piri piri chicken

This is a Jamie Oliver meal... the Naked Chef if you don't know who he is. I had a huge crush on him when I was in Middle School when he was on Food Network. He's sure to provide some delicious ideas for meals- especially ones that you usually aren't familiar with. I had no idea what piri piri chicken was, but it sounded good so I went for it! Yea, it was good. The recipe, however, called for red bell pepper and no potatoes... so I switched it up a bit.

The piri piri marinade is pretty simple- the real player in this is the basil and the chiles. Jamie's recipe calls for bird's eye chilies, which I couldn't find in any grocery store I went to so, I just used some red jalapenos. Smoked paprika really adds some good flavor as well.

Little slices on the top of the chicken will allow the flavor to penetrate deeper...

So, instead of a red bell pepper, I went with a green. No big deal, just not quite so sweet. White potatoes are added as well to the dish before we pour on the piri piri sauce.

Rub that sauce all over the veggies, potatoes and chicken so it's coated evenly then one more step...

I added some whole peppers. Just for extra spice. You don't have to add this step, especially if you want to cut back on the spice, but just a few cherry or wax peppers right on top for a little more zing.

About an hour later, this is what comes out! Don't let the slightly burnt peppers alarm you- they're just a little more caramelized than the other (if I keep telling myself that, maybe it'll be true). But, really, I like them extra crispy. The potatoes should be soft, the chicken super moist and everything very flavorful. You'll love it!

Piri Piri Chicken
Compliments to Jamie Olive, the Naked Chef!
4 chicken thighs
1 small onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 red jalapeno
2 Tablespoons smoked paprika
Zest of 2 lemons
Juice of 1 lemon
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 Tablespoons white vinegar
Bunch of basil
1 green pepper, chopped
4 white potatoes, chopped
2 wax peppers, sliced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a food processor or blender, combine onion, garlic, jalapeno, paprika, lemon zest and juice, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and basil. Pulse to liquefy. Place chicken thighs, green bell pepper and potatoes in a shallow baking dish. Coat with sauce and rub to spread evenly. Top with wax peppers. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to an hour, until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are soft. Serve hot and enjoy!