What Is Peri Peri Chicken? The Complete Guide

If you've never had peri peri chicken, here's the short version: it's halal chicken marinated overnight in a sauce built around the African Bird's Eye chili, then grilled over an open flame until the skin chars and the marinade caramelizes. The word "peri peri" (sometimes spelled piri piri) is Swahili for pepper. It refers to both the chili and the whole cooking style that grew up around it.

The recipe is straightforward: chili, garlic, citrus, oil, chicken, and a grill. But it tastes completely different from anything else you can get at a halal restaurant in Brooklyn or Long Island, and that's what makes it worth knowing about.

Where does peri peri come from?

Portuguese explorers showed up on the coast of Southeast Africa in the 1400s and found a small, wild chili pepper that the locals called peri peri. They started mixing it with garlic, lemon, and olive oil to make marinades for grilled meat. That combination, chili and flame, became a staple everywhere the Portuguese traveled: Angola, Goa, Macau.

Peri peri chicken got most popular in Southern Africa, where it's still everyday food. Nando's, the global chain, is basically a commercialized version of this tradition. There's no Nando's in New York, though. The closest ones are in DC and Chicago.

What makes peri peri chicken different?

People hear "spicy chicken" and think buffalo wings or Nashville hot. Peri peri doesn't really fit in that category.

The marinade goes on first, not after. The chicken sits in it for at least 12 hours, so the flavor goes all the way through the meat. You're not getting a fried shell with sauce on top.

It's grilled, never fried. Open flame, real charcoal smoke. The marinade caramelizes on the outside while the inside stays juicy from all that time soaking.

And the heat is adjustable. Nashville hot comes in one mode: hot. Buffalo wings give you mild, medium, or hot. Peri peri places offer a full range of flavors, from citrusy lemon herb with zero heat all the way up to blistering extra hot. You pick your level.

The biggest difference, though, is what the chili itself tastes like. The African Bird's Eye brings fruity, tangy heat. There's citrus in there, almost berry-like notes, and it gets more intense over the flame. It doesn't just burn. You actually want to keep eating.

What is the African Bird's Eye chili?

The African Bird's Eye chili (Capsicum frutescens) is tiny, maybe 2-3 centimeters, but it hits 50,000 to 175,000 on the Scoville scale. That's habanero territory. The difference is flavor. Most super-hot peppers are one-note. The Bird's Eye has this layered thing going on: citrus on the front, a slow berry sweetness, herbal finish. All of that opens up when you grill with it.

That's why it works so well as a marinade base. The heat carries flavor with it instead of just burning through everything.

How is peri peri chicken made?

The process at Peri Peri Grill House follows the traditional method, no shortcuts:

1. The chicken marinates overnight, minimum 12 hours, in African Bird's Eye chili, garlic, lemon, herbs, and oil. You can't rush this part.
2. When you order, it goes on the grill. Open flame, cooked fresh. No heat lamps, no steam trays, nothing sitting under a warmer.
3. While it grills, it gets basted with whatever heat level you picked. The sauce layers on top of the marinade that's already in the meat.

What are the peri peri heat levels?

We run seven levels at both locations. Most people start somewhere in the middle and work their way up.

| Level | Flavor Profile | Heat | |-------|---------------|------| | Lemon & Herb | Citrusy, bright, zero heat | None | | Mango Passion | Sweet tropical | None | | Garlic & Herb | Savory roasted garlic | None | | Jerk BBQ | Smoky Caribbean | Mild warmth | | Mild | Balanced peri peri kick | Medium | | Hot | Serious African Bird's Eye heat | Hot | | Extra Hot | Maximum heat | Very hot |

The first three have no heat at all, which is great for kids or anyone who just wants the flavor without the fire. Our full heat level guide breaks down each one.

Is peri peri chicken halal?

At Peri Peri Grill House, yes. All of our chicken and meat is 100% halal certified at both Brooklyn (Bed-Stuy) and Bethpage (Long Island). That's not the case at every peri peri restaurant, so if halal matters to you, always check with the specific place. More on that in our FAQ.

Where to get peri peri chicken in NYC and Long Island

Peri peri is still rare in New York. Most New Yorkers haven't tried it. There are plenty of jerk spots, buffalo wing joints, and Nashville hot chicken places all over Brooklyn and Queens. But peri peri chicken near you? Not many options.

If you're searching for a Nando's in NYC, there isn't one. The closest Nando's locations are in DC and Chicago. For peri peri chicken in Brooklyn or peri peri on Long Island, Peri Peri Grill House is one of the only dedicated spots.

We opened in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn in 2018 and added the Bethpage, Long Island location after that. The New York Times reviewed us that first year. Gothamist did a feature in 2024. We've got 212+ reviews on Yelp across both locations.

What to order your first time

If you've never had peri peri, start with a half chicken at Mild. That gives you enough meat to really taste the marinade, and Mild has enough kick to understand what the Bird's Eye chili does without overwhelming you. Get the peri peri fries and the rice on the side. If you like heat, bump up to Hot next time. Extra Hot is there when you're ready, but give yourself a visit or two to get there.