Smokey Peri Peri Chicken

Name: Smokey Peri Peri Chicken
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 kg chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on); 14 cloves garlic; 2 Scotch bonnet peppers, seeded; 2 red bell peppers, diced; 2 ¼ tbsp smoked paprika; 2 ¼ tsp dried thyme; 2 tsp coarse sea salt (plus extra to season meat); 2 ¼ tsp black pepper; 2 ¼ tsp cayenne pepper; 2 ¼ tsp white sugar; 1 ⅛ tsp onion granules; 1 ⅛ cups olive oil; ¾ cup red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar; Juice of 4 ½ lemons; 1 tbsp of tomato paste

11 steps

Prep:30minCook:2h

Updated at: Mon, 13 Jul 2026 11:10:56 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Unbalanced

Glycemic Index

Low

Glycemic Load

Low

Nutrition per serving

Calories771.4 kcal (39%)

Total Fat63.3 g (90%)

Carbs6.5 g (3%)

Sugars2.6 g (3%)

Protein42.2 g (84%)

Sodium589.5 mg (29%)

Fiber1 g (3%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

12 servings

3kgchicken thighs

bone-in, skin-on

14 clovesgarlic

2Scotch bonnet peppers

seeded

2red bell peppers

diced

2 ¼ Tbspsmoked paprika

2 ¼ tspdried thyme

2 tspcoarse sea salt

plus extra to season meat

2 ¼ tspblack pepper

2 ¼ tspcayenne pepper

2 ¼ tspwhite sugar

1 ⅛ tsponion granules

1 ⅛ cupsolive oil

¾ cupred wine vinegar

or apple cider vinegar

4.5lemons

Juice of

1 Tbsptomato paste

Instructions

Step 1

Cut 3 to 4 shallow slits into the skin of each chicken thigh.

Step 2

Add the garlic, Scotch bonnets, bell peppers, smoked paprika, dried thyme, measured sea salt, black pepper, cayenne, sugar, and onion granules to a blender.

garlic14 cloves

Scotch bonnet peppers2

red bell peppers2

smoked paprika2 ¼ Tbsp

dried thyme2 ¼ tsp

coarse sea salt2 tsp

black pepper2 ¼ tsp

cayenne pepper2 ¼ tsp

white sugar2 ¼ tsp

onion granules1 ⅛ tsp

tomato paste1 Tbsp

Step 3

Pour in the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and lemon juice. Blend on high until completely smooth.

olive oil1 ⅛ cups

red wine vinegar¾ cup

lemons4.5

Step 4

Set aside ¼ of the sauce in the fridge to serve with the cooked chicken later.

Step 5

Season both sides of the chicken generously with extra coarse sea salt.

Step 6

Place the chicken skin-side down on the grill, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.

Step 7

Transfer the chicken to a large container. Pour in the remaining ¾ of the blended marinade.

Step 8

Seal the bag and massage the chicken until fully coated. Refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours.

Step 9

Preheat a grill for low indirect heat and add the marinade on top (from the raw chicken), smoke the chicken on low for atleast an hour. This step keeps the chicken moist while its being cooked.

Step 10

Once chicken is done move it to an oven and dab some of the separate sauce and ensure chicken is cooked to atleast 78 degrees so its fork tender

Step 11

Serve the chicken with the reserved sauce that was set aside in step 3 if needed