Peri-peri chicken traces back to Portuguese traders who found the fiery African bird’s eye chilli growing wild in Mozambique and worked it into a marinade with garlic and citrus. That marinade travelled south into South African kitchens and onto the braai, where the open fire gave it a second life — the chilli paste rubbed under the skin, the chicken flattened out so it cooks evenly over the coals.
The paste itself gets its depth from braaiing the vegetables before they’re blended, not just tipping raw onion and pepper into a food processor. We build ours around Wilson’s Peri-Peri Flavoured Oil, which carries the chilli heat evenly through the paste instead of leaving hot pockets in some bites and none in others.
Here’s our full peri-peri braai chicken, from the paste to the last baste before it comes off the fire.
Peri-Peri Braai Chicken
Ingredients
Method
- Braai (or char under a hot grill) the onion, red pepper and garlic until blackened in patches, about 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally.
- Transfer the charred vegetables to a blender or food processor with the chillies, smoked paprika, Wilson's Peri-Peri Flavoured Oil, vinegar, lemon juice and salt. Blend until you have a rough, spoonable paste.
- Spatchcock the chicken by cutting out the backbone with kitchen scissors and pressing down firmly on the breastbone to flatten it.
- Rub the paste all over the chicken, working some of it under the skin. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight for the best flavour.
- Prepare a medium braai fire, banking the coals to one side for indirect heat.
- Place the chicken skin-side up over the indirect heat, cover loosely with foil, and braai for about 35 minutes.
- Move the chicken over direct heat to finish, basting with extra Wilson's Peri-Peri Flavoured Oil and turning every 5 minutes, until the skin is charred and the juices run clear, about 10 minutes more.
- Rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Notes
We Use Peri-Peri Flavoured Oil
A whole spatchcocked chicken spends close to an hour over the coals, most of it away from direct flame. Wilson’s Peri-Peri Flavoured Oil is what keeps the skin from drying out over that stretch, carrying the chilli, garlic and paprika into the meat every time you baste.
It also binds the paste itself. Braaied onion, pepper and garlic blend into something closer to a rough puree than a marinade, and the oil is what turns that puree into a coating that actually clings to the skin instead of sliding off into the coals.
Every baste after that adds another thin layer, which is why the last five minutes of basting matter as much as the first.
Our Tips
Char the vegetables properly. Blackened patches on the onion and pepper are where the smoky flavour in the paste comes from, so don’t pull them off the fire too soon.
Get the backbone out cleanly. A pair of kitchen scissors makes spatchcocking far easier than a knife, and a flat bird cooks far more evenly than a whole one.
Marinate overnight if you can. Two hours works, but the paste reaches further into the meat given a full night in the fridge.
Start over indirect heat. Banking the coals to one side stops the skin from burning before the inside is cooked through.
Turn every five minutes once it’s over direct heat. Regular turning builds an even char instead of one scorched side.
Check the thigh, not the breast. The thickest part of the thigh is the last to cook through, so that’s where to test for clear juices.
How We Serve It
A carving board and a stack of roosterkoek is really all this chicken needs. Torn open straight off the fire, the bread soaks up whatever’s dripped off the chicken while it rested.
A sharp, cold side balances the heat well. A simple tomato and onion salad with a squeeze of lemon does the job, and so does a scoop of pap if the table’s after something heartier.
This is a hands-on meal. Pull it apart at the table and let people go back for the charred bits first.
More Ways to Use Peri-Peri Flavoured Oil
A bottle of Wilson’s Peri-Peri Flavoured Oil earns its place well beyond one braaied chicken.
For a Durban classic — it’s the base the whole curry builds on in our Bunny Chow.
For a fiery dip — it’s whisked in at the end to emulsify our Peri Mayo.
For the side of the braai you didn’t plan for — brushed onto bread before it hits the grid in our Braai Toasties.
For fish night — it finishes the whole tray in our Fish Traybake.
For a cheese board with a kick — a small dish alongside for dipping bread and biltong works just as well as any chutney.
The Good Stuff About Peri-Peri Flavoured Oil
Wilson’s flavoured oils are built on a blend of extra virgin olive oil and canola oil, infused with real peri-peri chilli rather than a bottled essence stirred through at the end. That’s what gives the paste its chilli character without needing a separate bottle of hot sauce alongside it.
250ml / 1L
Bottle Sizes
6x250ml / 6x1L
Case Options
Bread, Cheese Boards, Nachos
Pairs Well With
Ways to Change It Up
Use chicken pieces instead of a whole bird. Thighs and drumsticks take the same paste well and cook faster than a spatchcocked chicken.
Turn the heat down. Halve the chillies in the paste for a milder version that still carries the smoky flavour.
Turn the heat up. Add an extra chilli or two, or leave the seeds in, for a version closer to a proper Mozambican peri-peri.
Try it on prawns. The same paste works brushed onto prawn skewers, which need only a few minutes a side.
Swap the lemon for naartjie. A splash of naartjie juice in the paste, while they’re still in season, gives a softer citrus note than lemon.
Questions You Might Have
What does spatchcocking a chicken actually mean?
It means removing the backbone and pressing the chicken flat so it lies open. The flatter shape cooks far more evenly over coals than a whole trussed bird.
Can I make the peri-peri paste ahead of time?
Yes, it keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days, which makes marinating overnight easy to plan around.
Can I cook this in the oven instead of on the braai?
Yes. Roast it skin-side up at 200C for about 45 minutes, basting every 10 to 15 minutes, though you’ll lose the smokiness a real fire adds.
Why braai the vegetables before blending them into the paste?
Charring the onion, pepper and garlic first adds a smoky depth that raw vegetables blended straight into the paste simply don’t have.
Can I freeze the marinated chicken?
Yes, it freezes well for up to 2 months once it’s coated in the paste. Thaw it fully in the fridge before it goes on the fire.
What should I serve with peri-peri braai chicken?
Roosterkoek, pap or a simple tomato and onion salad all work well, especially with something cold to balance the chilli.
Where can I buy Wilson’s Peri-Peri Flavoured Oil?
It’s available to order directly from oliveoil.co.za and at leading retailers across South Africa.
Ready to Make This?
Get the oil that turns a raw peri-peri paste into a proper braai baste, then get the fire going.
More From Our Kitchen
Homemade Roosterkoek — Braai Toasties — Lamb Potjie — All Recipes
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