Piri Piri Chicken

Piri piri (sometimes called peri peri) is a chicken recipe popular in Mozambique and other African nations. The bird is marinated in a hot pepper sauce made from pili pili (or African bird’s-eye) chile peppers. If you want, you can use it as a finishing sauce as well. It is not for the faint of tongue, so I have toned it down. Since pili pili chiles are hard to find, I’ve suggested that you use your favorite hot sauce. If you want it four-alarm hot, make the recipe, taste it, and add more heat. If you prefer, you can simply get fresh hot peppers, perhaps Thai bird peppers, remove the stems and seeds, and puree them in a food processor or blender and add them to the rest of the ingredients.

Makes 3 or 4 servings

Takes 20 minutes to make the marinade, overnight or longer to marinate, and 40 to 60 minutes to cook

• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• Zest and juice of 1 lime
• ¼ cup of your favorite hot sauce, or more, depending on your taste (see headnote)
• ¼ cup chopped red bell pepper
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 3 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 (3- to 4-pound) chicken, cut into 4 to 8 parts

1. Prep. In a blender, combine the lemon zest and juice, lime zest and juice, hot sauce, bell pepper, oil, garlic, paprika, oregano, ginger, and salt. Puree until smooth. Put a third of the marinade into a lidded jar and refrigerate to use later as a dipping sauce. Divide the rest of the marinade between two gallon-size zipper-top bags.

2. Divide the chicken parts between the bags and squish it around to coat with the marinade. Seal the bags, put them in a bowl, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. Every couple of hours, squish the bags a bit to make sure the chicken is well coated.

3. Fire up. Set up the grill for two-zone cooking. Try to get the indirect side in the 325°F range.

4. Cook. Place the chicken in the indirect zone and close the lid. Cook until the meat hits about 145°F, then move it to the direct-heat side and turn frequently until the surface darkens to brown, but not black, and the interior temperature hits 160°F.

5. Serve. Warm the reserved sauce and serve it alongside the meat for dipping.