Peri Peri Chicken Pizza

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The “African Bird’s Eye” is a hot chili pepper from Africa that is becoming popular in North America as we continue to discover delicious African cuisine. Peri Peri Chicken Pizza is our adoption of the fantastic Peri Peri chicken in (of course) pizza form!

We’ll also touch on Peri Peri Paneer Pizza, which is a vegetarian alternative using an Indian cheese, but that recipe also has its own webpage.

Peri Peri Chicken Pizza

Peri Peri Pizza Seasoning

According to Chili Pepper Madness, our pizza today is based on a traditional South African sauce made by Portuguese settlers using the local Peri Peri (African Bird’s Eye) chili peppers. It also goes by the name Piri Piri. Our source discusses how the African chilies differ from North American counterparts due to the soil conditions.

Peri Peri chilis are quite hot – between 50,000 and 175,000 Scoville units. You’ll want to take that into consideration when you’re portioning it out.

While Peri Peri seasoning is probably not something you’ll find on the shelf at your local grocery store, a healthy 3.5 ounces can be had on Amazon for about $10 (at time of posting).

Roots  Blessings African Bird's Eye Hot Pepper

You can also buy a nice variety pack of Peri Peri sauces from Nando on Amazon for about $30 (at time of posting). Nando’s is a restaurant chain in the US that many feel defines Peri Peri for those who’ve had it, so you’re likely not going wrong with one of their sauces for today’s pizza!

Nando's sauce

What About the Cheese?

While Peri Peri chicken wouldn’t normally have cheese, you’ll probably want it on your pizza. Since this dish is from South African origin, why not consider a cheese common to the region?

South Africa is a new comer to cheese production, at least according to Cheesehouse.com; they identified cheddar and gouda as making up about half of the cheese consumption when they posted the article in 2017. Kwaito is a South African gouda-style – which appears to be pretty hard to find domestically. Cheddar cheese is delicious but can make for a more oily pizza topping.

Goat cheese is also popular in South Africa. There is even a goat cheese version of Gouda. Today, we’re using feta but you might want to consider Chevin or Chรจvre.

How to Make Peri Peri Chicken Pizza

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • 1 teaspoons of Peri Peri/African Bird’s Eye seasoning powder, separated (dried )
  • 4 chicken tenders (8-10 ounces)
  • 1/2 teaspoon of coarse ground salt
  • Pinch of Black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon of minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar)
  • 1x 16 ounces of pizza dough – either store bought or our Easy Peasy Pizza dough
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 4 cherry tomatoes
  • 2 ounces of roasted red pepper
  • 4 tablespoons of Olive Oil, separated
  • 2 ounces of Gouda (or Kwaito, if you can find it), grated
  • 2 ounces of goat cheese: feta, Chevin, or Chรจvre cheese

How Hot Do You Like Your Pizza?

This Peri Peri Chicken pizza recipe doesn’t use traditional tomato sauce but instead relies on the Peri Peri flavors in olive oil. This recipe is about as spicy as Buffalo hot wings. However, not everyone has the same level of tolerance for spice. You may need to reduce the amount of Peri Peri powder you use if the African Bird’s Eye is a little too much. Alternatively, you may want more.

To get your own “right” balance, first take an ounce of olive oil and add the Peri Peri seasoning a pinch at a time, mix it, and taste it to make sure you find the spice level good for your own personal preference.

Taste test your Peri Peri intensity.
Figure out how spicy you like it by taste testing your Peri Peri intensity.

Vegetarian Variation: Peri Peri Paneer Pizza

Are you looking for a vegetarian alternative? Indian Paneer cheese is a great substitution for the chicken in this dish. The only difference is to substitute Paneer for chicken!

Find the recipe for that pizza here.


Peri Peri Chicken

Today’s recipe is a three step process – we need to make the dough, make peri peri chicken, and then cook the pizza.

Fresh Pepper Variation: Thai Chili (Bird’s Eye)

Do you want to try to make this with fresh peppers instead of powder? Well, African Birdseye is not going to be something you find in a store in North America – so you’re going to need a substitute. Probably the closest will be Thai chilis – also known as Bird’s Eye (Thai chilis are similar in their Scoville range). To recreate this recipe, you’ll want 2 Thai chilis chopped very fine; 1 for the marinade and 1 for the topping.

Making Peri Peri Chicken

Marinate the Chicken

To infuse the chicken with the vibrant flavors of peri-peri, you’ll need to marinate the chicken before cooking. Because African Birds Eye doesn’t grow here, we’re using Peri Peri powder from Roots & Blessing. This powder is 100% dried Bird’s Eye.

