This is my copycat of the FAMOUS Nando’s Peri Peri Chicken Burger. It is my single most requested recipe. And it’s one of FIVE of my recipes being featured in this month’s Super Food Ideas magazine!!!
Nando’s Chicken Copycat – and exciting news!!
A few months ago, I got an email that I never dreamed of receiving.
{Abbreviated} “Hi Nagi. I’m Rebecca, the editor of Super Food Ideas, Australia’s top selling food magazine….I love the way you write – friendly, understanding and self-deprecating; and also your recipes are fab.
It got me thinking, is there some way that we could work together? I think your recipes would be perfect for my readers…..If you’d be interested in looking at possibilities, email me back or just give me a call on…”
I actually gasped out loud, jumped out of my chair, did a little jiggy and picked up the phone straight away. Then I put it down, took a few deep breaths to calm myself.
“Be cool, be cool,” I said to myself. “Be professional, don’t come across like a dribbling fool.”
Well, so much for the pep talk. I made the call, tripped over my words with excitement, was convinced the editor would never take me seriously, thinking I was just a blubbering, over excited foodie….
And yet, it happened. My dream, something I never even thought of as a possibility until years down the track, has come true.
My recipes are being featured in Australia’s top selling magazine, Super Food Ideas! And not just plonked in some dark corner. There’s a WHOLE SPREAD of MY recipes with MY photos, MY words, MY ideas!! EEK!!!
When I received the mock up of the layout of the pages in Super Food Ideas for my recipes, with full page photos, I almost cried. It looked so professional it was overwhelming, so humbling, beyond what I can describe.
Look! Here it is – here’s my feature in Super Food Ideas!!
Someone once asked me why I don’t do more commercial shoots for clients. “Commercial shoots” being packaged food or food other people prepare that I then shoot for ads and catalogues. And my response was this: “I want to photograph food I love. Because my passion lies in creating food that I think is so delicious, I want to share it. With my family and friends, and on my blog! And photographing the food I love, striving to capture what I love about it so much, that’s what gets my juices flowing!”
Which is why contributing my own recipes to Super Food Ideas magazine is an opportunity that has me so excited. It really is my dream come true, sharing my own recipes and my own photos in a magazine!
Nando’s copycat Portuguese Chicken Burgers
Back to my Nando’s copycat Portuguese Chicken Burgers! I don’t think Nando’s is huge in America yet, but let me tell you, it has a cult following in Australia. I really mean it when I say this is probably my most requested recipe. If you’ve never tried Nando’s before, you are in for a treat if you try this. The marinade is incredible!
And it forms the base for a simple sauce for the burgers AND as a fabulous dipping sauce for wedges on the side!
Nando’s Peri Peri Sauce
The homemade Nando’s Peri Peri sauce is a copycat that tastes remarkably similar! It’s made with fresh red chillies, capsicum/bell pepper (this is the “secret” ingredient), garlic, vinegar, oil plus herbs and spices (paprika, oregano, onion, sugar, salt, pepper)
It’s literally a plonk-and blitz job, then just pour over the chicken.
What I really love about the Peri Peri Sauce marinade is that you can make it as burgers or not. The marinade is so full of flavour, you could easily serve it up for dinner without the buns. 🙂 Check out the caramelisation, isn’t it fab? Ooooh, the flavour infusion from the marinade…it’s incredible!
It also works as extra sauce for the burgers – OR stir it into mayonnaise to make a Pink Burger Sauce and for dipping wedges or chips (pictured above).
I asked Super Food Ideas to let me share it with you because I really wanted this on my blog. It’s one of five recipes I’ve created especially for Super Food Ideas. The other 4 are exclusive to the magazine – but never fear it’s only $3.20 (can you believe that?!) and you can get it at all the major supermarkets and newsagents in Australia.
Here’s a sneak preview of the other recipes I created for Super Food Ideas. All of them are “Double Duty” recipes where one base sauce is used as a marinade and to make a tasty side.
1. Garlic Lime Marinated Prawns (Shrimp) with Green Rice – one lime and garlic mixture used to marinate the prawns and as the flavour base for a green spinach rice;
2. Cuban Mojo Marinated Pork Cutlets with Corn and Capsicum Salsa – classic Cuban Mojo marinade is used to both infuse the pork with flavour and as a dressing to toss through the chargrilled salsa;
3. Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce and Marinated Chicken – my favourite Chinese vegetable dish uses a sauce which is also brilliant for marinating chicken; and
4. Middle Eastern lamb Koftas with Aromatic Lentil Rice – the same base spice mixture is used to flavour the kofta and to season the rice.
I hate to blow my own horn, but the green spinach coriander garlic lime rice that is made from the marinade for the prawns/shrimp is really good. REALLY good!
This Portuguese Chicken Burger is one of my “go to” recipes for when I’m entertaining large groups. I throw huge quantities of chicken and marinade into ziplock bags then make the blokes do the BBQ’ing (the girls sip wine and do important stuff like discuss the best value hairdressers in town). I lay out baskets of rolls and platters of lettuce and tomato with the Pink Sauce and Peri Peri Sauce on the side and I make everyone DIY their own burgers. NO PLATES. Te he! Napkins only! Don’t make me wash up! -Nagi x
More Burgers, Sliders and Sandwiches
Big, juicy Hamburgers
Steak Sandwich – super quick
Chicken Burger – juicy seasoned chicken breast steak with the lot!
Cubanos – The famous Cuban roast pork sandwich from The Chef movie
Pastrami Sandwiches – Rye bread piled high with homemade pastrami. EPIC!
Veggie Burger – Meatless made amazing. Puts those doughy bricks at the shops to shame!
Browse all Burgers and Sandwiches & Sliders recipes
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Nando’s Portuguese Chicken Burgers
Ingredients
Peri Peri Sauce/Marinade
- 1 – 3 birds eye red chilies (1 is mild, 3 is reasonably spicy) (Note 1)
- 1 large red bell pepper/ capsicum , cut into chunks
- 5 garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 tbsp malt vinegar , or any other plain brown vinegar except not balsamic
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 1/2 tsp white sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- Black pepper
- Few drop of red food colouring (optional)
Pink Sauce
- 3 tbsp Peri Peri Sauce
- ½ cup whole egg mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream (or yoghurt)
Burgers
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 chicken thigh fillets , skinless boneless (each large enough for a burger)
- 4 soft rolls
- 2 tomatoes , sliced
- Lettuce of choice
On the side
Instructions
- Place the Peri Peri Sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender and whizz until smooth. Pour 1/2 cup into a ziplock bag with the chicken. Marinate for at least 3 hours, or up to 24 hours.
- Mix together 3 tablespoons of the Peri Peri Sauce with the Pink Sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a fry pan over medium high heat OR the BBQ. Add the chicken and cook each side for 4 to 5 minutes, or until dark golden brown. Remove from fry pan onto a plate, cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
- To make the burgers, split a roll in half and top with lettuce, tomato, chicken then Pink Sauce. Drizzle with the residual Peri Peri Sauce if desired. Serve with French fries or wedges!
Recipe Notes:
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Easy Baked Wedges
Ingredients
- 3 large Sebago potatoes , peeled and each cut into 8 wedges (Note 1)
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 ½ tsp paprika
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 390F/ 200ºC fan forced (add 20C/30F for convectional).
- Toss the potatoes in onion powder, paprika and salt. Drizzle over olive oil, and toss again.
- Spread out on a baking tray, then bake for 40 to 50 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and crispy.
- Serve with Pink Dipping Sauce.
Recipe Notes:
Hi Nagi, can i use this marinade for chicken wings?
I prefer the flavour of smoked paprika than the regular one. Is it suitable for this recipe?
Thank you.
Please do more like bbq food like this no washing up and more gossiping
Attempting this tomorrow night …. Can’t wait
I made the wedges and burger. Absolutely delicious! All the family raved about it. Subbed out the lettuce with baby spinach because who can afford lettuce at the moment.
My favourite chicken marinade- the smell and taste are amazing. I use it with chicken breast for BBQ- delicious.
How can you get 1/2 cup of marinade when there is only 7 tbs of liquid in the recipe.
Thanks
Hi Johanne – when you blend together all the solids and liquids you definitely get that much and a bit more! N x
½ cup is 125mls, and 7 TABLESPOONS is 140mls … and then there’s displacement.
How can you get 1/2 cup of marinade when there is 7 Tbs in the recipe?
Thanks in advance
How can you get 1/2 cup of marinade when there is only 7 tbs of liquid in the recipe .
Hi Nagi, this recipe is a famous dish in all house house, I hve done tons of times, thank you for this great easy to follow recipe.
