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4.84 from 25 votes

Nando's Butterfly Chicken

Nando's butterfly chicken breast, spicy and delicious. One of the famous restaurant's recipes, this peri-peri chicken is so easy to make at home.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time6 minutes
Total Time16 minutes
Course: Chicken Breast
Cuisine: Portuguese, South African
Servings: 2
Calories: 361kcal
Author: Adina

Ingredients

  • 2 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon red chili flakes more to taste
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley fresh or frozen
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • about 1 teaspoon olive oil for the pan

Instructions

  • Mix lemon juice, olive oil, both paprika sorts, chili flakes, grated garlic, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
  • Butterfly the chicken breast: Place the chicken on a cutting board and the board on a kitchen towel to ensure it won't slip. Place one palm on top of the breast and run a long knife along the side of it, slicing it in half horizontally. Make sure that you don't cut it all the way through. Open the breast and flatten it gently with a meat tenderizer; it should be evenly thick to cook properly.
  • Marinate chicken: Place in a large shallow dish in a single layer. Brush with half of the marinade, flip and brush the other side as well. Marinade for 1-2 hours and up to 24 (Note 1).
  • Cook chicken: Heat a griddle pan (or a cast-iron skillet or a regular pan). Brush it with about 1 teaspoon oil. Cook the meat for 2-3 minutes on each side. Don't overcook (Note 2).

Notes

  1. The internal temperature should be 74 degrees Celsius/ 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don't have a thermometer, cut one piece in the middle, the meat should be white and not red or pink.
  2. If you don't have much time, marinate the meat for at least 15 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1chicken breast | Calories: 361kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 429mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 15g