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Piri-piri braai chicken pie

Piri-piri braai chicken pie

Smoky charred chicken, coated in a fiery homemade piri-piri marinade, is tucked inside golden, blistered puff pastry alongside melted cheese and mushrooms. Cooked entirely on the braai, this epic pie is sliced into generous wedges and served alongside a crisp, tangy coleslaw.

Prep:overnight
Cook:1 to 2 hours
Serves:Serves 8–10
Dietary:Nut-free
Nokx MajoziBy Nokx Majozi
From Saturday Kitchen Recipes

Nutri-Score DThe generous amount of puff pastry, mayonnaise-based coleslaw, and grated cheese significantly increase the saturated fat and calorie content. While the chicken and vegetables provide good protein and vitamins, the overall richness of the pie makes it a hearty, occasional treat.

Equipment

Ingredients

For the piri-piri marinade

  • 10 bird’s-eye chillies, deseeded
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2 red peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped
  • 1 red onion, roughly chopped
  • Large bunch coriander, roughly chopped
  • Large bunch basil, roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 3 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 130ml/4fl oz olive oil
  • 2 lemons, zest and juice
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the pie

  • 6 boneless and skinless chicken thighs
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing
  • 250g/9oz mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 x 500g blocks shop-bought puff pastry
  • Plain flour, for dusting
  • 150g/5½oz cheddar, grated
  • 100g/3½oz mozzarella, grated
  • 2 tbsp piri-piri sauce
  • 150g/5½oz baby spinach, washed and dried
  • 1 free-range egg, mixed with 1 tsp olive oil for glazing

For the coleslaw

  • ½ green cabbage, core removed and thinly sliced
  • ¼ red cabbage, core removed and thinly sliced
  • 2 large carrots, grated
  • 1 red onion, finely chopped
  • 125g/4½oz mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
  • Small bunch parsley, chopped
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Customise

  • Swap chicken thighs for boneless skinless chicken breasts if you prefer leaner white meat.
  • Replace the cheddar and mozzarella with a grated Gruyère for a deeper, nutty flavour.
  • Use shop-bought piri-piri marinade if you want a fantastic shortcut instead of making it from scratch.
  • Swap baby spinach for shredded Swiss chard if you have some fresh from the garden.

Method

Make the Marinade and Prepare Chicken (10 minutes, plus overnight marinating)

  1. Blend the marinade ingredients by adding the deseeded chillies, garlic, red peppers, onion, coriander, basil, oregano, and smoked paprika to a food processor. Blitz until completely smooth.
  2. Stir in the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and a good pinch of salt and pepper until everything is beautifully combined.
  3. Toss the chicken thighs in a bowl with 200ml of the marinade, making sure they are fully coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour, or ideally overnight to let those incredible piri-piri flavours really penetrate the meat.

Cook the Chicken and Mushrooms (25 minutes, can be done ahead)

  1. Light your braai about 30 minutes before you want to cook, or heat a griddle pan over a high heat and brush it with oil.
  2. Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting any excess drip off, and place it onto the hot braai or griddle. Cook for around 20 minutes, turning regularly, until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear.
  3. Slice the cooked chicken into thin strips and set them aside to cool slightly.
  4. Fry the mushrooms in a smoking hot pan with a little vegetable oil for 2 to 4 minutes. Tip them onto kitchen paper to absorb any moisture, then set aside to cool.

Assemble the Pie (15 minutes)

  1. Bring the pastry to room temperature by removing it from the fridge 15 minutes before you plan to use it. Dust your work surface and rolling pin with plain flour.
  2. Roll out the two blocks of puff pastry into two large sheets, roughly 30x60cm and 5mm thick.
  3. Oil a braai grid or stainless steel barbecue grill basket all over. Lay one sheet of pastry inside and trim any excess hanging over the edges.
  4. Layer the filling within a 2cm border of the pastry. Start with the sliced chicken, drizzle over a few tablespoons of watered-down leftover marinade, then scatter over half the grated cheese. Add the piri-piri sauce, the rest of the cheese, the fried mushrooms, and finally the baby spinach.
  5. Brush the pastry border with the egg and oil mixture, then carefully place the second pastry sheet on top. Trim it to match the bottom sheet, fold the edges in to seal, and brush the entire top with the egg wash. Close the grid, flip it, and brush the other side with egg wash too. Poke a few small holes in the top with a fork to let steam escape.

Cook the Pie on the Braai (30–40 minutes, make coleslaw during this time)

  1. Place the grid over very low heat charcoal on your braai. Flip the pie every 5 minutes for about 30 to 35 minutes until the pastry is golden brown, puffy, and wonderfully crisp on both sides. If cooking in the oven instead, use a medium grill and cook for 35 to 40 minutes, flipping occasionally so it does not burn.

Make the Coleslaw (5 minutes)

  1. Combine the sliced green cabbage, red cabbage, grated carrots, and finely chopped red onion in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Mix the mayonnaise with the wholegrain mustard in a small bowl, then pour it over the vegetables along with the chopped parsley.
  3. Stir everything thoroughly, seasoning well with salt and pepper as you go, until the coleslaw is completely coated and evenly mixed.

Serve (5 minutes)

  1. Cut the beautifully puffed pie into 8 to 10 generous pieces and serve them immediately alongside the fresh, tangy coleslaw.

 

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