Peri-peri chicken and chips
50 min · 49 g protein · 447 cals / serving
The takeaway favorite done at home: chicken breasts marinated in a fiery blend of red chili, garlic, lemon and smoked paprika, with air-fried chips, a cool peri-peri yogurt mayo and a crunchy salad. All the heat and char, a fraction of the oil.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb chicken breast, halved horizontally into thin cutlets
Peri-peri marinade
- 2–4 red chili peppers, bird's eye or red chilies, stems removed
- 1/2 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp paprika, smoked
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp olive oil
Peri-peri mayo
- 2/3 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp light mayonnaise
Salad
- 1 large heart romaine lettuce, shredded
- 1/2 large cucumber, sliced
- 2 large tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
Steps
- Blend the chilies, red pepper, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, paprika, oregano, salt and oil to a smooth, loose sauce. Spoon 2 tablespoons into a small bowl and stir in the yogurt and light mayo: that is the peri-peri mayo. Chill it.
- Pour the rest of the marinade over the chicken in a bowl and turn to coat. Marinate at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours in the fridge.
- Rinse the cut potatoes, pat them very dry, toss with the teaspoon of oil and a pinch of salt. Air-fry at 400°F for 18–22 minutes, shaking twice, until golden and crisp. Work in batches if the basket is crowded.
- Meanwhile, cook the chicken in a very hot grill pan or on an outdoor grill, 3–4 minutes a side, brushing on the marinade left in the bowl during the first couple of minutes only, until charred in places and 165°F in the thickest part. Rest 5 minutes, then slice.
- Toss the lettuce, cucumber, tomato and red onion. Serve the chicken with the chips, the salad and a big spoonful of peri-peri mayo.
Good to know
How hot is it?
Two red chilies make it medium; four bird's eye chilies make it properly hot. Taste the blended marinade and add more chili before the chicken goes in, not after.
Thighs instead of breasts?
Boneless thighs are juicier and more forgiving on a hot grill, at a score of about 60 instead of 69. Cook them to the same 165°F.
No air fryer?
Roast the chips on a lined tray at 425°F for 30–35 minutes, turning once, in a single layer.
Per
- Calories
- 101
- Protein
- (44%)
- 11 g
- Fat
- (21%)
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- (35%)
- 9 g
- of which sugar
- 2 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 165 mg
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Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. General guidance, not medical advice. Talk to your prescriber. How
As written, 1790 kcal goes into the pot and 2241 g of ingredients comes out as about 1770 g of food: 101 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.