Peri Peri Chicken Wings

I’m just going to pretend that the weather is warming up and that it is just too hot to turn on the oven.

Well, that’s a huge stretch.  Still unusually chilly here in Toronto, especially for May long weekend.  It’s supposed to be the weekend of grilling, bbq, picnics, camping etc.  And instead, it is supposed to be a rainy, chilly overcast three days.  So we’re hunkering down with outdoor food, indoors.

Our favourite things to grill: sausages, steaks, burgers, ribs, and of course chicken, in all forms.  A good wing is right up there with all the rest.  So here is a great recipe that will work on your grill, or in the oven if you must (like in the middle of winter when you are still craving wings with some char)

I decided to hit up Portugal for the flavour profile.  Peri Peri sauce is such a wonderfully bright and slightly spicy sauce, without being overpowering.  I worked in a kitchen with a good friend whose Portuguese mother taught her well.  She made me memorize her piri piri sauce. I hope I can do her justice as well.  And I have heard through the grapevine that African countries also have a version of Peri Peri or Piri Piri. It may have come over from Portugal, but South Africa, Mozambique and Angola all love their Piri Piri as well!  Back here in Ontario, one of my all time favourite chicken dishes is Portuguese Chicken and Potatoes. The spices, the garlic, the lemon, everything comes together to create the perfect flavour profile.  And the creamy roasted potatoes get me weak in the knees every time.  There’s a great Portuguese bakery/restaurant in Brampton, Ontario that makes it simply the best!

This simple marinade works on all forms of chicken, whether thighs or legs on the bone, whole chicken, or like today, the wings.  You can also use boneless breasts, but be prepared for a much shorter cooking time.  Still baste it well, just so that it doesn’t dry out.

I love any chicken recipe that calls for a marinade.  In fact, when I’m really on my A-game, I will prep chicken for the freezer by putting it in the marinade in freezer bags.  This way, as it thaws, it will already start marinating in the most luscious way possible.  And less work the day of, or the night before.

When grilling wings indoors, the ideal setting is on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet.  This way the chicken can get the heat travelling all around it, and not sit in the basting juices, causing the underbelly to be somewhat soggy.  So I like to spray a large cooling rack, and set out the marinated chicken pieces on it, tucking the tip under the wing next to it, to avoid it getting scorched.  Of course this only applies to whole chicken wings, not wings that have been trimmed and turned into the little drummie and saftety pin shapes. 

Oven roast at 425F, basting and turning occasionally till both sides are nice and golden brown, with the perfect amount of burnish.  After the first hour, they should be done, but you can still turn on the broiler to give them a final bit of healthy colour.  Just watch so that they don’t burn.

Of course, you can use this marinade to roast an entire chicken, in a baking dish.  Baste with the juices and marinade.  Roast till internal temp is 165F in the thickest part of the thigh. 

Serve this with a good pasta salad, corn on the cob, grilled potatoes, fries, or even a good horiatiki salad.  This time around I baked up some homemade potato chips and served it with a fun pickle onion dip.  Cuz we’re adults and can eat whatever we want! Life is good, even if it isn’t warm.  Yet.

Oh, here is my Potato Chips recipe, with a fun dip, Jim loves it!! 

Love Jen

5 from 1 vote

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Peri Peri Chicken Wings

Juicy, tangy and spiced with citrus and paprika, with just enough heat to make these wings a treat, whether grilled or roasted in the oven.

Course Main Course

Cuisine portuguese

Keyword chicken wings, paprika, peri peri

Prep Time 3 hours

Cook Time 1 hour

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 4 cloves of garlic minced well
• 1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika
• 1 small red chilli chopped finely, can use an additional one if desired
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes more if you like it spicy
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 lemon Juice and zest
• 1 orange juice only
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 lb Chicken wings
• 1-2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp smoked sweet paprika for sprinkling on before roasting
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley to serve optional

Instructions

1. Combine the garlic, paprika, chilli pepper, chilli flakes, black pepper and oregano in a medium bowl. Mix well.
2. Add the lemon juice and zest, orange juice and olive oil. Whisk till well blended.
3. Pat the chicken wings dry and place them into a shallow bowl where they can sit in one layer, or into a large freezer bag.
4. Pour the marinade over the chicken and massage it into all the nooks and crannies. Let it marinate for at least 3 hours to overnight. This can be started in the morning and left in the fridge to marinate. Turn and rub the marinade into the chicken occasionally.
5. Preheat the oven to 425F
6. Prepare a large baking sheet with a layer of foil covering the bottom. Lay a large cooling rack over the baking sheet. Spray the cooling rack. Lay the chicken wings skin side up in one layer on the rack, tucking the tip of the wing under the piece next to it. This is unnecessary if using wings that have already been trimmed and separated into the drummie and safety pin. Save the extra marinade for basting.
7. Sprinkle all the wings with 2 tsp of paprika.
8. Bake for 20 minutes, turn and baste. Repeat two more times. End with the skin side up, and baste one more time. The internal temperature should reach 165F to be done.
9. If you want a bit more colour, feel free to turn on the broiler. But watch the chicken, it can quickly go from burnished to burnt.
10. Gently brush the chicken with any remaining pan juices and served sprinkled with fresh parsley.
11. Alternatively you can grill these outside on your grill.
12. Heat the grill to 350-375F
13. Place the chicken on the grill, skin side up. Cook for 10 minutes. Flip and cook another 10 minutes. Baste as desired. Continue until a lovely burnished hue and internal temperature has reached 165F