Fancy a Nando's-style fakeaway at home? This recipe for Butterfly Chicken is just the thing - juicy chicken marinated in that classic Peri-Peri spice, then cooked in a griddle pan until tender and full of flavour. The best bit? It's ready in under 15 minutes!
Everyone has their go-to Nando's order, don't they? Maybe it's a grilled chicken pitta, a plate of juicy chicken thighs, or, if you're really hungry, a whole chicken.
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For me, one of my favourites is the Nando's butterfly chicken breast. Perfectly grilled, packed with flavour, and super juicy - but it still feels a bit lighter than some of the other choices. And honestly, it tastes even better at home with my homemade version of Nando's spicy rice.
I'll show you how to recreate your very own Nando's fakeaway. I'll take you through how to butterfly the chicken breast and mix up a simple but flavour-packed Peri Peri marinade.
I've made the marinade to a medium spice level here, but you can easily tweak it - go mild with lemon and herb, or turn up the heat if you're more of an extra hot fan.
For more "fakeaway favourites" try these Five Guys copycat burgers & Five Guys cajun fries.
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🥘 Ingredients You Will Need
Here is a brief overview of the main ingredients needed to make this Homemade Nando's butterfly chicken. For the full list, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page. It's also free from all the common allergens!
✋ Double check all packaging for allergens ✋
- Chicken- Nando's traditionally serve their butterfly chicken as two breasts joined together with that crispy, flame-grilled skin. For this recipe, though, I've just used one large chicken breast and butterflied it almost in half - much easier for a fakeaway at home! Cut any leftovers into strips to make these egg free breaded chicken tenders.
- Marinade - To make your Peri-Peri marinade you will need fresh lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, smoked paprika, oregano, parsley, salt & pepper. If you don't have smoked paprika, regular paprika will work just as well. If you prefer or are short on time you can use the Nando's medium Peri Peri marinade instead.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🤔 How To Butterfly A Chicken Breast
Butterflying a chicken breast is a way to create a thinner, more even piece of meat for faster and more even cooking. Here's how to do it!
- Prep: Place the chicken breast smooth side up on a chopping board.
- Find the seam: Look for the natural line that runs down the side.
- Slice: Using a sharp knife, cut horizontally from the thicker edge towards the thinner side, stopping just before you cut through.
- Open: Fold it open like a book.
- Flatten: Gently press with your hand or bash lightly with a rolling pin until even.
✏️ How To Make Nando's Butterfly Chicken
⬇️ Here you will find an overview of how to make the recipe. For full information on ingredients and quantities please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page ⬇️
Step 1: Start by making your peri peri marinade. Grab a big bowl and mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, paprika, oregano, parsley, some stevia or sugar (whichever you prefer, I use stevia ), salt, and black pepper. Stir everything up until it's all nicely combined.
Step 2: Next, you need to butterfly the chicken. Lay the chicken breasts on a chopping board, and gently cut horizontally through the thickest part of each breast.
Stop before you cut all the way through to make a butterfly shape. There's a more detailed guide above in the blog post if you need it.
Place the butterfly chicken breasts into the marinade bowl. Give them a good stir with a spoon until they're coated all over with the marinade.
Cover the bowl and pop it in the fridge. Let it marinate for at least an hour, but the taste will be even better if you can wait longer-around 4 hours or even overnight.
Step 3: When you're ready to cook, get your griddle pan ready. Heat it up to medium-high and give it a quick spray with some olive oil.
If you don't have a griddle pan, no worries! You can fry the chicken breasts in a regular frying pan. It will cook the same, you just won't get the famous griddle lines on the chicken.
Put the chicken breasts on the pan, smooth side down. Cook them for about 3-4 minutes on each side until they reach 165°F (75°C) inside.
The cooking time will vary based on how thick the chicken is, so your best bet is to check the chicken with a meat thermometer. I know I bang on about these all the time, but they have literally revolutionised the way I cook chicken!
Step 4: Once the peri peri chicken is cooked through, take it off the pan and give it a breather for a few minutes before serving. This gives the juices a chance to spread out and keeps the chicken juicy.
💡 Lauren's Top Tips
- 🌟 Marinate for longer if you can: 1 hour is fine, but overnight will give you that deep Peri Peri flavour you know from Nando's.
- 🌟 Bring the chicken to room temperature before cooking: it helps it cook more evenly and stay juicy.
