chicken?
• Ingredients & Substitutions
• How To Make Peri Peri Chicken
• Tips For The Best Peri Peri Chicken
• Storage Instructions
• What To Serve With Peri Peri Chicken
• More Spicy Chicken Recipes
• Peri Peri Chicken Recipe card
• Recipe Reviews

If you’re looking for a new and exciting way to prepare chicken, this peri peri chicken recipe is the perfect dish to try! It’s known for its bold and spicy flavors — thanks to a marinade of red chili peppers, herbs, and spices — and almost always served with peri peri sauce . When you want to spice up your weeknight dinner routine, this surprisingly easy dinner is sure to impress.

Peri peri chicken is often compared to other spicy chicken dishes, like chicken with jerk seasoning from Jamaica, tandoori chicken from India, and harissa chicken from North Africa. However, it has its own unique flavor profile and there’s nothing else quite like it.

Why You’ll Love This Peri Peri Chicken Recipe

• Spicy, tangy flavors
• Tender chicken, crispy skin
• Quick, simple marinade
• Fast prep time
• Healthy crowd-pleasing chicken recipe

What Is Peri Peri Chicken?

Peri peri chicken, sometimes called piri-piri chicken, is a spicy Portuguese dish made by marinating chicken in oil, chili peppers, garlic, herbs, and spices before grilling or roasting to perfection. It’s also popular in South Africa.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for chicken with peri peri sauce, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card .

• Chicken – I used bone-in chicken thighs, but you could easily use other cuts such as chicken drumsticks , bone-in chicken breasts, chicken leg quarters , or wings . Just keep in mind the cook time will vary.
• Olive Oil – The base of the marinade. You could also use avocado oil if you like.
• Lemon Juice – The acidity helps to tenderize the chicken and its tanginess balances out the spiciness of the peppers. Fresh lemon juice works best here, but you can use bottled for convenience. Lime juice or red wine vinegar would make pretty good substitutes.
• Garlic – For the best flavor, use fresh minced garlic. To save on time, use 1 teaspoon jarred garlic instead. Alternatively, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder will work, but fresh tastes better.
• African Bird’s Eye Chili Pepper – This adds spice and also the classic flavor of peri peri chicken. If you can’t find it, you can use a Thai red chili pepper or other varieties of spicy red peppers. If you want extra heat, you can add more peppers, or add a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes as well.
• Dried Herbs & Spices – Including smoked paprika (or sweet paprika), oregano (or thyme, rosemary, or marjoram), sea salt, and black pepper.
• Peri Peri Sauce – You can’t have peri peri chicken without the sauce!

How To Make Peri Peri Chicken

This section shows how to make this peri peri chicken recipe, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card .

1. Make the peri peri sauce. Just follow my easy peri peri sauce recipe to make it.
2. Mix the marinade. In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, garlic, red chili pepper, and spices.

1. Marinate the chicken. Place the chicken thighs in a zip lock bag and pour the spice mixture over them, coating well. Marinate in the fridge.
2. Bake. Preheat the oven. Place the chicken thighs in a baking dish in a single layer, and bake until cooked through.
3. Broil. Place under the broiler, until the skin of chicken thighs is crispy.

1. Serve. You can serve the chicken with peri peri sauce on the side, or spoon it over the chicken before serving.

Tips For The Best Peri Peri Chicken

This peri peri chicken recipe is very easy and straightforward, but here are a few tips I found while making it:

• Marinating enough, but not too long. The ideal amount of time is between 3 and 12 hours. Do not marinate chicken for longer than 24 hours, or it will get mushy.
• Give the chicken space. It’s okay if the pieces touch a little in the baking dish, but they should not be super crowded, otherwise they’ll take longer to cook and the skin won’t crisp up.
• Use a meat thermometer . For best results, cook dark meat like chicken thighs to an internal temperature of 170 degrees F. (This is more juicy than the minimum safe temperature of 165 degrees F, and the opposite of what you’d do for white meat.)
• Broil for crispy skin. Broiling peri peri chicken is not required, but makes the skin crispier!

