Piri Piri Chicken and Rice is a spicy, smoky, one-pot meal made with tender chicken, chorizo, seasoned rice, vegetables, and plenty of piri piri flavor. It comes together in about 30 minutes, making it an easy weeknight dinner when you want something much more exciting than plain chicken and rice.
There is a lot going on in this pot, in the best possible way. Smoky paprika, garlic, turmeric, tomato, spicy piri piri seasoning, savory chorizo, sweet corn, peas, and green bell pepper all cook together with the rice, so every spoonful is packed with flavor.
And because everything cooks in one pot, you get dinner and considerably less washing up. I consider that a win.
What is piri piri?
Piri piri refers to the small, hot chili traditionally associated with Portuguese and African cooking, particularly the cuisines influenced by Portuguese presence in southern Africa.
The flavor of this dish is more than just heat. Piri piri sauces and seasonings often combine chili, garlic, acidity, and spices, giving the chicken heat, smokiness, tang, and savory flavor.
This version turns those flavors into a complete one-pot meal by cooking the seasoned chicken and chorizo with rice, peppers, peas, and corn.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Ready in about 30 minutes. You get 10 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking.
- One pot. The chicken, chorizo, rice, and vegetables all come together in the same pot.
- Big flavor without a long ingredient list. Piri piri seasoning does a lot of the heavy lifting.
- Made with everyday ingredients. Chicken, rice, vegetables, stock, and pantry spices make this an easy dinner to pull together.
- Two cooking options. You can make it on the stovetop or use an Instant Pot.
- A complete meal. Chicken provides the main protein while rice and vegetables round out the dish.
What does piri piri taste like?
Piri piri has a distinctive combination of heat, garlic, acidity, and savory spice.
The heat level can vary considerably depending on the sauce or seasoning you use. Some versions are fiery, while others are much more approachable.
In this chicken and rice recipe, the piri piri flavor works particularly well with the smoky paprika, tomato, garlic, and chorizo. The rice absorbs all those flavors as it cooks, so you don’t need a separate sauce to make the dish interesting.
What you need to make piri piri chicken and rice
Chicken
Chicken breast keeps this meal lean and gives you plenty of protein. Slice it into pieces so it cooks quickly and evenly.
Chorizo
Chorizo brings smoky, savory flavor and adds richness to the rice. Browning it before adding the other ingredients helps release its flavorful oils into the pot.
Piri piri sauce or seasoning
This is where the signature piri piri flavor comes from. Use either piri piri sauce or seasoning, depending on what you have available.
Heat levels vary by brand, so choose one based on how spicy you like your food.
Smoked paprika
Smoked paprika adds another layer of smoky flavor and works beautifully with both the chorizo and piri piri seasoning.
Garlic and onion
These create the dish’s savory base. Cooking them until the onion is translucent gives the rice a much deeper flavor than simply adding them at the end.
Rice
The rice cooks directly in the seasoned stock, absorbing the flavors from the chicken, chorizo, spices, and vegetables.
Vegetables
Green bell pepper, peas, and corn add color, sweetness, texture, and extra fiber.
Tomato puree
Tomato puree adds savory depth and helps bring all the spices together.
Chicken stock
The stock provides the liquid needed to cook the rice while adding another layer of savory flavor.
How to make Piri Piri Chicken and Rice
1. Cook the onion and garlic
Heat the olive oil and cook the garlic and onion until the onion becomes translucent.
This is the flavor base for the entire dish, so give the onion enough time to soften before moving on.
2. Brown the chorizo
Add the sliced chorizo and cook until it is lightly browned.
As it cooks, the chorizo releases its smoky, savory flavor into the oil.
3. Sear the chicken
Add the sliced chicken and sear it in the pot.
You don’t need to cook the chicken completely at this stage. The key is to color the chicken before adding the rice and liquid.
4. Add the rice, vegetables, and seasonings
Add the rice, green bell pepper, peas, corn, tomato puree, smoked paprika, turmeric, piri piri seasoning or sauce, and stock.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Cook until the rice is tender
For the Instant Pot, pressure cook on low for 10 minutes.
For the stovetop version, cover and simmer until the rice is cooked.
6. Serve
Serve the piri piri chicken and rice hot.
You have a complete one-pot dinner ready to go.
Instant Pot piri piri chicken and rice
This recipe works particularly well in the Instant Pot because the rice and chicken cook together in the same pot.
Once the chicken is seared and you add the remaining ingredients, pressure cook on low for 10 minutes.
That makes this a particularly useful recipe for busy weeknights when you want a substantial meal without spending an hour in the kitchen.
Stovetop piri piri chicken and rice
You can also make this recipe entirely on the stovetop.
After searing the chicken and adding the rice, vegetables, seasonings, and stock, simmer until the rice is cooked.
Keep an eye on the pot toward the end of cooking and make sure there is enough liquid for the rice to cook properly.
How spicy is piri piri chicken?
The heat level depends largely on the piri piri sauce or seasoning you use.
If you are cooking for people with different spice preferences, choose a milder piri piri seasoning or sauce. You can always add extra heat at the table.
