The Best Spicy Grilled Chicken You'll Ever Make

I only publish recipes that I think are good, but this really is the best spicy grilled chicken you’ll ever make. Use my code Brian25 for 25% off your first month of Seed’s DS-01 https://seed.com/daily-synbiotic?utm_source=brian_lagerstrom&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=25p&promo_code=BRIAN25

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Ingredients
Dry Brine (Whole Chicken)
∙25g (4 t) kosher salt
∙12g (1 T) sugar

Dry Brine (Chicken Leg Quarters)
∙20g (3 ¼ t) kosher salt
∙10g (2 ½ t) sugar

Piri Piri Marinade/Sauce (yields approx. 3 cups)
∙150g (1 c) chopped onion
∙250g (1 ½ c) chopped red bell pepper
∙30g (6-8 cloves) garlic
∙15g (5-6) Thai bird’s eye chiles (sug 2 small habaneros)
∙10g (1 1/2 T) smoked paprika
∙15g (1T) kosher salt
∙30g (2 ½ T) sugar
∙200g (¾ c + 2 T) olive oil
∙Zest of 2 lemons
∙50g (3 T) lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
∙20g (1 T + 1 t) white distilled vinegar

For Roasting the Whole Chicken
∙1 whole chicken, preferably under 1.8kg (4 lb)

For Grilling
∙6 chicken leg quarters, deboned (or bone-in if preferred)
∙Olive oil or pan spray, for grill grates

Instructions
1. In a food processor, process onion, red bell pepper, garlic, chilis, paprika, salt, sugar, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vinegar until smooth but still a little chunky
2. Blend until broken down and saucy, but not completely smooth. The texture should be loose and rustic.
3. Reserve half of the marinade in the fridge for use during cooking and finishing.

Oven Method (Whole Spatchcocked Chicken)
1. Flip the chicken breast-side down. Using kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the spine and remove it. Flip the chicken breast-side up and firmly press down to crack the breastbone so the bird lays flat.
2. Rub chicken all over with the salt and sugar mixture. Let sit uncovered for 25 minutes at room temperature.
3. Liberally brush both sides of the chicken with half of the prepared marinade. Refrigerate uncovered overnight. Reserve/refrigerate unused marinade.
4. The next day, preheat oven to 285°F (140°C). Place chicken on a rack-lined tray and roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes. The internal temperature should reach 135–140°F (57–60°C) in the breast.
5. Increase oven temperature to 475°F (245°C). Brush the bird liberally with reserved marinade (about ¼ cup). Roast for 15 minutes, then brush again lightly and roast an additional 10–15 minutes until deeply browned. Rotate bird during the final 5 minutes for even caramelization.
6. While the chicken finishes roasting, pour the remaining marinade (approx. 1 ½ c) into a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes to reduce and sterilize. Stir frequently.
7. Once chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) in the breast and 175°F (80°C) in the thigh, remove from oven. Brush one final time with the cooked sauce and let rest for 10–15 minutes. Carve and serve.

Grilled Method (Chicken Quarters)
1. Using a paring knife, debone the chicken leg quarters, keeping skin intact. You can also grill bone-in.
2. Season both sides of deboned leg quarters with salt and sugar mixture. Let sit for 25 minutes.
3. Spoon approximately 3 T of marinade per piece, coating thoroughly. Refrigerate overnight uncovered.
4. Preheat grill to 375–400°F (190–205°C). Oil grates generously to prevent sticking.
5. Place chicken skin-side up on the grill. Dab with more marinade. Close lid and cook 3–5 minutes.
6. Carefully flip to skin-side down. Grill another 3–4 minutes. Sauce the exposed side again. Repeat flipping every 3–5 minutes, saucing and rotating as needed for even browning.
7. Grill for a total of 25–30 minutes until skin is well rendered and internal temp reaches ~180°F (82°C). Remove from grill and brush with cooked, reduced peri peri sauce while resting.

CHAPTERS
0:00 spatchcocking and brining the chicken
1:42 making the peri peri marinade/sauce
3:54 roasting and saucing the chicken
5:07 reducing the sauce
5:28 keeping it smooth
6:33 finishing the sauce and final oven result
8:31 deboning, brining, marinating chicken for grill method
10:13 grilling and finishing

🎧MUSIC:
EPIDEMIC SOUND https://www.epidemicsound.com/referral/ccpjb3

#periperi #piripiri

19 Replies to “The Best Spicy Grilled Chicken You'll Ever Make”

  1. Gosh!! I’ve been waiting for your version of Periperi!!! Especially cos you use the metric system! It makes it soooo easy to have a standard to either replicate and build upon (make changes or deductions based on personal preference)! Can’t wait to make this!!! 🎉🎉💃🏾💃🏾Thank youu!!

  2. Do people using the metric system know how much onion you're using? Why can you say the juice of 2 lemons but can't say how much of an onion you use? I get the grams and stuff for baking but cooking doesn't need all that and its part of the reason I don't like your recipes no matter how good you make them look. I have to google how much I'm an onion weighs and estimate if I will need only a half or something and it just makes the already underestimated prep time by most recipes longer. I hate to say it but sometimes I'll watch a video and then go find a similar recipe that's written in language I can follow and do that.

  3. I’m a sucker for whole chickens, and this looks killer! You never disappoint so I know this is going to rock! Looking forward to this Memorial Day cook in the Weber!

  4. I have for decades had a spatchcocked Portuguese chicken recipe which i oh a similar but less saucy

  5. Just wanna throw this out there, Bri — The YT algo is stupid and your sexy, well-shot food pics have always been the pinnacle of food YT thumbnails for me.

  6. I’m a divorced dad…and NEEEED kid approved recipes and tips. Only you can help me with the good stuff!

  7. Sweet video but i have a safety tip for you ! Never start your bbq with the lid closed! If your gas regulator suddenly decides to not fully close u can have a very slow gas leek into your grill even if your gas knobs are fully closed. When u start it all thatbgas will ignite and send bbq lid shrapnel everywhere .. hate to see u get hurt man!

  8. Do you have a video on why you use pizza stone in your oven often?

    I recently saw a video where you called out why you didn’t use it, I think it was cinnamon roll vid

  9. I must not be looking but I didn't know there is such thing as peri peri sauce in a bottle like that. Peri Peri sauce comes in a jar and is not that liquidy in my grocery stores found in the international section of the stores.

  10. Great video. Really like the idea of this marinade. Never had it before but it looks great.

  11. I will be making this spatchcocked on the grill. I will not be saucing at the end though!! It will lose any crisp. Serve the sauce on the side!

  12. I can't wait to make this recipe! Another new sauce to try. A side order of your Garlic Naan will also be needed. Thanks Buddy

  13. Suggestion: Huli Huli chicken needs a deep dive from you. There are recipes and techniques—but they’re all different. That seems like a milder cousin to this recipe, and I’ve been looking for the best version for a while….. to use a rub or not? What’s in the brine? All these things you could answer.

    Looking forward to making this peri peri though.

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