Peri Peri Chicken and Spicy Rice
I love peri peri rice and chicken! I have made it so many times and every time I make it, my husband and I fall in love with this dish all over again!
We love adding a simple side salad to it. The trick to getting all the yummy flavors is to quite literally add your rice, chicken, and a bit of salad with some lime squeezed on top of your spoon, for every. single. bite. You'll thank me later. ;)
Not only is this dish so colorful, but it's packed with so many flavors. Every bite is worth it. Let's get into the ingredients for this beautiful dish, and you'll see just how flavorful it is by reading the ingredients list:
Ingredients (Chicken Marinade)
- 8 Chicken Wings or 2 Chicken Breasts
- 1 Onion
- 7 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Lime
- 7 Peri Peri Chilies
- 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1.5 tbsp Paprika
- 1 tbsp Oregano
- 1 tsp Coriander
- 2 tsp Sugar
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Vinegar
- 7 tbsp Cooking Oil
Ingredients (Spicy Rice)
- 1 Onion
- 5 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Tomato or 8 Cherry Tomatoes
- 2 or 3 Bell Peppers
- 3 Whole Peri Peri Chilies
- 7 tbsp Cooking Oil
- 2 tsp Red Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 2 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 2.5 cups Water
- 2 cups Basmati Rice (soak in water for 30 min)
- Fresh Lime Juice
We will start with making the marinade for the chicken. It's important we do this first that way while we are making the spicy rice, our chicken can marinate nicely.
Start by gathering your marinade ingredients. Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor. Blend it together until the consistency is smooth.
*Tomato paste hack: if you aren't using an entire can of tomato paste, put the remaining paste in a small ziplock bag and put it in the freezer. Next time you need tomato paste, use how much you need and back in the freezer it goes!*
This is how your marinade should look like. A nice orange color. Make sure there are no clumps in it.
If you're using chicken breast, cut them up into cubed, bite-size pieces and put them in a bowl. Pour your marinade and mix until all chicken is covered in the marinade. Cover and let it sit while you prep and cook your spicy rice.
If you're using chicken wings, wash them and put them in a bowl. Pour your marinade and make sure all wings are covered with the marinade. Cover and let it sit while you prep and cook your spicy rice.
Now! Gather all your rice ingredients, and let's get started with our spicy rice!
You can use 2 bell peppers but I prefer 3. I love the taste and the colors it leaves in the rice. You can also use a full-size tomato but you can also use about 8 cherry tomatoes.
Dice up your onion and bell peppers. Mince your garlic cloves and cut up your cherry tomatoes into fourths. Leave your peri-peri chilies whole! This is a must.
This is optional, but I like to put my seasonings with their exact measurements in a separate bowl. I mix them together so everything in my pot gets evenly covered in all the flavorful spices. :)
Start by heating up the cooking oil in a pot. Once heated, add your diced onion. Once translucent, pour in your minced garlic. Fry until they turn a brownish color.
Add your tomatoes to the pot. Mix it and cover your pot. We want the tomato to soften up and become mushy.
Once your tomatoes are softened, pour in your chopped bell peppers. Again, mix and cover your pot so the peppers can soften.
Oh, don't forget! Throw in your whole peri-peri chilies, gently! :) Again, cover the pot for a few minutes so all vegetables can be super soft.
Pour your spices into the pot of vegetables. Mix until very well combined.
It should look something like this! All vegetables should be nicely covered with spices.
Pour two and a half cups of water into the pot. If you're using 2 cups of rice, you need 2.5 cups of water. If you're using 3 cups of rice, you need 3.5 cups of water, and so on.
Once it comes to a boil, pour the rinsed and soaked rice into the pot of water and veggies.
Leave your pot uncovered and let the rice cook and soak up about 85% of the water. Once there's a layer of water overtop of the rice, this means your rice has soaked enough water for you to turn your heat to low and cover your pot.
Your rice should cook while covered for about 10 to 15 minutes. You'll know it's done once all water is absorbed by the rice.
BACK TO THE CHICKEN
If you're using chicken breasts, you will cook your chicken in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook until your chicken is cooked on the inside. Also, make sure you're cooking them in batches. Don't overcrowd your pan!
If you're using chicken wings, bake your chicken at 400 degrees F. Place your chicken on an oven-safe pan. Bake the chicken for about 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is baked completely. After close to 10 minutes, take the chicken out and flip it so the chicken bakes evenly. Once the chicken is fully baked, set your oven to broil on high and let the chicken broil on both sides. You want a nice crisp form.
Plate the rice and the chicken with a nice side salad. Don’t forget the fresh lime!
Ingredients (Chicken Marinade)
8 Chicken Wings or 2 Chicken Breasts
1 Onion
7 Garlic Cloves
1 Lime
7 Peri Peri Chilies
1 tbsp Tomato Paste
1.5 tbsp Paprika
1 tbsp Oregano
1 tsp Coriander
2 tsp Sugar
1 tbsp Salt
2 tbsp Vinegar
7 tbsp Cooking Oil
Ingredients (Spicy Rice)
1 Onion
5 Garlic Cloves
1 Tomato or 8 Cherry Tomatoes
2 or 3 Bell Peppers
3 Whole Peri Peri Chilies
7 tbsp Cooking Oil
2 tsp Red Chili Powder
1 tsp Cumin
2 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tbsp Salt
2.5 cups Water
2 cups Basmati Rice (soak in water for 30 min)
Fresh Lime Juice
Instructions
Place all marinade ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
When your marinade is done, coat your chicken with it. Let marinade for 1 hour or until done making the rice.
While the chicken is marinating, you will make the rice. Dice your onion and garlic. If using 1 whole tomato, dice it. If using cherry tomatoes, cut each one into 4 small pieces. Also, dice your bell peppers.
In a pot, turn up the heat to medium-high. Add your oil. When the oil is heated, add your onions and fry until they look translucent. Add your garlic and fry until brownish color.
Add your tomatoes and cook for about 2 min to soften tomatoes.
Add your bell peppers and whole chilies and mix/saute slightly. Cover your pot and let cook for another couple of minutes.
Once your vegetables are softened, add your seasonings. Mix until all vegetables are combined with the seasonings.
Cook for another minute and then add your 2.5 cups of water. Mix and let it simmer. Add the soaked and cleaned rice and cook until some water is left on top. You will then turn the heat to low and place a lid. Let it steam on low heat for about 15-20 minutes.
Your rice will be done once the rice has absorbed all the water.
Now back to your chicken.
Chicken Wings:
If you are using chicken wings, preheat your oven to 400.
Place your chicken on an oven-safe pan. Bake the chicken for about 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is baked completely. After close to 10 minutes, take the chicken out and flip it so the chicken bakes evenly.
Once the chicken is fully baked, set your oven to broil on high and let the chicken broil on both sides. You want a nice crisp form.
Chicken Breast:
If you’re using chicken breast, heat a pot with about 1 tablespoon of oil.
Add your cubed breasts in batches. Don’t crowd the pot. Your breast will be done once the chicken is cooked completely.
Plate the rice and the chicken with a nice side salad. Don’t forget the fresh lime!
It's Hayati
Don't forget to smile, it's Sunnah! :)