Peri Peri Chicken on Chakalaka
Juicy pan-fried (or on the braai) peri peri chicken thighs served on top of a hearty homemade chakalaka, finished with a punchy peri peri butter drizzle. A bold, flavour-packed South African-inspired weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Peri Peri Sauce
- 8 red bird's eye chillies (or 6 chillies + 1 red pepper for a milder sauce)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 red pepper, deseeded, roughly chopped
- 60 ml olive oil
- 60 ml red wine vinegar
- 30 ml lemon juice
- 10 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml dried oregano
- 5 ml salt
- 2½ ml black pepper
Chakalaka
- 30 ml sunflower oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 15 ml fresh ginger, grated
- 1 green chilli, finely chopped (optional)
- 3 large carrots, coarsely grated
- 1 green pepper, diced small
- 1 red pepper, diced small
- 15 ml mild curry powder
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 2½ ml turmeric
- 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
- 15 ml tomato paste
- 400 g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 5 ml sugar
- salt and pepper
- 1 handful fresh coriander or parsley, chopped
Chicken
- 6 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
- 45 ml peri peri sauce (from above)
- 15 ml olive oil
- 5 ml salt
Peri Peri Butter
- 60 g butter, melted
- 30 ml peri peri sauce
- 15 ml lemon juice
- 1 handful parsley, chopped
Instructions
- 1
Make the peri peri sauce: char the red pepper and chillies under the grill or over a flame until blistered, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly.
- 2
Blitz the charred pepper and chillies with all remaining peri peri sauce ingredients in a blender until smooth-ish — keep some texture.
- 3
Simmer the blended sauce in a small pot for 10 minutes to mellow the raw garlic and bind the flavours. Bottle while warm. Set aside.
Tip: The sauce keeps for 3 weeks in the fridge and makes approximately 250 ml.
- 4
Rub the chicken thighs with 45 ml peri peri sauce, olive oil and salt. Marinate for 20 minutes while you make the chakalaka.
- 5
Make the chakalaka: heat sunflower oil in a wide pan. Fry the onion for 5 minutes until soft. Add garlic, ginger and chilli and cook for 1 minute.
- 6
Add the grated carrots and diced peppers. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring now and then, until they soften but still have some bite.
- 7
Stir in the curry powder, smoked paprika and turmeric. Cook for 1 minute.
- 8
Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and 100 ml water. Simmer for 10 minutes until thickened.
- 9
Fold in the cannellini beans gently — don't mash them — and warm through for 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the coriander or parsley off the heat.
- 10
Cook the chicken: pan-fry the marinated thighs skin-side down for 8 minutes on medium-high in a heavy pan with no extra oil — let the skin render.
- 11
Flip the chicken, drop the heat to medium, and cook for a further 10–12 minutes until the juices run clear (75°C internal temperature). Rest for 5 minutes on a board.
- 12
Make the peri peri butter: whisk together the melted butter, peri peri sauce, lemon juice and chopped parsley.
- 13
To serve, plate the chakalaka, place the chicken thighs on top, and drizzle the peri peri butter over everything. Serve extra peri peri sauce on the side for those who want more heat.
Notes & Tips
Peri peri sauce shelf life
The peri peri sauce makes approximately 250 ml and keeps for 3 weeks stored in a sealed bottle or jar in the fridge.
Milder sauce option
For a milder peri peri sauce, use 6 chillies and replace the extra chillies with an additional red pepper.