Australia · Nando's Australia · Recipes
Portuguese Chicken and Rice (Copycat)
A home version of the one-pot Portuguese chicken and rice format: chicken thighs tossed in a paprika, garlic and oregano rub, seared, then steamed in the same pot with turmeric rice, capsicum, peas and stock. The rice absorbs the chicken juices as it cooks. It has not been kitchen-tested for this site yet, so treat it as a starting point. The home cost below is an estimate per serving.
What it costs: restaurant vs home
| Option | Cost |
|---|---|
| Non-VegPaella at Nando's Australia (typical price, from the menu page) | $14.95 |
| This home version, per serving | $8 |
| You save | $6.95 (46%) |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 500 g | boneless skinless chicken thighs | cut into bite-size pieces |
| 2 tsp | paprika | for the chicken rub |
| 1 tsp | garlic powder | for the chicken rub |
| 1 tsp | dried oregano | for the chicken rub |
| 0.25 tsp | ground coriander | for the chicken rub |
| 0.25 tsp | cayenne pepper | optional, for the chicken rub |
| 1 tbsp | brown sugar | for the chicken rub |
| 1 tsp | salt | for the chicken rub |
| 1 tbsp | olive oil | for the chicken rub |
| 0.5 tbsp | lemon juice | for the chicken rub |
| 2 tbsp | olive oil | for cooking |
| 2 cloves | garlic | finely minced |
| 1 | small onion | diced |
| 1 | red capsicum | deseeded and diced |
| 1.5 cups | basmati rice | or long grain rice |
| 2 tsp | turmeric powder | n/a |
| 0.25 tsp | chilli flakes | optional |
| 2.25 cups | chicken stock | low sodium |
| 1 cup | frozen peas | n/a |
| 0.5 tsp | salt | for the rice |
| n/a | peri-naise or pink sauce | to drizzle, optional |
| n/a | spring onion | finely sliced, to garnish |
Method
- Mix the rub ingredients in a bowl, add the chicken pieces and toss until well coated. Set aside while you prepare the rest.
- Heat the cooking oil in a large heavy pot over high heat and sear the chicken in a single layer until the outside is sealed and lightly coloured but still raw inside, then lift it out with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind.
- In the same pot, cook the garlic and onion for about a minute, then add the capsicum and cook for another minute and a half until the onion is soft.
- Stir in the rice so every grain is coated in the flavoured oil, then add the turmeric, chilli flakes if using, chicken stock, peas and salt, and return the chicken with any juices from its bowl.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, put the lid on and cook on low for 15 minutes without lifting the lid or stirring.
- Check quickly that the liquid is absorbed, then take the pot off the heat and rest with the lid on for 10 minutes.
- Fluff the rice with a fork to mix the chicken through, spoon into bowls, drizzle with peri-naise if using, and scatter spring onion over the top.
Tips
- Searing the chicken first, then removing it, stops it overcooking while the rice steams.
- A gentle simmer is the key: a rapid boil burns the base, while no simmer at all leaves the rice bloated and mushy.
- The 10 minute rest matters, it lets the grains finish cooking and dry out to fluffy instead of wet.
Recipe credit: adapted in our own words from the tested recipe by RecipeTin Eats. Their Nandos Portuguese Chicken and Rice one-pot recipe was the reference point for the dry rub, the sear then steam method and the turmeric rice 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 RecipeTin Eats.
See the full Nando's Australia menu & prices The original item: Non-VegPaella