Peri peri chicken is a South African recipe that's popular all over the world. Pressure cooking in the Instant Pot, finishing on the grill and brushing with extra sauce gives the chicken a spicy-tangy barbecue flavor that’s amazing! [Grill-only instructions also included.]
For the peri peri marinade, combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, hot sauce, honey, ginger, garlic, onion powder, black pepper, salt, paprika, and oregano in a blender jar. Blend until the marinade is smooth.
Place chicken thighs in a large bowl and pour in the marinade. Scrape the blender jar with a silicone spatula to get all the marinade.
Marinate the chicken for 8 hours to overnight. If you're really short on time, try for 30 minutes at least.
Instant Pot + Grill Instructions
Add water to the Instant Pot. Transfer chicken and marinade to the Instant Pot. Be sure to scrape the bowl with a silicone spatula to get all the marinade into the inner pot.
Pressure cook for 9 minutes on High Pressure.
Do a natural release of pressure (QR). If short on time, you can do a 10 or 15 minute natural release. [Read More: The Different Pressure Release Methods]
Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer chicken from Instant Pot to a large plate or bowl.
In Saute mode, heat the sauce until reduced and thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Let the chicken thighs rest while you prepare your grill.
Preheat the grill to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Grill chicken for just enough time to get sear marks on both sides, and to give it a grilled look and flavor, about 2 to 4 minutes per side.
Grill-only Instructions
Preheat grill to medium-high temperature (400 degrees Fahrenheit).
Remove chicken from marinade using tongs or a slotted spoon and discard marinade.
Grill chicken thighs until internal temperature reads 170 degrees Fahrenheit, flipping the chicken every 5 minutes, for a total of about 20 minutes.
Video
Notes
Prep time does not include marination time.
If you're not planning on grilling or broiling the chicken, you can increase the pressure cooking time by a couple of minutes, and do a Natural Pressure Release (NPR).