Nando's-Style Quarter PERi-PERi Chicken (Copycat)

Name: Nando's-Style Quarter PERi-PERi Chicken (Copycat)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 2 chicken leg quarters (about 700 g total, skin on); 2 tbsp olive oil (for the marinade); 2 tsp chilli flakes (for the marinade); 4 cloves garlic (crushed, for the marinade); 1 lime (juiced, for the marinade); 2 tsp smoked paprika (for the marinade); 2 tsp dried oregano (for the marinade); 1 tsp salt (for the marinade); 1 tbsp lemon juice (to finish); black pepper (to taste)

Independent copycat-style recreation, not Nando's Australia’s official recipe (theirs is a trade secret) and not affiliated with Nando's Australia. This is a home version inspired by the menu item, worked out for a normal home kitchen.

A home version of the quarter PERi-PERi chicken format: a chicken leg quarter marinated in a lemon, garlic and chilli peri peri paste, then roasted until charred at the edges. Marinate for at least 1 hour, overnight is better. It has not been kitchen-tested for this site yet, so treat it as a starting point. The home cost below is an estimate for the ingredients listed, per serving.

Servings

15 min

Prep

40 min

Cook

55 min

Total

Medium

Difficulty

420

Est. calories / serving

What it costs: restaurant vs home

Option	Cost
Non-Veg1/4 PERi-PERi Chicken at Nando's Australia (typical price, from the menu page)	$11.95
This home version, per serving	$5
You save	$6.95 (58%)

Restaurant price is the typical figure from our Nando's Australia menu data (prices vary by location). Home cost is an estimate for the ingredients listed, per serving.

Ingredients

Amount	Ingredient	Note
2	chicken leg quarters	about 700 g total, skin on
2 tbsp	olive oil	for the marinade
2 tsp	chilli flakes	for the marinade
4 cloves	garlic	crushed, for the marinade
1	lime	juiced, for the marinade
2 tsp	smoked paprika	for the marinade
2 tsp	dried oregano	for the marinade
1 tsp	salt	for the marinade
1 tbsp	lemon juice	to finish
n/a	black pepper	to taste

Method

Mix the olive oil, chilli flakes, garlic, lime juice, smoked paprika, oregano, salt and pepper together into a paste.
Score the skin of each leg quarter lightly with a sharp knife, then rub the paste all over the chicken and turn to coat.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours for a deeper flavour.
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C and set the chicken on a roasting tray, skin side up.
Roast for 35 to 40 minutes until the skin is charred at the edges and the chicken is cooked through.
Rest the chicken for 10 minutes, drizzle with lemon juice, and serve with rice or chips.

Tips

Scoring the skin lets the marinade reach the meat instead of sitting on top.
An overnight marinade is worth the wait; the flavour goes right through the meat.
Resting before cutting keeps the juices in the chicken instead of on the board.

Allergen caution: whether the home version contains allergens depends entirely on the ingredients and brands you use. Check every label, and take extra care with shared surfaces and frying oil if anyone eating has an allergy.

Recipe credit: adapted in our own words from the tested recipe by Easy Peasy Foodie. Their Peri Peri Chicken (Nando's Copycat), tested in their kitchen with a chilli, garlic and lime marinade, was the reference point for the marinade and the roast method here. Our wording, quantities and method above are our own. The recipe above is complete as published here; the original is credited only as a reference for readers who want to compare: original tested recipe at Easy Peasy Foodie.

See the full Nando's Australia menu & prices The original item: Non-Veg1/4 PERi-PERi Chicken