Piri Piri Chicken (Galinha à Zambeziana)

About This Recipe

Galinha à Zambeziana (Zambezia-style chicken) is the crown jewel of Mozambican cuisine, combining the Portuguese love of the piri piri chilli — itself of African origin — with the country's coastal abundance of lemon and fresh ingredients. The bird is marinated for hours in a paste of bird's eye chillies, garlic, lemon juice, and butter, then grilled over charcoal until charred and smoky. This dish became internationally famous through the global spread of Nando's, the South African restaurant chain that based its entire concept on Mozambican piri piri chicken. Authentic versions in Maputo restaurants are far more fiery and complex.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1.5 kgwhole chicken, butterflied (or bone-in pieces)
• 8African bird's eye chillies (or 4 red chillies), roughly chopped
• 6 clovesgarlic
• 3 tbsplemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• 1 tsplemon zest
• 3 tbspbutter, melted
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 1 tspsweet paprika
• 1 tspdried oregano
• 1.5 tspsalt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 1 tbspred wine vinegar

Instructions

1. 1

   Make piri piri marinade

   Blend chillies, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, butter, olive oil, paprika, oregano, salt, pepper, and vinegar in a blender or food processor until smooth. Taste and adjust heat — add more chillies for extra fire.

2. 2

   Marinate chicken

   Score the chicken deeply with a sharp knife to allow the marinade to penetrate. Rub the piri piri paste all over and under the skin. Place in a covered dish and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.

3. 3

   Prepare grill

   Preheat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high heat. (Alternatively, use an oven at 200°C.)

4. 4

   Grill chicken

   Place chicken skin-side down on the grill. Cook for 20 minutes, then flip and cook for another 20–25 minutes, basting with reserved marinade every 10 minutes, until cooked through and well charred in places.

5. 5

   Rest and serve

   Rest the chicken for 10 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges, chips, rice, and extra piri piri sauce on the side.

Variations

• •

  Make a milder version by deseeding the chillies and using fewer of them.

• •

  Use the same marinade on prawns for Mozambican piri piri prawns.

• •

  Add coconut milk to the marinade for a creamier, coastal twist.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Leftovers keep refrigerated for up to 3 days. Cold piri piri chicken is excellent in sandwiches.

Frequently Asked Questions