Nando's Butterfly Chicken
Fancy a Nando’s-style fakeaway at home? This 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 10 minutes!
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 209kcal
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.
Nutrition
Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 428mg | Potassium: 513mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 809IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg
