This will give you an idea of how Nando’s works with chicken!

Ingredients

• 8 chicken portions, drumsticks or thighs

• 3 tablespoons Nando’s Peri Peri Sauce, more if you like it hot

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil, peanut preferred to oil the baking dish

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

• 1 clove garlic, crushed

• 1/3 cup finely chopped peanuts or cashews

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and place in a single layer in a well greased baking dish. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until they become brown and crisp.

Place the Nando’s Peri Peri Sauce, soy sauce, peanut butter, and garlic in a saucepan and stir to combine. Heat the sauce over a low heat, stirring frequently until smooth. Stir in the nuts.

Brush the chicken generously with the sauce and continue to bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes.

Filipinos love grilled chicken, and here is an interesting twist on it. Serve with any of the hot sauces described above. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

Instructions

Combine the lemon juice, soy sauce, garlic, vegetable oil, hot sauce, and sugar in a bowl and mix well. Place the chicken breasts in a large square baking dish and pour some of the marinade over them, reserving some marinade for basting. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and allow to reach room temperature. Grill the breasts over hot coals for 10 to 12 minutes, turning them often and basting them with the reserved marinade. Remove from the heat and serve with rice and an Asian hot sauce as described above.

The Tongue-Numbing “Flower Pepper” of Sichuan Province

by Kimberly Dukes

Ingredients

• 3 teaspoons sherry
• 1 1/2 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon water

• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 4 teaspoons vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons water

• 1 to 2 boneless chicken breasts, cubed (about 1/2 pound)
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 24 small Japanese chiles, halved, most seeds discarded
• 2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns
• Chunk of ginger about the same size as the garlic, minced
• 4 medium cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup chopped celery (cut on a slant)1 bunch green onions or scallions, chopped in 1-inch sections (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup peanuts
• Cilantro or parsley, chopped, to garnish (optional)

Instructions

“Holy” basil is widely available in Thai stores. The stems are purple and the leaves are pointed, distinguishing it from regular sweet basil. I actually prefer the flavor to “regular” basil—it’s slightly more bitter and fragrant, with a unique aroma. The basil doesn’t require much cooking, as too much heat makes it bitter and destroys the delicate flavor.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons oil

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1/2 pound chicken breast, chopped coarsely

• 1 tablespoon fish sauce

• 4 fresh red chiles, sliced lengthwise

• 1 large bunch of Thai “holy” basil

Instructions

Heat the oil in a wok and fry the garlic until fragrant. Add the chicken breast, and cook over high heat for a few minutes. Add fish sauce and chiles and cook for a few minutes more. Add the basil and toss together until cooked.

This classic Sichuan stir-fry dish can be made with shrimp, pork, beef, or even tofu as well as chicken.  It’s a simple dish with just a few ingredients combined with crunchy peanuts for texture. The complex flavors come from the marinating and seasoning sauces.

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in bite-sized pieces

• 2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, peanut preferred

• 4 to 6 whole dried red chiles, such as piquin or cayenne

• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic

• 2 teaspoons grated ginger

• 1/2 green bell pepper, cubed

• 1 small onion, cubed

• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

• ½ cup roasted peanuts

• Garnish: 1 green onion, chopped including some of the green

For the Marinating Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry

• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon sugar

For the Seasoning Sauce:

• 1/4 cup chicken broth

• 2 tablespoons Asian chile sauce

• 2 tablespoons hoison sauce

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Asian hot bean sauce

• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce

• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar

• 2 teaspoons ground Sichuan pepper*

• 2 teaspoons sugar

• 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients for the marinating sauce along with 1 tablespoon of water in a large bowl and stir to mix. Toss the chicken in the sauce to coat and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.

In another bowl, combine all the ingredients for the seasoning sauce, stir to mix and set aside.

Heat a wok or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot and add the oil. Add the chiles and stir-fry for a couple of minutes or until they start to blacken. Push them to the side of the wok, add the garlic and ginger, and stir-fry until fragrant.

Drain the chicken and add to the wok. Stir-fry the chicken for a couple of minutes until the chicken changes color. Remove, drain and keep warm. Add the onion and bell pepper and stir-fry until they just soften.

Add the seasoning sauce to the wok and cook until the sauce thickens. Return the chicken and toss to coat. Heat until the sauce forms a glaze over the chicken. Add the sesame oil, peanuts and toss until coated.

To serve, mound the chicken on a serving platter and garnish with the chopped green onions. Serve with plain white rice.