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Piri Piri Chicken Legs and Thighs

Peri peri chicken is coated in a vibrant chile marinade made with garlic, Fresno peppers, habanero, sweet red pepper, smoked paprika, thyme, lemon juice, sherry vinegar, and olive oil. It brings a layered heat balanced by citrus, gentle sweetness, and smoky spice, while giving the chicken a beautiful color. Serve it for a lively barbecue, weeknight dinner, or casual gathering.

  • Prep30 mins
  • Cook45 mins
  • Serves4
  • DifficultyMedium
Piri Piri Chicken Legs and Thighs

easyChef Pro health score

Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Piri Piri Chicken Legs and Thighs, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.

46 Health Score
Glycemic ImpactFair
55 / 100
Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
Nutritional DensityPoor
17 / 100
Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
Energy DensityFair
56 / 100
Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
1 / 4
Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.

How it scores for each health goal

The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.

48
Heart Health
81
Metabolic
40
Digestive
28
Inflammatory
55
Performance
43
General Wellness
  1. 1

    Combine garlic, Fresno chili peppers, habanero pepper, bell pepper, smoked paprika, thyme, kosher salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, sugar, and onion powder in a blender. Pour in olive oil, sherry vinegar, and lemon juice; blend on high until marinade is completely smooth.

  2. 2

    Pour most of the marinade into a resealable plastic bag set in a bowl. Reserve the rest for serving on the side.

  3. 3

    Make 3 or 4 shallow cuts into the skin side of the chicken quarters. This will allow the sauce to penetrate the skin during marination. Season the chicken on both sides with kosher salt, and transfer it into the bag. Seal the top, and toss and massage the chicken until all pieces are completely and evenly coated with the marinade. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours.

  4. 4

    Preheat an outdoor charcoal grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.

  5. 5

    Remove the chicken from the marinade. Place it skin-side down on the hot grill over indirect heat. Cover to keep the coals from getting too hot. Cook covered for about 5 minutes, then turn the pieces over and grill for another 10 to 12 minutes. Keep turning the chicken pieces, brushing them with the reserved marinade as desired, until they are cooked through—this can take up to 1 hour depending on the grill temperature and the size of the chicken pieces.

  6. 6

    Serve with the reserved sauce.

  7. 7

    Serve with the reserved sauce.

About This Recipe

Piri Piri Chicken Legs and Thighs is made with 18 ingredients and serves 4. It takes about 1 hr 15 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Chicken Leg Quarters, and Chili Pepper. Each serving provides about 768.17 kcal, and is a good source of protein.

Recipe Questions

What is Piri Piri Chicken Legs and Thighs made of?
The main ingredients are Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Chicken Leg Quarters, Chili Pepper, Diced Bell Pepper. The full list of 18 is above.
How long does it take to make Piri Piri Chicken Legs and Thighs?
About 1 hr 15 mins in total: 30 mins to prepare and 45 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 768.17 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Piri Piri Chicken Legs and Thighs easy to make?
This recipe is rated medium, with 18 ingredients and 7 steps.
Is Piri Piri Chicken Legs and Thighs healthy?
Piri Piri Chicken Legs and Thighs has an easyChef Pro health score of 46/100. Per serving, it provides 768.17 calories and 64.18 g of protein, or 128% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of potassium and vitamin C. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 224.08 mg (10% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 8.75 g (44% of the Daily Value). It contains Citrus, Sulfites, Garlic, Onions and Alcohol, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.

How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products

easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.

The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.

Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.

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