Storage Instructions

• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
• Meal prep: Marinate the chicken overnight in the refrigerator.
• Reheat: Warm up chicken peri peri in the oven at 350 degrees F, or reheat in the microwave (but the skin won’t be crispy anymore).
• Freeze: Transfer the chicken to a freezer-safe container or zip lock bag, removing as much air as possible, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

What To Serve With Peri Peri Chicken

This spicy chicken is a flavorful and versatile dish that can be paired with a variety of sides. Try it with:

• Salads – A fresh and crisp salad is the perfect way to balance out the bold flavors of the chicken! Try serving it with a spring mix salad or a light cucumber tomato salad .
• Rice – Rice is a classic side dish and provides a neutral base to soak up all of the delicious sauce. Try serving it with plain white, brown rice, or for lighter options, cauliflower rice or miracle rice .
• Vegetables – I served this chicken with air fryer green beans (pictured above). Chicken peri peri also pairs well with Instant Pot corn on the cob , easy roasted zucchini and squash , or a variety of roasted vegetables .
• Potatoes – Try serving this dish with a side of garlic roasted potatoes or air fryer sweet potatoes for a satisfying meal.

More Spicy Chicken Recipes

If you love the bold and fiery flavors of this chicken, you might also enjoy these other spicy chicken recipes:

Coconut Chicken Curry

Black Pepper Chicken

Blackened Chicken

Buffalo Chicken Wings

Harissa Chicken

Butter Chicken

Recipe Video

Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

• 8 medium Bone-in chicken thighs (with skin) ▢
• 1/4 cup Olive oil ▢
• 2 tbsp Lemon juice ▢
• 2 cloves Garlic (minced) ▢
• 1 medium African bird’s eye chili pepper (minced; or other hot red pepper) ▢
• 2 tsp Smoked paprika ▢
• 2 tsp Oregano ▢
• 1 tsp Sea salt ▢
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper ▢
• 1/2 recipe Peri peri sauce ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

1. Make the peri peri sauce here . Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, garlic, Thai red chili, and spices.
3. Place the chicken thighs in a zip lock bag and pour the marinade over them. Seal the bag and shake well until the chicken thighs are fully coated. Marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight. (Do not marinate for longer than 24 hours.)
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
5. Place the chicken thighs in a baking dish in a single layer. (It’s okay for the pieces to touch a little but they should not be super crowded.) Bake for 40-45 minutes , or until they reach an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). (I recommend an internal temperature of at least 170 degrees F (77 degrees C) for dark meat which makes it more juicy and tender.)
6. Optional: Broil for 2-3 minutes , until the top of chicken thighs are a little crispy.
7. Serve peri peri chicken with peri peri sauce.

LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 chicken thigh + 2 tablespoons sauce

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

Add Your NotesYour Notes

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.

Peri Peri Chicken

Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List

• Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
• The Basic Keto Meal Formula
• Understanding Macros
• Keto Food Swaps
• Keto Food List
• Electrolyte Basics
• Keto Diet Types
• Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
• Recipe Reviews

Even though I have a great guide to starting a keto diet , people often ask me for a quick keto cheat sheet they can use. That’s why I created this simple keto diet cheat sheet , so that you can have all the info you need handy. We’ll cover the basic keto formula for building meals, foods to eat and to avoid, delicious keto swaps for high-carb foods, electrolyte basics, and 4 ways to follow the keto lifestyle.

You can keep reading to view this info, or download my keto cheat sheet printable pdf to print out or save ad-free on any device (plus the pdf has more details!).

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1. Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
2. Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
3. Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
4. Keto food swaps (60+ foods) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
5. Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
6. Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
7. Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
8. Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
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The Basic Keto Meal Formula

Eating keto doesn’t have to be complicated! While there are plenty of delicious easy keto recipes to choose from, you don’t even have to cook from a recipe to get started.

Simply follow the keto cheat sheet formula of protein + veggie + fat for your meals.

Be sure to choose a moderate amount of protein, only low carb vegetables (mostly ones that grow above ground), and generous fat to attain an optimal macro ratio. That’s approximately 60-75% of calories from fat, 20-25% protein, and 5-10% from carbohydrates. The table below will give you ideas for what to choose.