- 🌟 Don't skip resting: once cooked, let the chicken sit for 3-4 minutes before serving so the juices stay inside instead of running out.
- 🌟 Use a meat thermometer: chicken breast dries out quickly, so check it's 74°C/165°F inside rather than guessing.
- 🌟 Get the pan hot first: you want that sizzle when the chicken hits the griddle for those lovely char lines and smoky flavour.
🔨 The Meal Planning Toolbox
🗒️ Make Ahead
You can prep the Peri Peri marinade the night before, then add the chicken breasts in the morning so they soak up all that flavour during the day. When it's time for dinner, you just need to pop them on the griddle pan and you're done in minutes.
🗒️Batch Cooking
This isn't the easiest recipe to batch cook as butterfly chicken tastes best fresh from the pan. But what you can do is make a bigger batch of the marinade and keep it in the fridge for 3-4 days. That way, you can marinate fresh chicken another night without any extra faff.
🗒️ Leftovers / Storage / Reheating
Cooked butterfly chicken will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat it gently in the microwave or slice it up and warm it through in a pan with a splash of water or stock to stop it drying out. It's also lovely cold, sliced up in wraps, pittas or on top of a salad for lunch the next day.
🗒️ Freezing
You can freeze the chicken breasts raw in the marinade - just put them in a freezer-safe bag or tub and use within 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before cooking as normal. Cooked butterfly chicken can also be frozen, but it's best eaten fresh as reheating can dry it out.
🍴 How To Serve
You can make a Nando's feast by serving these butterflied chicken breasts alongside this copycat Nando's spicy rice, dairy-free coleslaw, salad & these minted mushy peas which taste pretty similar to Nando's macho peas!
The chicken also tastes great with some air fryer crispy smashed potatoes & Tuscan panzanella salad.
💬 Recipe FAQs
Can I cook Nando's butterfly chicken in the air fryer?
Yes, you can. Although you won't get the famous griddle lines on your chicken, it's actually a really great way to cook chicken breast, as the air fryer is brilliant at keeping the meat moist.
Preheat the air fryer to 180˚C / 350˚F and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, remembering to check the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 74˚C / 165 ˚F before serving. ( Remember all air fryers cook differently, so timings may vary)
📖 More Chicken Recipes
Here are some other delicious chicken recipes you will love too!
If you loved this recipe, please leave me a 5🌟 rating or comment below. I really do appreciate it. 😊
📖 Recipe
Nando's Butterfly Chicken
Equipment
- Meat thermometer optional
Ingredients
- 2 medium chicken breasts
- ½ medium lemon juice of
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium garlic clove minced
- 1½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon stevia or sugar
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- olive oil spray for the griddle pan
Instructions
Make The Marinade
- In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, paprika, oregano, parsley, stevia (or sugar) salt, and black pepper. Mix well until fully combined.
Butterfly The Chicken
- Place the chicken breasts on a chopping board and lay them flat. Using a sharp knife, make a horizontal cut through the thickest part of each breast, but not all the way through, to create a butterfly shape. ( You will find a more detailed tutorial on how to do this in the main blog post)
Marinate The Chicken
- Place the butterfly chicken breasts in the bowl with the marinade. Stir well with a spoon, turning over the chicken breast until they are fully coated in the marinade mixture.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, ideally at least 4 hours or overnight for maximum flavour.
Cook The Chicken
- When you're ready to cook, preheat your griddle pan to medium-high heat. Spray the pan with olive oil spray.
- Place the chicken breasts on the griddle pan, smooth side down. Cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and the chicken is cooked through. Cooking times will vary based on the thickness of the chicken breasts.
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the griddle pan and let it rest for a few minutes before serving. This will allow the juices to redistribute and keeps the chicken moist and tender.
Notes
- Nando's usually serve butterfly chicken as two breasts joined with the crispy grilled skin - for this fakeaway I've used one large breast and butterflied it almost in half.
- The marinade is medium spice, but you can easily tone it down or add chilli flakes if you like it hotter.
- For the best flavour, marinate the chicken for at least an hour - overnight if you can.
- Make sure your pan is nice and hot before cooking to get those lovely char lines and smoky flavour.
- Cook until the internal temp reaches 74°C/165°F, then let it rest for a few minutes to keep it juicy.
- Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Great cold in wraps or salads the next day.
- You can also freeze the chicken raw in the marinade for up to 3 months - just defrost in the fridge before cooking.
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