Smoked paprika and chorizo also add plenty of flavor, so you don’t need to make it extremely spicy for it to taste bold.
Can I make piri piri chicken and rice ahead of time?
Yes. This is a useful meal for meal prep because the chicken, rice, and vegetables are already combined.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat until piping hot.
For the best texture, add a small splash of water or stock before reheating if the rice has dried out.
Peri peri or piri piri?
Piri piri and peri peri are commonly used spellings for the same chili-based flavor profile. You’ll see both spellings used on sauces, seasonings, restaurant menus, and recipes.
So if your bottle says peri peri seasoning rather than piri piri seasoning, it will work perfectly well in this recipe.
Is piri piri chicken Portuguese or African?
Piri piri chicken is associated with both Portuguese and African culinary traditions.
The piri piri chili and the food traditions around it are strongly connected to southern Africa, while Portuguese cuisine helped popularize piri piri preparations internationally.
That Portuguese-African connection is part of what makes piri piri such an interesting flavor: it isn’t easily confined to a single culinary tradition.
What to serve with piri piri chicken and rice
This piri piri chicken and rice already includes chicken, rice, and vegetables, so you don’t need a long list of side dishes.
What works best is something fresh, crisp, or cooling to balance the smoky spice of the chicken and rice.
Fresh salads
A simple salad is probably my favorite way to serve this. The freshness cuts through the smoky chorizo and spicy piri piri without adding another heavy dish.
Try my Gourmet Mixed Green Salad for a simple, fresh side.
For something with more texture and protein, my Chickpea Cucumber Feta Salad works beautifully. The cool cucumber and creamy feta are especially good with spicy chicken.
If you want something a little different, Sprouted Mung Salad brings a fresh Indian-inspired crunch to the table.
Roasted vegetables
If you want to add another vegetable side, keep it simple. Roasted vegetables work particularly well with the smoky flavors in the rice.
My Air Fryer Honey Roasted Carrots add a little sweetness that works nicely against the heat of the piri piri.
A cooling side
If you’ve used a particularly fiery piri piri sauce, add something cool alongside the chicken. A cucumber salad, plain Greek yogurt, or a simple yogurt-and-lemon sauce can take the edge off.
For a bigger dinner
For a casual family dinner, I’d keep it simple:
Piri Piri Chicken and Rice + a crisp salad + something cool to balance the heat. That’s all you need. The rice already gives you a substantial base, and the chicken and chorizo bring plenty of flavor.
Piri Piri Chicken and Rice FAQs
Yes. You can use chicken thighs in place of chicken breast. They have more fat and tend to stay juicier, while chicken breast keeps the dish leaner and cooks quickly.
If you have piri piri sauce, use that instead. The exact amount depends on the product because piri piri sauces and seasonings vary widely in strength.
For a quick homemade alternative, combine chili, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and a little smoked paprika. It won’t be identical to every bottled piri piri seasoning, but it gives you the same basic combination of heat, acidity, garlic, and smoky spice.
Yes. You can leave out the chorizo if you prefer. The chicken, piri piri seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic, tomato, and vegetables will still give the rice plenty of flavor.
Use a milder piri piri sauce or seasoning. You can also serve the finished dish with a cooling side such as a simple cucumber salad or yogurt-based sauce. Because piri piri products vary in heat, the brand you use makes a significant difference.
Rice needs sufficient liquid and heat to cook properly. If the rice is still firm at the end of cooking, give it a little more time with the lid on. For the stovetop method, check that the pan hasn’t dried out before the rice is tender.
Yes. Let it cool, transfer it to an airtight, freezer-safe container, and freeze. Thaw it in the refrigerator and reheat thoroughly before serving. Add a small splash of water or stock if the rice has dried out.
More quick chicken dinners
If you’re here because you like big-flavored chicken without spending all night cooking, try these next:
- Tandoori Chicken: Juicy Indian-style chicken with a spiced yogurt marinade, cooked in the air fryer.
- Keto Butter Chicken: Rich, creamy Indian butter chicken that’s ready in about 30 minutes.
- Air Fryer Chicken and Potatoes: Chicken and crispy potatoes made in the air fryer for an easy weeknight dinner.
- Cast Iron Chicken Breast: A simple way to get juicy, well-browned chicken breast on the stovetop.
- Nasi Goreng Kampung: If it’s the spicy, savory rice situation you’re after, this Indonesian fried rice is another great one to try.
Hungry for More
Piri Piri Rice With Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 chicken breasts
- 2 Chorizo sausages
- 2 cups rice
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons piri-piri sauce or seasoning
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 medium green bell pepper/ capsicum
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup corn
Instructions
- Heat oil and fry the garlic and onions till translucent.
- Fry the sliced chorizos till slightly browned.
- Add the sliced chicken and sear.
- Once the chicken is seared, add the rice, vegetables, tomato paste, stock, peri-peri seasoning.
- Adjust seasoning (salt and pepper) to taste.
- Pressure cook on low for 10 minutes if using Instant Pot. Or simmer till rice is cooked in a saucepan.
- Serve hot.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutrition facts are estimates. Always check with your healthcare provider before making dietary changes.
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