I have always cook next day when I marinade. I was wondering that the marinaded chicken can be leave till 36 hours or 48 hrs if any the chicken is bought from woolie first day home.
Just eaten this, now licking my fingers, licking my lips … slurp. Will definitely make again.
Yum! We couldn’t find the peppers so used one teaspoon of cayenne for the sauce. Not too spicy for the kids and would even try for 1-1/2 teaspoons next time. The chicken sandwich was incredibly tasty and the fries were so good especially with the sauce. We will certainly make this again.
Do you get Portuguese rolls in Australia? They are soft white (and usually more oval shaped) rolls generously dusted in flour. They are the traditional rolls used in (Southern African) Portuguese cuisine, e.g. with peri peri chicken livers or in making prego rolls. They are also the original rolls used in (South African) Nando’s burgers. They will take this one notch up from using an ordinary burger or slider soft roll.
Which makes me think… how about a peri peri chicken liver and Portuguese rolls recipe as another way to make use of this sauce? I’m sure you will make your South African fans drool and convert some Ozzies as well?
In the meantime I will give this recipe a try with a whole chicken. I love peri peri chicken but much prefer home made or small family restaurant fare to Nando’s!
how many thai chillies should i substitute for one birds eye chilli
Hi! I would really like to try this recipe but as I’m allergic to gluten I don’t think I can use any brown vinegar (I think all of them contain malt). Would it be possible to replace with maybe 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, red- or white vinegar or maybe balsamico instead? What do you think is the best option? Or should I omit the vinegar completely? Thank you 🙂
Hi Carlin, I would just substitute with apple cider vinegar – you’ll love it! N x
Recipe sounds delicious! I only have white wine vinegar as it has to be gluten free is This ok?
Hi Nagi, how many servings of the peri peri marinade will be required for a whole chicken (1.5kg)? Thanks 😊
Hi Vanisha, I would make two just to be sure – N x
My pink sauce was a little runny maybe i put To much yoghurt tastes great tho,and i might try using chicken breast instead of thighs.
Hi Nagi…thanks a ton for your wonderful recipes.Have followed many with delicious results.Had a query here..can we use chicken brests in this recipe?
Hi Nagi,
I’m in Melbourne, love your recipes which have reinvigorated my love of cooking and I’m learning so much from you!
My 26yo son has moved back in with me during lockdown ( he was actually the one that recommended your site to me!)
He has severe allergies to dairy, eggs, nuts, sesame and fish. I’m cooking the Peri Peri chicken burgers. Can I use the sauce without adding the dairy components?
Thanks!
Hi Bethany, I’m so glad you’re loving my recipes! To make the sauce I’d sub coconut yogurt (or lactose free yogurt if he can) for the sour cream 🙂 N x
Great idea, thanks Nagi! I’ve never tried coconut yoghurt before, have used coconut milk and cream but didn’t know about the yoghurt – will definitely try it! Thanks Nagi😊
Hi Nagi! Do you think the chicken could be baked?
Hi Jeni, the caramelisation on the chicken is what produces a great flavour – you could grill/broil it to achieve the same result here! N x
Hi Nagi,
Made this recipe using red wine vinegar which was the only one I had at home . Came out really sharp. Any idea how I can cut off the sharpness ? Add sugar or more red pepper ? Thank you so much
Hi Neha, add a little sugar to cut the sharpness, just adjust to taste here. N x
Hi Nagi,
Thank you for coming back to me ! As I didn’t hear from you I went out specially to buy the malt vinegar and it was delicious. Now I’ve my answer I’ve put sugar in the too vinegary version and popped it In the freezer for when I needed next time ! Can’t wait to have it again ! Thank you for your amazing recipes . I’ve become a better cook for my family thanks to you !
Hi Nagi, I just made my hubby a club sandwich with the leftover chicken, peri peri sauce instead of mayonnaise, and bacon…it was so so good. This recipe just keeps on giving! I’ve made it several times and each time I catch someone eating the peri peri sauce with a spoon, seriously who can blame them? I have a question for you, I’d like to make this for a dinner party, but one of my guests doesn’t eat meat. Any suggestions for a fish burger? Have you ever subbed in fish instead of meat? In general, I go to your site every time I’m at a loss for a meal idea, you never fail. I am very thankful for all your great pictures and outstanding recipes. Much appreciation from halfway around the world, Montreal Canada!!
Nagi this recipe is the BEST!
Quick question
Can I freeze the peri peri marinade?
Sure can Maria!! N x