Nando's Portuguese chicken and rice - one pot recipe

Name: Nando's Portuguese chicken and rice - one pot recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: European, Portuguese
Ingredients: 500g/1 lb chicken thighs (, boneless, skinless, cut into bite size pieces (Note 1)); 2 tsp paprika ((regular/sweet, not spicy)); 1 tsp garlic powder ((substitute large garlic clove, minced)); 1 tsp dried oregano; 1/4 tsp coriander; 1/4 tsp cayenne ((can omit for zero spicy)); 1 tbsp brown sugar; 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt ((+50% for flakes, halve for table salt)); 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1/2 tbsp lemon juice ((substitute apple cider vinegar)); 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 2 garlic cloves (, finely minced); 1 small onion (, diced); 1 red capsicum ((bell pepper), deseeded, chopped into 1cm/0.4" squares); 1 1/2 cups basmati rice ((or long grain rice or medium grain rice) (Note 2)); 1/4 tsp chilli flakes / red pepper flakes ((omit for not spicy)); 2 tsp turmeric powder; 2 1/4 cups chicken stock/broth (, low sodium); 1 cup frozen peas ((still frozen)); 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt ((+50% for flakes, halve for table salt)); Perinaise ((I use the quick dry spices version), Pink Sauce (Note 4) or any of the other sauce suggestions listed in post); Green onion (, finely sliced)

Instructions

Prep:15minCook:25min

Recipe video above. My friend calls this Portuguese biryani. I know there's 1 billion Indians crying right now, but it describes this perfectly! A Nando's* inspired recipe with Peri Peri rub sprinkled on chicken then cooked in the same pot with a Nando's copycat spicy rice. Essentially a one pot version of Nando's paella! It's seriously good, the rice alone puts Nando's to shame. Don't skip the Peri-naise. :-)* Portuguese chicken restaurant chain, bit of a cult following. Do you have it where you are?UPDATE: A few readers left feedback saying they thought it was bland, if you use chicken stock/broth, the spices and the amount of salt specified in the ingredients, this just isn't possible! :) Please make sure you're using the right amount of salt!

Updated at: Wed, 29 Oct 2025 01:40:05 GMT