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Piri-Piri Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes & Potatoes

Perfectly moist piri-piri spatckcocked chicken that’s bursting with sweet cherry tomatoes for a spicy, smoky, bright and deeply flavored summer supper cooked in single pan!
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Course: Dinner, Entree
Cuisine: Californian
Servings: 8
Author: Daniela Gerson

Ingredients

Piri-Piri Sauce

  • 4 cloves of garlic peeled
  • 2 shallots peeled & chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper seeded & chopped
  • 1 piri-piri (birds eychili pepper (or other small red chili peppeadd more to taste
  • ½ cup cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice and zest from 1-2 lemons
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt

Chicken

  • 2 ½ - 3 ½ pound chicken
  • 1 pound of baby potatoes cut in half can sub in baking potatoes cut into wedges
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 loaf of sturdy crusty bread (such as baguette or sourdough boulcut or town into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons of butter
  • 2 pints of cherry tomatoes 1/3 pint cut in half, optional
  • 4 thyme sprigs
  • kosher salt
  • black pepper

Instructions

  • Place all the piri-piri sauce ingredients together in the bowl of a food processor or blender; process until smooth. Reserve ½ cup of the marinade.
  • Try and season your spatchcocked chicken with salt. Smother marinade over chicken and refrigerate while prepping the rest of your ingredients (can leave in the marinating in the fridge up to 3 hours, take out 30 min before roasting).
  • Preheat oven to 400 F degrees. Cut baby potatoes in half or if using larger potatoes, cut into wedges. Toss potatoes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for 20 min, shaking pan occasionally.
  • While the potatoes roast, cube bread and cut half the cherry tomatoes in half (optional to cut tomatoes).
  • When the potatoes are ready, increase oven to 450 F degrees. Add the bread cubes and ¾ of the cherry tomatoes to the pan and toss all with the reserved sauce. Either all of it or save some to serve with the chicken. Add the thyme sprigs and place the chicken on top, spreading half the butter on the chicken.
  • Baste the chicken every 10-20 minutes, with the pan sauce and spread the remaining butter on the chicken about halfway through roasting, add the remaining cherry tomatoes (that are cut in halat this time.
  • Roast for about 40-50 minutes (exact time will depend on size of chicke), until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part reaches 165 Add flaky sea salt and freshly ground pepper, garnish with extra herbs and serve with any remaining sauce on the side.

Notes

  • Know where your chicken comes from! When possible, organic, antibiotic-free, air-chilled, free-range chicken
  • Buy local and organic tomatoes when possible. If you want to make the dish when tomatoes are not in season… simply omit. I have experimented with canned yet but you are welcome to!
  • Remember to baste the chicken while it cooks for the best, most flavorful results.
  • The sauce can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 4 days.
  • Leftover chicken will keep in the fridge up to 3 days.