Do you like spicy chicken and just can not find the perfect healthy Peri Peri chicken recipe? Look no further, this easy recipe is the best way to make it without being full of calories. We all much prefer to save them for a drink or dessert, don’t we?
Tips for making this healthy Peri Peri chicken
If you want to enjoy this recipe at its best then ensure you leave it in the fridge marinating overnight if possible. The recipe calls for an hour marinating but if you can leave it overnight you will get a deeper flavour.
Ensure you enjoy it thoroughly cooked in the oven for the best flavour but you could also fry, BBQ or griddle it and it would be pretty good too.
Using frozen chicken
Chicken for this Peri Peri chicken or any other chicken recipes should never be cooked from frozen, there are so many issues with this that risk food poisoning.
If you have just realised you only have frozen chicken there I have lots of tips to safely defrost chicken check them out in my defrosting chicken guide.
Making Peri Peri Quorn or Nandos style Quorn
It is really easy to adapt this recipe to use Quorn, as a vegetarian myself I do it often. I prefer Quorn fillets but you could use pieces if you prefer. It is always worth remembering that Quorn takes less time to cook when substituting it for chicken.
Check out my selection of Quorn recipes, all perfect for all the family whether vegetarian or not, some are vegan too.
Why you need vegetables to lose weight
Everyone knows vegetables are good for you, don’t they? They are healthy and filling for very few calories!
The best vegetables are those with low-calorie density. Basically, we are talking about healthier vegetables – potatoes don’t count but butternut squash is much healthier for example!
This means if you eat 100g of spinach, for example, it is just 23 calories and obviously, 100g of anything would fill you up significantly. On the other hand, 100g of crisps, which would be just as filling, is around 536 calories!
Find more tips about the best vegetables for weight loss.
Making a meal vegetarian easily
An easy way to make a meal vegetarian is to swap the meat for a vegetarian alternative such as Quorn. Other possible swaps are for jackfruit, lentils, chick peas, mixed beans or just extra vegetables.
The best way to make this Peri Peri chicken as a vegetarian dish is to simply swap the chicken breasts for Quorn fillets using 1-2 fillets per person depending on appetite. Instead of cooking the fillets in the oven just 10 minutes of frying will cook them perfectly. They will still need to be marinated as with the chicken to get the best flavours.
I have been a vegetarian since I was 10 years old and enjoy a huge variety of food so whatever you do, don’t let being vegetarian mean you need to eat a boring diet.
What to serve with the Peri Peri chicken
This chicken would be perfect with boiled rice or chips and some vegetables. If you worry that you can not boil rice then do not panic I have a foolproof way of boiling rice here.
More you may enjoy
If you love BBQ flavour foods or having a family BBQ then my healthy BBQ guide to help you have a healthy barbeque full of recipes and tips. Check out my summer recipes too.
If you would like more chicken-based recipes then check out all these healthy chicken recipes including chicken and mushroom curry and barbecue chicken.
Weight loss and Exercise Support
I have a lot of weight loss guides and support if you want to exercise including if you have a condition like fibromyalgia.
Have a good look around and see how I can help you achieve your weight loss goals. Request my free resources to get you started too!
Healthy Peri Peri chicken as a homemade Nandos
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 Portions 1x
- Category: Main Meal
- Method: Easy
- Cuisine: Portugese
- Diet: Low Calorie
Description
An easy to make healthy recipe for the perfect Peri Peri chicken.
Ingredients
1 large red pepper deseeded and sliced
1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped
1 tsp paprika
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 chicken breasts
Instructions
Use a hand blender to blend pepper, garlic, red wine vinegar, paprika, and a pinch each of salt and pepper into a rough paste.
Make three slashes in each chicken breast diagonally and place in a glass roasting dish.
Spoon over the marinade and put into the fridge overnight ideally but for an hour at the minimum.
When it is ready to cook preheat the oven to 200°c/ Gas 6/ fan 180°c.
Fry the chicken in a frying pan sprayed with low-calorie cooking spray over high heat for 2 minutes on each side or until browned slightly.
Return to the roasting dish and spoon the marinade over the chicken and roast for 15-20 minutes. Ensure it is cooked thoroughly using a food thermometer if in any doubt
Keywords: piri piri, chicken, piri piri chicken,BBQ, Nandos Peri Peri
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Yes please! Wow – didn’t realise that piri piri could be so simple and tasty.
★★★★★