Understanding Macros

Macros are macronutrients for short. They include fat, protein, and carbohydrates.

You can calculate your own macros using the macro calculator , but the macro keto cheat sheet below will explain how to look at macros when following a keto lifestyle.

Carbs Are A Limit.

Keeping carbs low is what gets you into ketosis and keeps you there. Ketosis means that you’re using fat as your primary energy source instead of sugar, and requires keeping carbs very low.

A good starting point is 20-25 grams net carbs per day, but you can experiment after a few weeks to see if your body stays in ketosis at higher levels. People who are very active may be able to do more and stay in ketosis, up to around 50 grams per day.

“Carbs are a limit” means that you set a limit for how many carbs to eat per day and don’t exceed it. You don’t have to hit that limit, so if you’re under that’s okay, just don’t go over. Ideally most of your carbs would come from low carb vegetables, and if you’re eating enough veggies, you’ll usually get close to the limit naturally.

A common misconception is that reaching ketosis requires a certain macro ratio, but it’s really only restricting your carb intake that gets you there [ * ]. In the absence of sufficient carbs to use as energy, the body will switch to using fat as fuel. This is called the metabolic state of ketosis.

Protein Is A Goal.

Protein is made up of amino acids, the building blocks of all our cells. It’s a crucial for keeping our muscles strong and for many cellular functions [ * ].

“Protein is a goal” means that you always want to eat enough protein to reach the goal each day, but not exceed it too much. You want enough for your needs, but excess protein can trigger gluconeogenesis, which is protein being converted to sugar [ * ] and can kick you out of ketosis.

Fat Is A Lever.

Fat is the primary macronutrient in a keto lifestyle, because being in ketosis means that fat is your primary fuel source. Fat as a fuel source will come from your food, and if you are losing weight, from your body.

A big advantage of a keto lifestyle is the high fat intake. It keeps you full and satisfied, making it easier to stick to, and using it as the primary fuel source makes it easier on your body to burn body fat, with a lower chance of breaking down your muscle (provided you get enough protein).

Aside from reaching your protein goal and limiting your carbs, the remainder of your calories on a keto diet comes from fat.

Don’t fear fat – it’s your main energy source on keto, and getting enough of it trains your body to use fat for fuel instead of sugar. That means that as long as you are not overdoing your overall calorie intake, you’ll efficiently burn your body fat for fuel as well.

“Fat is a lever” means that you can increase or decrease your fat intake depending on your goals and hunger levels. Increase it (along with exercise) to gain muscle, or decrease it to lose weight.

Keto Food Swaps

One of my favorite challenges is creating recipes, or just discovering, keto food swaps. These are delicious keto replacements for traditionally high-carb or high-sugar foods.

So, I created this keto diet cheat sheet with all the swaps in one place! I also have more keto food swaps in my Easy Keto Cookbook .

Keto Swaps For Breakfast

Keto Swaps For Bread

Keto Swaps For Meals & Side Dishes

Keto Swaps For Snacks & Sauces

Keto Swaps For Cooking & Baking

Keto Swaps For Drinks

If you’re looking specifically for keto alcohol options, browse the full keto alcohol guide .

Keto Food List

When looking for a keto cheat sheet printable, the most-requested information is a keto food list.

The great thing is that keto doesn’t have to feel restrictive. It’s incredibly satisfying and there’s such a wide variety of foods you can eat!

Foods To Eat On Keto

• Leafy greens – Such as spinach, chard, and lettuce.
• Above-ground veggies – Such as peppers, zucchini, and cauliflower.
• Full-fat cream & cheese – Such as heavy cream, sour cream, and full-fat hard cheeses.
• Natural meats – Such as beef, lamb, and pork.
• Berries – Such as raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries.
• Avocados
• Unsweetened nut milks – Such as almond milk and coconut milk.
• Almond flour and coconut flour
• Eggs
• Healthy fats – Such as coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil and butter.