Marinating Peri Peri Chicken

Follow these steps to create our spicy, mouthwatering marinade:

  • In a bowl, combine the peri-peri seasoning, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
  • Mix well to create a uniform marinade.
  • Place the chicken pieces in a container and pour the marinade over them, ensuring they are fully coated.
  • Use tongs and a basting brush to cover the chicken with the marinade. Do not use your hands, especially if you use a lot of seasoning!*
  • Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least two hours or even overnight, in order for the flavors to seep into the meat. I suggest that about halfway through that you rotate the chicken inside the dish.

* Because of how potent this chili pepper is, I recommend not touching the pepper at all – especially once it is wet. I’d recommend wearing gloves. If you touch your face or eyes or even have a cut on your finger, you can really injure yourself. I had a tiny scratch on my finger and dipped it in the oil to taste it and it stung pretty good!

Cooking the Peri Peri Chicken

If you are making chicken, your two best options will be to bake or grill your chicken.

Grilling Peri Peri Chicken

Grilling Method:

  • Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
  • Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking.
  • Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing any excess marinade to drip off.
  • Place the chicken on the grill and cook for approximately 6-8 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 165ยฐF (74ยฐC).
  • Brush the chicken with the remaining marinade right after the first flip to enhance the flavor.
  • Once cooked, remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest.

Baking Method:

  • Preheat your oven to 400ยฐF (200ยฐC).
  • Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top.
  • Transfer the marinated chicken to the wire rack.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of 165ยฐF (74ยฐC).
  • Once baked, allow the chicken to rest.
Grilled Peri Peri Chicken

Pizza Dough

If you’re going all out making this dish, you may want to make your dough from scratch. You might try our Easy Peasy Pizza dough, which is great for the extra weight of a pizza with a lot of toppings. I found this pizza in particular paired amazingly with this dough – both for texture and for flavor. Of course you can also use a store bought dough.

Stretching the Dough

Begin hand stretching the dough out before moving on to the rolling pin. As you work the dough, it will begin to get sticky. So start by lightly flouring your work area and lightly flour the dough before you start. You may need to add more flour during the process.

Dough ball on a floured work area

Flip the dough frequently as you work it. Youโ€™ll probably find using a rolling pin will help make the dough flat and uniform with less chance of a tear, but not everyone agrees with doing this!

Start from the center of the dough and stretch/roll outward.  Regularly lift, turn, and flip the dough. Continue adding small amounts of flour to keep it from sticking to the work area or your rolling pin.  Be patient to avoid creating folds or tearing the dough.  Donโ€™t fret too much if the pizza isnโ€™t round.  Getting a consistently thin crust while keeping it perfectly round is no easy feat, so let the pizza be the shape it needs to be if you can get the thickness right.

Easy Peasy Pizza Dough rolled out on a pizza pan

Continue to stretch out your dough until itโ€™s 14โ€ in diameter and then transfer to a pizza pan (or cookie sheet). Do this before you add the sauce and toppings to avoid a mess!

Add the Toppings

Peri Peri Chicken Pizza Toppings

Apply a liberal coating of oil to your pizza pan and on your hands. Using oiled hands, transfer the dough to the pan and press the dough into a circle on the pizza pan. It is easier to transport the dough onto the pan before it is topped.

Sprinkle 3/4 of a teaspoon of Peri Peri seasoning on the pizza dough. Then add the olive oil. Use a sauce brush to distribute the sauce and seasoning across the entire pizza dough leaving about 1โ€ณ at the edges.

Pizza crust with Peri Peri seasoning and olive oil

Top the pizza with each of the toppings distributing them evenly. Put the chicken on first and put the feta cheese on last.

Peri Peri Chicken Pizza ready for the oven

How to Cook the Pizza

Cooking Time: Peri Peri Chicken Pizza in an Indoor Oven

  • Cook at 450ยฐF on a pizza pan or cookie sheet
  • 7 minutes, then rotate
  • Cook an additional 7 minutes
  • The top of the pizza should already be browning, in which case turn the oven off.
  • Leave in oven for 5 extra minutes
  • Remove and rest for 5 minutes before cutting and eat immediately.

(If you are cooking Peri Peri Panneer Pizza, the instructions are the same.)

Time to Eat

Peri Peri Chicken Pizza
Let stand and cut immediately before serving.

Remove your Peri Peri Chicken pizza and let it stand for three to five minutes before cutting (this will allow it to firm up). Cutting too soon will allow the fluids on top to trickle down and make the crust soggy.

How to Store It

Let the pizza cool before placing it in a container but put it in the fridge within two hours. There are specific pizza storage containers, but you can use any container that will fit the pizza. I like to โ€œdouble wrapโ€ to maintain freshness. I wrap it in tin foil or place it in a plastic bag. Then I put that inside my container. Store in the fridge and eat it within 4 days. You can also place it in the freezer for up to 60 days.

How to Reheat It

If the pizza is from the fridge: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Once it reaches temp, place it on a pan or the pizza stone for 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can heat the slices in a skillet on the stovetop โ€“ no need to preheat the pan! Place the skillet on the stovetop over medium heat, place the pizza in, and let heat for 6-8 minutes.

