Healthy Peri Peri chicken recipe for a homemade Nandos

Do you like spicy chicken and 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?

Is this a fakeaway Nando’s?

This Nando’s style peri peri chicken recipe could save your attempts at healthy eating as well as your efforts to stick to a lower budget.

Most of us enjoy a good meal out, and who doesn’t like cheeky Nando’s? Well, your bank manager might not be as for many of us.

Times are hard due to cost-of-living increases, so belts are being tightened in as many places as possible.

However, this doesn’t mean you have to miss out, as this recipe tastes incredible and is a winner for having a group of friends over for a night of laughs and good food!

Portuguese Cuisine

Portuguese food tends to revolve around meat, fish, seafood, vegetables and spices.

Heavily influenced by the spice trade links to Asia, North America and South America, as well as France and the Med, you may find it hard to pinpoint exactly what Portuguese food will bring.

In fact, it is famous for many delicious dishes, including pastel de nata (Portuguese custard tarts – a favourite of mine!), cataplana (a Portuguese stew usually containing pork and/or seafood) and peri peri chicken.

Tips for making Peri Peri Chicken for the family

My version of this dish is made family-friendly by excluding chilli from it. However, if your children like a bit more spice, feel free to add a little when you make the paste.

Don’t worry about chopping it too finely, but unless you want to blow someone’s head off, remove the seeds (if it’s a hot chilli) and wash your hands well.

The paste you make can be used as a marinade. While an hour in the fridge is sufficient time to allow the flavours to really soak into the meat, overnight is much better.

Frying for a couple of minutes on each side, using a low-calorie spray, ensures the flavours are trapped in the chicken much better than if you put it straight into the oven to cook, so don’t omit this stage.

Ensure you enjoy it thoroughly cooked in the oven for the best flavour, but you could also fry, BBQ or griddle it, which would be pretty good too.

To serve, peri peri chicken pairs nicely with fluffy white rice. I know it can be a challenge to get it just right, which is why I have written about how to boil rice in a foolproof way (it is possible – I promise!).

Other options would be some paprika roasted potatoes (I love making these in my air fryer and they are so simple!) and roasted vegetables (peppers, courgettes, aubergine and red onion are my favourites).

Diet Friendly Dishes

A surefire way to increase the chance of sticking to a low-calorie diet is by ensuring the food you prepare is tasty.

A few substitutions can make the process a lot easier. I wouldn’t be without low-calorie cooking spray and use this liberally instead of olive oil in many things.

Some people are dubious about the damage it causes to pans and trays, though, which is understandable. If you encounter this, try investing in an oil sprayer.

Using one of these will distribute whatever oil you fill it with (I prefer olive oil) over the pan or tray without you throwing glugs of it in, thus jeopardising your weight loss journey.

Bulking out meals with sides of vegetables and salads can be helpful, too, as it lessens the chances of feeling hungry after eating.

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, I have many tips for defrosting the chicken safely. Check them out in my defrosting chicken guide.

Making Peri Peri Quorn or Nandos style Quorn or vegetarian alternatives

It is easy to adapt this recipe to use Quorn; I do it often as a vegetarian.

The best way to make this Peri Peri chicken as a vegetarian dish is to swap the chicken breasts for Quorn fillets using 1-2 per person depending on appetite.

I prefer Quorn fillets, but you could use pieces if you prefer. It is always worth remembering that Quorn takes less cooking time when substituting it for chicken.

Instead of cooking the fillets in the oven, just 10 minutes of frying will cook them perfectly. They must still be marinated like the chicken to get the best flavours.

Check out my selection of Quorn recipes, all perfect for all the family, whether vegetarian or not; some are vegan too.

How to serve 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 want more chicken-based recipes, check out these healthy chicken recipes, including chicken and mushroom curry and barbecue chicken.

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