Foods To Avoid On Keto

• White flour & sugar
• Rice & grains – Such as barley, wheat, and corn.
• Milk & yogurt – Such as fruit on the bottom yogurt, sweetened Greek yogurt, and all milk.
• Cereal
• Processed food – Such as granola bars, candy
• Most fruit – Such as apples, bananas, and grapes
• Hydrogenated fats – Such as vegetable oil, soybean oil, and margarine
• Sweetened beverages & condiments – Such as soda, ketchup, and sweet dressings
• Starchy veggies – Such as peas, carrots, and beets.
• Potatoes – Such as sweet potatoes and white potatoes.

That’s the short keto diet cheat sheet version of all the keto food categories, but I recommend downloading the full Keto Cheat Sheet System. It includes a super detailed printable keto food list with over 100 items, including 2 color-coded pages with net carb counts, along with 6 more pages of keto cheat sheets:

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Electrolyte Basics

Getting enough electrolytes is crucial for anyone, but especially so on a keto diet. The reason is that ketosis has a diuretic effect, which increases excretion of water and electrolytes, especially sodium [ * ]. This is often the cause of the keto flu.

For more details on electrolytes and avoiding keto flu, check out the full keto flu guide here .

The important thing to know about electrolytes is that replenishing them will keep keto flu away and keep your body functioning well. I always recommend an electrolyte drink and whole food sources of anything your body needs before resorting to supplements, so I made a list of what to eat to get each of the 3 major electrolytes – sodium, magnesium and potassium.

Here’s your keto diet cheat sheet for getting electrolytes from food:

Keto Diet Types

People follow a keto lifestyle for different reasons. Some do it just to lose weight, others are after better overall health, increased energy, and reduced inflammation.

Strictly speaking, the defining factor of a keto diet is the metabolic state of ketosis, which is achieved by restricting carbs. However, many people (myself included) also reduce or eliminate processed, inflammatory, or low-nutrient foods.

Below is your keto cheat sheet summary of the different ways that people follow keto. You choose what works best for your goals and lifestyle!

• Strict Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, count all calories and macros, and eat clean, unprocessed foods.
• Lazy Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, and track only net carbs OR eat keto foods without tracking.
• Dirty Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, with “if it fits your macros” approach including processed foods.
• Low Carb – Up to 50-100g net carbs daily, less strict.

For a more detailed listing of these different types of keto with pros and cons, grab the Easy Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF below!

Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?

Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:

1. Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
2. Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
3. Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
4. Keto food swaps (60+ swaps) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
5. Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
6. Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
7. Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
8. Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
9. FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.

Get The Printable Keto Cheat Sheet System (75 pages, Only $37!)

Peri Peri Chicken

You’ll love this peri peri chicken recipe! It features juicy, crispy chicken, an easy marinade, and spicy red pepper sauce on the side.

Scan this QR code with your phone’s camera for the full recipe, including tips, step-by-step photos, and storage, or to save it to your account. You can also find it at: https://www.wholesomeyum.com/peri-peri-chicken/

Ingredients

• 8 medium Bone-in chicken thighs (with skin)
• 1/4 cup Olive oil
• 2 tbsp Lemon juice
• 2 cloves Garlic (minced)
• 1 medium African bird’s eye chili pepper (minced; or other hot red pepper)
• 2 tsp Smoked paprika
• 2 tsp Oregano
• 1 tsp Sea salt
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper
• 1/2 recipe Peri peri sauce

Instructions

1. Make the peri peri sauce here . Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, garlic, Thai red chili, and spices.
3. Place the chicken thighs in a zip lock bag and pour the marinade over them. Seal the bag and shake well until the chicken thighs are fully coated. Marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight. (Do not marinate for longer than 24 hours.)
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
5. Place the chicken thighs in a baking dish in a single layer. (It’s okay for the pieces to touch a little but they should not be super crowded.) Bake for 40-45 minutes , or until they reach an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). (I recommend an internal temperature of at least 170 degrees F (77 degrees C) for dark meat which makes it more juicy and tender.)
6. Optional: Broil for 2-3 minutes , until the top of chicken thighs are a little crispy.
7. Serve peri peri chicken with peri peri sauce.

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 chicken thigh + 2 tablespoons sauce

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. :)