Piri-Piri Chicken with Lemon and Olives
Juicy chicken thighs marinated in fiery piri-piri sauce, roasted with lemon wedges and briny olives for a vibrant, aromatic meal. This Portuguese-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 60 minutes, pairs chicken thighs, paprika, garlic powder for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 800g chicken thighs
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 lemon
- 150g olives
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
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Instructions
- Step 1: Pat 800g chicken thighs dry with paper towels, then rub with 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp sea salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- Step 2: Cut 1 lemon into 8 wedges; place half in a roasting pan, then arrange chicken thighs skin-side up over them. Scatter 150g pitted olives around chicken.
- Step 3: Drizzle 4 tbsp olive oil over chicken, then add 2 tbsp fresh cilantro and remaining lemon wedges on top.
- Step 4: Roast at 200°C (400°F) for 35-40 minutes until chicken reaches 74°C (165°F) internally and skin is crispy, basting twice with pan juices.





