Peri Peri Chicken Sandwich

This Nando’s style chicken sandwich is super spicy, stupidly saucy and absolutely loaded with flavour!

If you love spice, if you love chicken and most importantly if you love sandwiches, today is your lucky day. Follow me…

Peri Peri Chicken

We’re going to be grilling the chicken, so ideally you want to use chicken thighs. They’re fattier and take on high heat without drying out, much better than chicken breast does. You can use breast, you’ll just have to reduce the cooking time slightly. In all cases, you’ll want boneless skinless meat.

Pounding the chicken

You’ll want to pound the chicken before cooking. This ensures the chicken cooks through evenly. Pounding the chicken also helps tenderize the meat, meaning it comes out nice and soft once cooked!

Peri Peri Seasoning

We’re not making our own seasoning, this is a rough and ready sandwich and store-bought works perfectly! You’ll find Peri Peri seasoning in the spice section, or you can use the Nando’s rub (spice level to preference).

Process shots: lay cling film over chicken (photo 1), pound until even thickness (photos 2&3), add to dish (photo 4), add seasoning and olive oil (photo 5), use tongs to combine (photo 6).

Grilled Peri Peri Chicken

Cooking the chicken in either a griddle pan or on the grill is important to build up some nice char marks. This touch of char will add a smokiness to the chicken which compliments the seasoning. Not a deal breaker if you’ve only got a regular pan though!

Basting in Sauce

Alongside the Peri Peri seasoning, we’re also gonna baste the chicken in Peri Peri sauce too. Just to really crank up the heat and pack in more flavour. This also helps keep the chicken nice and juicy/saucy too.

Halloumi

I absolutely love adding halloumi to this sandwich because you can fry it in all the leftover flavour/fat from the chicken. It soaks it all up so nothing goes to waste. If you don’t like or have halloumi you can add a cheese of choice, and just add directly to the chicken.

Process shots: add chicken to griddle pan (photo 1), fry then flip (photo 2), brush in sauce and fry other side (photo 3) place sauce-side-down on a plate and brush the other side (photo 4), add halloumi to pan (photo 5), fry both sides (photo 6).

Peri Peri Chicken Sandwich

When it comes to the sandwich, alongside the chicken and halloumi here are the fillings I recommend adding:

• Chilli Jam – This adds an extra layer of spice, whilst also helping to balance out all the bold flavours with a touch of sweetness.
• Red Onion – Adds a crunch to the sandwich.
• Rocket/Arugula – Or you can use a salad leaf of choice.
• Mayo – Helps tone down all the spice with a touch of creaminess.

What kind of bread to use?

Regular burger buns work perfectly here. I recommend toasting them, preferably in the same pan you fried the halloumi/chicken!

How spicy is this sandwich?

I use medium spice sauce and it comes out spicier than you’d think, just because you’ve got the seasoning AND chilli jam. I’d probably go down a notch from what sauce you’re used to (so use medium if you usually go hot).

Process shots: spread jam on bottom bun (photo 1), add halloumi (photo 2), add onion (photo 3), add chicken (photo 4), add rocket/arugula (photo 5), add top bun with mayo (photo 6).

Serving Peri Peri Chicken Sandwiches

This is one saucy sandwich, so I recommend having paper towels at the ready! I typically serve these for dinner, usually with some Sweet Potato Wedges (or Sweet Potato Wedges Wrapped in Bacon). If you want to load in even more spice you could add Spicy Wedges. Or, to cool things down consider a Potato Salad or Coleslaw.

After more grilled chicken sandwiches? Check out my Cajun Avocado Chicken Sandwich and Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich!

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for these Peri Peri Chicken Sandwiches shall we?

How to make Peri Peri Chicken Sandwiches (Full Recipe & Video)

Peri Peri Chicken Sandwich

This Nando's style chicken sandwich is super spicy, stupidly saucy and absolutely loaded with flavour!