Peri Peri Chicken Pizza

Peri Peri Chicken Pizza

Todd Mitchell
Peri Peri (as called African Birdโ€™s Eye) is a chili pepper is hot pepper from Africaย and the start of this chicken pizza!
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Prep Time 52 minutes
Cook Time 49 minutes
Marinade time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 41 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Chinese
Servings 4 people
Calories 608 kcal

Ingredients
  

Peri Peri Chicken Marinade

  • 1 teaspoon Peri Peri (African Birdโ€™s Eye) dried seasoning powder
  • 4 chicken tenders 8-10 ounces
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • ยฝ teaspoon coarse ground salt
  • Pinch Black pepper
  • ยฝ teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

Pizza and Toppings

  • 1 x 16 ounces of pizza dough โ€“ either store bought or our Easy Peasy Pizza dough
  • 2 teaspoon flour for stretching the dough
  • ยพ teaspoon Peri Peri (African Birdโ€™s Eye) dried seasoning powder
  • 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 garlic cloves chopped
  • 4 cherry tomatoes sliced
  • 1.5 ounces roasted red pepper sliced
  • 4 ounces Gouda or Kwaito, if you can find it, grated
  • 1 ounces Goat cheese (Chevin, Chรจvre or Feta)

Instructions
 

Marinade the Chicken

  • In a bowl, combine the peri-peri seasoning, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
  • Mix well to create a uniform marinade.
    Taste test your Peri Peri intensity.
  • Place the chicken pieces in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over them, ensuring they are fully coated.
    Marinating Peri Peri Chicken
  • Use tongs and a basting brush to cover the chicken with the marinade. Do not use your hands, especially if you use a lot of seasoning!
  • Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least two hours (or even overnight) in order for the flavors to seep into the meat (paneer).

Chicken Grilling Method:

  • Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
  • Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking (you may need extra oil for Paneer).
  • Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing any excess marinade to drip off.
  • Place the chicken on the grill and cook for approximately 6-8 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 165ยฐF (74ยฐC).
    Grilling Peri Peri Chicken
  • Brush the chicken with the remaining marinade right after the first flip to enhance the flavor.
  • Once cooked, remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest.

Chicken Baking Method:

  • Preheat your oven to 400ยฐF (200ยฐC).
  • Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top.
  • Transfer the marinated chicken to the wire rack.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of 165ยฐF (74ยฐC).
  • Once baked, allow the chicken to rest.

Dough Prep and Pizza Assembly

  • Start from the center of the dough and stretch/roll outward. Regularly lift, turn, and flip the dough. Continue adding small amounts of flour to keep it from sticking to the work area or your rolling pin. Be patient to avoid creating folds or tearing the dough.
  • Apply a coating of oil to your pizza pan and on your hands. Using oiled hands, transfer the dough to the pan and press the dough into a circle on the pizza pan. It is easier to transport the dough onto the pan before it is topped.
  • Sprinkle 3/4 teaspoons of Peri Peri seasoning on the pizza dough. Then add the olive oil. Use a sauce brush to distribute the sauce and seasoning across the entire pizza dough leaving about 1โ€ณ at the edges.
    Pizza crust with Peri Peri seasoning and olive oil
  • Top the pizza with each of the toppings distributing them evenly. Put the chicken on first, then the garlic, artichoke, and feta cheese.
    Distribute the gouda cheese evenly. Finally add the roasted red pepper and tomato last (mostly for color, but also so the wet ingredients can dry on top).
    Peri Peri Chicken Pizza ready for the oven

Pizza Cooking Instructions

  • Cook at 450ยฐF on a pizza pan or cookie sheet.
  • 7 minutes, then rotate.
  • Cook an additional 7 minutes.
  • The top of the pizza should already be browning, in which case turn the oven off.
  • Leave in oven for 5 extra minutes with the oven off.
  • Remove and rest for 5 minutes before cutting and eat immediately.
    Peri Peri Chicken Pizza

Notes

This pizza is made with a very spicy pepper but in moderation. I found Peri Peri seasoning hits fairly slowly but also doesn’t stick with you too long. If you can eat regular hot wings, you should not find this recipe too spicy. As you dress the pizza, have a bite of the chicken. If that’s not spicy enough, increase the amount of Peri Peri powder you spread on top.
Be careful handling the Peri Peri Seasoning! Because of how potent this chili pepper is, I recommend not touching the pepper at all – especially once it is wet. I’d recommend wearing gloves. If you touch your face or eyes or even have a cut on your finger, you can really injure yourself.ย 

Nutrition

Calories: 608kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 31gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 1591mgPotassium: 338mgFiber: 2gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 391IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 222mgIron: 4mg
Keyword Chicken Pizza, Peri Peri Chicken Pizza, Peri Peri Paneer Pizza
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Peri Peri Chicken Pizza

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