Description
A flavorful and vibrant piri-piri chicken recipe served with smashed sweet potatoes and roasted broccoli. This dish features tender, spicy chicken thighs roasted alongside sweet, fluffy potatoes and crisp-tender broccoli, all combined for a hearty and wholesome meal that’s simple to prepare and perfect for sharing.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweets Potatoes
- 3 large sweet potatoes (about 900g), peeled and cut into large chunks
- Oil, for drizzling
- Salt and black pepper, to season
Chicken and Vegetables
- 6–8 chicken thighs, skin left on
- 2 red onions, cut into wedges
- 25g sachet piri-piri spice mix (or a mild version, if preferred)
- 300g long-stem broccoli
- Additional oil, for drizzling and roasting
- Salt and black pepper, to season
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/gas mark 4 to prepare for roasting.
- Prepare sweet potatoes: In a very large roasting tin, toss the peeled and chunked sweet potatoes with a generous drizzle of oil and seasoning with salt and pepper. Push the potatoes to one end of the tin to make room for the chicken and onions.
- Prepare chicken and onions: In the other end of the roasting tin, combine the chicken thighs with the red onion wedges, piri-piri spice mix, a drizzle of oil, and seasoning. Ensure everything is coated well with the spice mix.
- Roast first phase: Place the roasting tin in the oven and roast for 40 minutes, stirring everything halfway through cooking to ensure even roasting and flavor distribution.
- Add broccoli: After 40 minutes, add the long-stem broccoli to the tin. Drizzle with a little more oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Roast second phase: Return the tin to the oven and roast for another 10-15 minutes, until the broccoli is tender and the chicken is cooked through with crispy skin.
- Remove and mash potatoes: Take the chicken, onions, and broccoli out of the tin. Using a fork, roughly mash the sweet potatoes in the tin, making sure to incorporate all the flavorful chicken juices and spices left in the pan for extra depth.
- Assemble the dish: Spread the mashed sweet potatoes evenly over the base of the roasting tin. Then arrange the cooked broccoli, chicken thighs, and onions on top, creating a colorful and appetizing presentation.
- Serve: Serve the piri-piri chicken with smashed sweet potatoes and broccoli straight from the tin in the middle of the table for a casual and communal dining experience.
Notes
- You can adjust the heat level of the piri-piri spice mix according to your taste preference or use a mild version for less spice.
- Using skin-on chicken thighs adds extra flavor and crispiness; however, you can remove the skin for a leaner option.
- If sweet potatoes are not available, regular potatoes can be substituted, but they will alter the sweetness and texture.
- This recipe is ideal for batch cooking; leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated in the oven or microwave.
- For gluten-free, ensure that the piri-piri spice mix does not contain any gluten ingredients.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Portuguese-inspired
Keywords: Piri-piri chicken, smashed sweet potatoes, roasted broccoli, spicy chicken thighs, one-pan meal, oven roasted chicken, Portuguese chicken recipe
