Peri Peri Chicken

• porties: 8 servings
• actieve tijd: 10 minutes
• totale tijd: 12 hours

Ingrediënten

2 ½-3 pounds bone-in chicken thighs

2 large red bell peppers

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium red onion, (chopped)

6 cloves garlic, (crushed)

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1/2 cup packed cilantro (optional, not authentic)

7-10 fresh Thai red chilies, (stems and seeds removed)

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/3 cup lemon juice

Zest of 1 lemon

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

Instructies

Roast the bell peppers: Rotate the peppers over the open flame of your gas stovetop, turning with tongs until blackened all over OR broil 4-6 inches away from the heat source. To broil, deseed and cut the bell peppers in quarters and place them skin side up on a foil lined baking sheet. Press them flat with your hand. Broil until they're blackened all over, 5 to 10 minutes. watching carefully and roating the pan as needed.

Sauté the aromatics: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, garlic and smoked paprika; sauté for 5-7 minutes, or until the onions are softened.

Blend: Add all of the ingredients to a blender up to the olive oil (including the onion mixture and roasted bell peppers). Blend to a smooth sauce or leave it a chunkier consistency. Stream in the olive oil just to combine.

Adjust to taste: The sauce should be a balance of fiery heat, sourness, saltiness and tanginess. Add additional chili seeds or red pepper flakes for spicier, vinegar for tangier, lemon juice for more sour.

Marinate: Add the chicken to a freezer bag or shallow dish. Pour half of the sauce over the chicken and turn to coat. Marinate for 2-24 hours (the longer the better).

Cook: The below baking and grilling instructions are for bone-in chicken thighs – adjust cooking time as needed for different cuts.

TO BAKE:

If you choose to cook the chicken in the oven, consider adding 2 teaspoons mesquite liquid smoke to the marinade for that smoky flavor.

Line a large baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Line the chicken in a single layer so the pieces aren't touching. Bake at 400 degrees F for 35-45 minutes (depending on thickness), until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F on an instant read thermometer, then allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Brush cooked chicken with desired amount of reserved Peri Peri Sauce (that never touched the raw chicken) and garnish with fresh herbs if desired. Note - the more sauce you add, the spicier the chicken!

TO GRILL:

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, 425-450°F with the lid closed, clean and grease grates with vegetable oil.

Grill chicken skin side down first (if leaving on). Grill for 5-7 minutes per side with the lid CLOSED, or until chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees F on an instant read thermometer. Adjust the temperature if the chicken is browning too quickly. Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Brush cooked chicken with desired amount of reserved Peri Peri Sauce (that never touched the raw chicken) and garnish with fresh herbs if desired. Note - the more sauce you add, the spicier the chicken!