Grilled Chicken with Chili Pepper Sauce (Mozambican Peri Peri Chicken)

Mozambican peri peri chicken is often considered to be the national dish of Mozambique. This chicken demonstrates the influence of the Portuguese in the cuisine. It is crazy hot, spicy and delicious. Of course you can make the sauce to your own heat tolerance but it should burn a bit to be authentic. The African bird’s eye is the chili that is used for the peri-peri. It ranks 175,000 on the Scoville scale a bit milder than a habanero or scotch bonnet.  Different chilies impart different heat and flavours to the sauce, it is okay to use what you like but if you want total authenticity then you should try to find the African bird’s eye. It was common for people to flock to Mozambique in the hay-day to enjoy this dish. It is typically served with some chips (fries) a salad and of course some extra peri-peri sauce.

1 cup peri peri sauce
1 whole chicken, cut into pieces or spatchcocked, skin-on
1 lemon

Wash the poultry with lemon.

Marinade the chicken pieces or spatchcocked chicken in ¾ cup peri peri sauce for at least two hours, but best overnight.

Heat your grill to medium high.

Grill the chicken until the internal temp reaches 165°F.

Baste with the peri-peri sauce often while grilling.

Serve with some extra sauce and some chip (fries).

Makes 4 servings.