Peri-Peri Grilled Chicken: A Marinade Worth The Wait

Good peri-peri chicken isn't about a quick brush at the end, it's about time. Letting the chicken sit in the sauce for a few hours means the heat, tang, and paprika oil actually work their way into the meat, not just sit on the surface. Basted again on the grill, it builds a sticky, charred crust that's the whole point of the dish. This recipe leans on Karimix Piri Piri Sauce for both the marinade and the finishing baste, and the result is chicken with real depth, not just a coating of heat.

Here's how we put it together, along with the products we used from our range.

Why This Combination Works

A marinade needs time to do its job, the acid and spice in a good piri-piri sauce slowly break down the surface of the meat and carry flavour further in than a last-minute brush ever could. Karimix Piri Piri Sauce is built for exactly this, heat, tang, and paprika oil in one product, so there's no need to build a separate marinade base. Basting again on the grill in the final few minutes lets the sugars in the sauce catch and caramelise, giving the charred, sticky finish that makes peri-peri chicken so recognisable.

What You'll Need

Serves 4 | Prep: 10 mins + at least 4 hrs marinating | Cook: 20-25 mins

  • 4 Plain Whole Chicken Breast Fillets, or 8 chicken thighs Brayne & Price #55800 — Marinated Meats & Meat range
  • Karimix Piri Piri Sauce (2.5 Ltr), plus extra for basting Brayne & Price #90166 — Mayonnaise & Sauce range
  • Salt, to season
  • Fresh coriander, roughly chopped, to finish (optional)
  • Lemon wedges, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Marinate. Place the chicken in a bowl or bag and coat generously with Karimix Piri Piri Sauce, making sure every piece is well covered. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, for the deepest flavour.

2. Bring to room temperature. Remove the chicken from the fridge 20-30 minutes before cooking so it cooks more evenly.

3. Grill. Season lightly with salt and grill over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until the chicken is nearly cooked through and starting to char at the edges.

4. Baste in the final minutes. In the last 3-5 minutes of cooking, brush the chicken generously with a fresh layer of Karimix Piri Piri Sauce. Keep turning so the glaze catches evenly without burning.

5. Rest and finish. Rest the chicken for a few minutes once cooked through, then finish with chopped coriander and a squeeze of lemon if using.

6. Serve. Serve hot, with any extra warmed Piri Piri Sauce on the side for drizzling.

A Few Notes From the Kitchen

Marinate longer, not shorter, the difference between a 30-minute marinade and a 4-hour one is significant with this sauce. Keep a close eye on the grill once the final baste goes on, as the sugars in the sauce can catch quickly on a hot flame. These work equally well cooked on a griddle pan indoors if grilling outdoors isn't an option.

The Karimix Piri Piri Sauce is available from Brayne & Price — visit brayneandprice.com to order.

Other Products That Pair Well With Karimix Piri Piri Sauce (#90166)

The piri-piri sauce is a versatile marinade and glaze well beyond grilled chicken. Here's what else from our range works with it:

  • Raw King Prawns P/D (8/12) #08931 — the classic peri-peri pairing, glazed on skewers
  • Sliced Chorizo (500g) #04000 — pan-fry and finish with a spoonful for a punchy tapas-style plate
  • Hot & Spicy Chicken Wings (1.5kg) #13020 — toss through for an extra layer of peri-peri heat
  • Kebab Sticks Chicken Tikka and Peppers (2kg) #16010 — brush with the sauce halfway through grilling
  • Southern Fried Chicken Goujons (1kg) #13400 — dip straight into warmed piri-piri sauce for a sharing starter
  • Plain Sliced Chicken Fillet (500g / 1kg) #55710 / #55700 — marinate and pan-fry for a quicker weeknight version

All available from brayneandprice.com.