How to make your own finger-licking Piri Piri chicken wings

A dad’s night in for me, while my wife is on a hen party, consists of multiple games of Fifa on the Xbox, a bottle of JD and something really manly to eat.

It’s summer still (just), so outcomes the Weber BBQ (from Hayes Garden World) and pack of chicken wings straight from the butcher. All I need now is a marinade to smother the wings and make them into a tasty treat.

There’s no doubt that Piri Piri has emerged on to the UK foodie scene because of the popularity of a well-known chicken restaurant chain, but as always if you want a marinade that packs a punch and has layers of wonderful Piri Piri flavour, you’re going to need to make your own, and this, ladies and gentleman, is my finely-tinkered mouthwatering recipe:

Piri Piri Marinade Recipe

  • 5 banana shallots
  • 10 chillis (large ones tend to deliver a zing without blowing your head off like the smaller ones)
  • Juice 1 lemon
  • 6 cloves smoked garlic
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon caster sugar
  • 1 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 60ml olive oil
  • 75ml white wine vinegar

Simply blitz them all together in a food processor until the Piri Piri marinade is smooth. If you bottle it, there’s no reason why it won’t keep well in the fridge for up to four weeks.

I then covered the wings in the Piri Piri marinade for four hours before cooking them on the barbecue, 25 minutes indirect cooking before grilling them directly over the charcoal for one minute each side.

If you’d prefer to turn the Piri Piri marinade into a sauce simply simmer in a pan for around an hour, make sure you cover with a lid (you don’t want it to reduce).

I served my wings with a handful of sweet potato wedges, great food to pick at while I concentrate on the football game in hand on the Xbox!

The perfect dad’s night in. Enjoy!!

(NB. Thanks Rich at Them Apples for the inspiration!)