Oven-Roasted Peri Peri Chicken and Potatoes
A Mozambique-inspired dish of chicken thighs marinated in a spicy, lemony peri peri sauce and roasted over sliced potatoes that absorb the flavorful drippings.
Peri peri (“pili pili” in Swahili) simply translates to “pepper pepper,” but this traditionally grilled chicken dish has much more flavor than heat. It may have been made globally famous by South African and Portuguese restaurants, but peri peri chicken can trace its origins to Mozambique, which was once a Portuguese colony. As its popularity grew across South Africa and Portugal, so did the variations. In this version, chicken thighs are marinated in a classic peri peri marinade of chiles, garlic, lemon and olive oil, then roasted over a bed of sliced potatoes, which soak up the spicy, lemony drippings. Be sure to reserve a little bit of the peri peri sauce to serve on the side.