Description
Nando’s Peri Peri Chicken Burgers are a flavorful and spicy delight inspired by the famous South African chain. Featuring juicy chicken breasts marinated in a vibrant homemade peri peri sauce and cooked to perfection, these burgers are layered with fresh lettuce, tomato, and a zesty peri-naise sauce on soft toasted rolls. Perfect for a quick yet exciting meal that packs a punch of smoky, tangy, and mildly spicy flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Peri Peri Sauce
- 1 to 3 birds eye red chilies (1 for very mild, 3 for mildly spicy)
- 1 medium red capsicum / bell pepper, roughly cut into 1.5 cm pieces
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled, whole
- 3 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
- 4 tbsp malt vinegar
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 1/2 tsp white sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 3 drops red food colouring (optional)
Peri-naise Sauce
- 3 tbsp Peri Peri Sauce (prepared as above)
- 1/2 cup whole egg mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
Chicken and Burger Assembly
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thigh fillets (each large enough for a burger)
- 4 soft rolls, split and lightly toasted if desired
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- Lettuce of choice
Instructions
- Prepare chicken breast: If using chicken breasts, pound them to an even thickness of about 1 cm (0.4 inches) by placing between plastic wrap or freezer bags and gently flattening with a meat mallet or rolling pin. Trim each piece so it is slightly larger than the burger buns to account for 20% shrinkage during cooking.
- Make Peri Peri Sauce: Combine all the Peri Peri Sauce ingredients in a jug or blender container and blitz using a stick blender, food processor, or blender until smooth and well combined.
- Marinate chicken: Pour half a cup of the Peri Peri Sauce into a bowl or ziplock bag, add the chicken breasts or thighs, and turn until fully coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, preferably up to 24 hours for maximum flavor.
- Prepare Peri-naise sauce: In a separate bowl, mix the prepared Peri Peri Sauce with mayonnaise and sour cream until smooth. Set aside.
- Cook chicken: Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan over medium to medium-high heat or brush and heat a BBQ grill. Add the chicken and cook breasts for 3 minutes per side or thighs for 4 minutes per side, cooking in batches if necessary. Adjust heat as needed to avoid excessive charring; a bit of char adds smoky flavor.
- Rest chicken: Remove cooked chicken from heat onto a plate, loosely cover with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, toast the burger rolls if desired.
- Assemble burgers: Spread the bottom half of each roll with the Peri-naise sauce. Layer with lettuce, sliced tomato, and the cooked chicken. Top with additional Peri-naise and extra Peri Peri Sauce if preferred, then add the top roll and serve immediately.
Notes
- Adjust the number of birds eye chilies in the Peri Peri Sauce to control spiciness; 1 chili results in mild heat, 3 chilies in moderate heat.
- Malt vinegar is used for its unique tangy flavor, but apple cider vinegar can be a substitute if unavailable.
- Red food coloring is optional and used to enhance the vibrant red color of the sauce.
- Chicken thighs will yield juicier burgers whereas breasts are leaner; both work well for this recipe.
- Resting the chicken after cooking helps retain juices for a moist burger.
- Feel free to customize toppings with onions, pickles, or cheese for variety.
