Trader Joe’s Peri Peri Chicken Thighs (Nando’s Copycat)

Love the peri peri chicken from Nando’s but don’t want to keep spending your money on take out? This Trader Joe’s peri peri chicken is just as delicious and can be made right at home!

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I first tried Nando’s about a year ago and I was blown away. The chicken was so tender and the sides (especially the mashed potatoes and garlic bread) were incredible.

Even since then, I’ve been trying to make peri peri chicken at home. But let me tell you, it’s been pretty difficult… until I found the peri peri sauce at Trader Joe’s! The pre-made sauce makes this peri peri chicken so much easier.

Ingredients for Trader Joe’s Peri Peri Chicken

Trader Joe’s Peri Peri sauce
Chicken thighs: breasts would work as well, I just prefer thighs
Neutral oil: I use canola oil for this recipe

What is the peri peri sauce made of?

Trader Joe’s Peri Peri sauce contains the following ingredients: lemon juice, water, fermented chiles (chiles, salt), sunflower oil, garlic, salt, dried chili flakes, xanthan gum.

And that’s it! Now let’s compare that to Nando’s Medium Peri Peri sauce: water, vinegar, onion puree, salt, lemon puree, sunflower seed oil, spices (cayenne pepper, african bird’s eye chilli, paprika), green chilli, garlic puree, stabilizers (xanthan gum, propylene glycol alginate), preservative (ascorbic acid), rosemary extract.

The Trader Joe’s ingredients are more simple than the Nando’s sauce, but contain similar ingredients. They both have lemon juice, lemon, sunflower oil, chiles and garlic. Those seem to be the main ingredients that make the peri peri flavor.

Where can I find the Trader Joe’s Peri Peri sauce?

At Trader Joe’s of course! I found this peri peri sauce in the aisle that contains the spices. Trader Joe’s has a variety of sauces so you may have to hunt a little bit, but you should be able to find it.

If you are completely unable to find the peri peri sauce at Trader Joe’s, you can also purchase it online and have it shipped to you. Luckily Amazon does carry the sauce:

How to make Trader Joe’s Peri Peri Chicken

Step 1: Create slits on the surface of your chicken thighs so that the sauce can seep deeper into the chicken as it marinates.

Step 2: Add half the peri peri sauce to the chicken and massage into the thighs. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for about 4-6 hours.

Step 3: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a neutral oil. Once hot, add chicken thighs and cook on both sides until the internal temperature of 165F has been reached. Outside should be slightly crispy and browned.

Step 4: Coat the chicken thighs with the remaining peri peri sauce and serve with sides of choice.

Is peri peri chicken healthy?

Yes! Peri peri chicken is a great option if you are trying to eat healthy. It’s typically a better option than fried chicken or hamburger due to it’s lower fat content which contributes to extra calories.

One serving of this peri peri chicken contains about 30 grams of protein and is an excellent source of B vitamins, selenium and zinc. It’s a good source of vitamin C, vitamin D, copper, magnesium and potassium.

Overall, this peri peri chicken is a great option for a weeknight or weekend dinner and contains a wide variety of beneficial nutrients.

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