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Portuguese, South African

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings (click & slide): 4 sandwiches

Calories per serving: 715kcal

Author: Chris

Cost per serving: £3 / $4

Equipment

• Rolling Pin/Mallet & Cling Film (for pounding chicken)
• Griddle Pan & Tongs (or cast iron skillet/regular frying pan)
• Medium Sized Mixing Bowl or Large Shallow Dish (for seasoning chicken)
• Paper Towels (for halloumi)
• Brush and Small Pot (for sauce)
• Sharp Knife & Chopping Board

Ingredients

Peri Peri Chicken

• 4 large boneless skinless Chicken Thighs, preferably brought close to room temp (5oz/150g-7oz/200g per thigh)
• 1/3 cup / 80ml Peri Peri Sauce, or as needed (spice level of choice)
• 2 tbsp Peri Peri Seasoning (see notes)
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil

Sandwich

• 14oz / 400g block of Halloumi, diced into 12 wedges & patted dry (3 per sandwich)
• 4 Burger Buns or Soft Rolls, halved & toasted
• 2 small Red Onions, peeled & sliced into thin rings
• 4 heaped tsp Mayo
• 4 heaped tsp Chilli Jam (see notes)
• 4 pinches of Rocket/Arugula

Instructions

• One by one, lay the thighs on a chopping board with a sheet of cling film over and pound them until even thickness, but not so thin they start breaking apart.
• Combine in a large shallow dish or medium-sized mixing bowl with 2 tbsp peri peri seasoning and 2 tbsp olive oil.
• Add to a griddle pan or cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Fry until it begins to char (4-5mins), then flip and brush with peri peri sauce. Continue frying until charred on the second side and piping hot through the centre. Place sauce-side-down on a plate and brush the other side with sauce.
• Remove any chunks of char from the pan with your tongs and leave the fat in the pan. Keep on a medium heat and add halloumi strips. Fry both sides until deep golden, lightly charred and soft to touch. Remove from pan.
• Stack sandwich in this order: bottom bun, chilli jam, halloumi, red onion, chicken, rocket/arugula, top bun with mayo spread on it. Tuck in and enjoy!

Quick Demo

Notes

a) Chicken - Thighs are best because they're fattier and grill much easier without drying out. You can use breast (same weight - 5oz/150g-7oz/200g per breast), you'll still want to cover and pound, or you can butterfly them. Also just reduce the cooking time slightly. In all cases just make sure you're not frying the chicken straight out the fridge otherwise it'll seize up and go chewy. 

b) Peri Peri Seasoning - If you're in the UK you'll find this in the spice section at most supermarkets. Or, you can use a Nando's rub (spice level to preference) which is usually in the sauce section. The seasoning is usually already pretty salty, but you can dab your finger in the before seasoning the chicken and test if you want to add more salt (I wouldn't go over 1/2 tsp!).

c) Burger buns - To toast the buns preferably add them to the same pan you cooked the halloumi/chicken in. Or, you can use a separate pan or toast under the grill.

d) Halloumi - If you don't have or like halloumi you can use a cheese of your choice! If it's melty cheese like cheddar, I recommend adding it to the chicken as it rests so the residual heat melts it slightly.

e) Chilli Jam - This is a classic Nando's condiment and packs even more spice into the sandwich. You'll typically find it in the jam section, or close to the sauce section with all the Nando's ingredients (they sell their own branded chilli jam).

f) How spicy is this sandwich? - I use medium spice sauce and it comes out spicier than you'd think, just because you've got the seasoning AND chilli jam. I'd probably go down a notch from what sauce you're used to (so use medium if you usually go hot).

g) Calories - per sandwich:

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Nutrition:

Nutrition Facts

Peri Peri Chicken Sandwich

Amount Per Serving

Calories 715 Calories from Fat 339

% Daily Value*

Fat 37.68g58%

Saturated Fat 16.264g102%

Trans Fat 0.035g

Polyunsaturated Fat 4.124g

Monounsaturated Fat 14.33g

Cholesterol 220mg73%

Sodium 1756mg76%

Potassium 635mg18%

Carbohydrates 34.09g11%

Fiber 2.3g10%

Sugar 9.22g10%

Protein 56.64g113%

Vitamin A 1021IU20%

Vitamin C 17.4mg21%

Calcium 607mg61%

Iron 3.71mg21%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*Nutrition is based on the absence of salt unless stated as a measurement in the ingredients. Cost is worked out based on ingredients bought from UK supermarkets, then divided by the number of servings. In both instances these values are just for guidance. Please check out my FAQ Page for more info.

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