Piri-Piri — Hot & Tasty

Growing chillies—piri-piri, malaguetas, padrones, and all their fiery little cousins—is surprisingly rewarding.

There is something special about walking into the garden, seeing those tiny flashes of red and green among the leaves, and picking one yourself.

You know exactly where it came from.

You watched it grow.

You gave it water and a little attention. The Algarve sun did the rest.

And then you put it in your food and discover that something so small can make such a difference.

Perhaps that is part of the charm of growing your own food. You begin to appreciate things differently. A tomato is no longer just a tomato. A fig is not simply a fig. And a tiny piri-piri suddenly has a story.

There is also something rather philosophical about chillies.

They are beautiful.

They are generous.

They are full of flavour.

And they can absolutely make you regret your life choices.

Perhaps that is not such a bad lesson.

Not everything that brings a little heat into our lives is bad for us. Sometimes the things that wake us up, challenge us, or make us feel something intensely are exactly the things we need.

The trick, perhaps, is knowing how much heat we can handle.

A little piri-piri can transform a meal.

Too much...

Well.

Let's just say the Algarve garden has taught me that more is not always better.

Life might be the same.

We need flavour. We need excitement. We need things that make us sit up and pay attention.

But we also need balance.

And maybe that's what I love about growing food here. Somewhere between the sun, the soil, the cooking and the eating, you start remembering something wonderfully simple:

Good food doesn't have to be complicated.

Sometimes it only needs to be grown with a little love, picked when it's ready, and given just enough heat to make you smile.

Or reach for the water.

And once you have a basket of fresh piri-piri sitting in front of you, there is really only one thing left to do:

Cook with it.

This is one of my favourite ways to use it. A sweet, slightly fiery marinade for grilled chicken, made with fresh piri-piri and a few simple ingredients. The sweetness takes the edge off the heat, while the chilli gives the chicken just enough attitude.

It is the kind of food I love about living here—simple, full of flavour, made for the grill, and even better when eaten outside with the Algarve evening settling around you.

So, if you've got some piri-piri growing in the garden...

This is where the fun begins. 🌶️🔥

Grilled Chicken with Sweet Piri-Piri Marinade

Ingredients

• 1 kg chicken thighs, drumsticks, or butterflied chicken

• 4 tbsp Thai sweet chili sauce.

• 2 tbsp vinegar, white or red wine vinegar.

• 1 to 2 tbsp piri-piri sauce, or more to taste.

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced.

• Juice of 1 lemon or lime.

• 2 tbsp olive oil.

• 1 tsp smoked paprika.

• 1 tsp salt.

• 1/2 tsp black pepper.

Method

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl.

2. Coat the chicken well, making sure it gets under the skin or into any cuts.

3. Marinate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight in the fridge.

4. Grill over medium-high heat until cooked through and nicely charred, turning regularly and basting with extra marinade if desired.

5. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Flavor profile

This version keeps the tangy, spicy grilled chicken character of peri-peri chicken, while the Thai sweet chili sauce adds the sweeter glaze you remembered. Traditional peri-peri recipes usually rely on vinegar, lemon, garlic, paprika, and hot chilies rather than sweet chili sauce, so this is best thought of as a fusion version.

Easy adjustments

• More heat: add extra piri piri sauce or a chopped fresh red chili.

• More sweetness: add another tablespoon of Thai sweet chili sauce.

• More tang: add another teaspoon or two of vinegar.

• Thicker glaze: brush with a little sweet chili sauce during the last few minutes of grilling.