Chicken with Citrus Piri Piri Sauce and White Beans
Portuguese in origin, piri piri is a piquant sauce that traditionally includes the fiery piri piri chile as well as sweet pimento peppers and often garlic and onions. Now it’s easy to re-create those flavors at home. We partnered with George Mendes, chef/owner of Aldea, the Michelin-starred Portuguese restaurant in Manhattan, to develop our citrus piri piri simmer sauce. Simply brown the chicken, then add the sauce and some chicken broth and cook until the meat is tender and flavorful.
Ingredients
- For the chicken:
- 2 lb. (1 kg) bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 jar George Mendes Citrus Piri Piri Simmer Sauce
- 2 cups (16 fl. oz./500 ml) chicken broth, or as needed
For the white beans:
- 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
- 2 cans (each 15 oz./470 g) white beans, drained and rinsed
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 Tbs. sherry vinegar
- 2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil
- Pimentón for sprinkling (optional)
- Lemon wedges for serving
Directions
Preheat an oven to 375°F (190°C).
To prepare the chicken, pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. In a large, deep fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Working in batches, add the chicken, skin side down, and sear until golden brown and crispy, about 4 minutes. Return all the chicken to the pan, skin side up, and add the piri piri simmer sauce and enough broth so that the chicken is covered except for the skin. Transfer to the oven and cook until the chicken is very tender and the sauce has thickened, about 1 1/2 hours.
When the chicken is almost done, prepare the white beans: In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the bell peppers and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly charred, about 4 minutes. Add the white beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through and slightly crispy, about 2 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and basil.
Transfer the chicken and piri piri sauce to individual bowls. Spoon the white beans alongside and sprinkle with pimentón. Serve with lemon wedges alongside. Serves 4 to 6.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen