Brazilian Chicken Pittas (Air Fryer or Barbecue)
Chicken strips marinaded in a herby, lemony, peri peri sauce that caramelises when cooked on the barbecue or in the air fryer, and served in pittas with a Brazilian style salsa.
Equipment
- Medium non-metallic bowl + lid or clingfilm
- Measuring spoons + scales or cups
- Air Fryer or barbecue
- Chef’s knife + chopping board
Ingredients
- 640 g chicken mini fillets (tenders US)
- 4-5 pitta breads
- 4-5 large round or butter lettuce leaves washed
- Nando’s Perinaise or see homemade version below
THE MARINADE
- 125 g Nando’s Lemon & Garlic Sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped coriander
THE BRAZILIAN SALSA
- ½ tablespoon chopped parsley
- ½ red onion
- ½ green pepper
- 2 tomatoes
- ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- Salt & pepper
HOMEMADE PERI PER MAYO
- 150 g mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Pinch - ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper see notes
- A little salt and pepper
See notes for baby & toddler
Instructions
FOR THE CHICKEN
- Toss the chicken and all marinade ingredients together in a non metallic bowl and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour in the fridge, and up to the night before.
FOR THE SALSA
- Finely chop the parsley, onion, green pepper and tomatoes. Alternatively, roughly chop everything and add to your food processor and pulse until you have a chunky salsa texture. Toss the salsa in the vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper and set aside.
FOR THE PERI PERI MAYO
- If you are making the mayo from scratch, mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
FOR THE PITTA
- Toast your pitta until slightly hardened. Then once cooled enough to handle, slice an opening along one side of the pitta, carefully slicing through the inside to open up a pocket for your filling.
TO BARBECUE
- Cook on an oiled grill for 3-5 minutes each side, until cooked through with a nice char on the outside.
TO AIR FRY
- Lay the chicken fillets onto your air fryer crisper plates. If you have a large air fryer, lay in one even layer (use both draws if you have two). For smaller air fryers, you’ll need to double lay some of the mini fillets. Cook at 180ºc / 320ºf for 12-14 minutes (may need another couple minutes if air frying in two layers), until the chicken is golden brown and the fillets are cooked through.
TO ASSEMBLE
- Once the chicken is ready, spread some of the peri mayo on the bottom inside of the pitta pockets. Then add a large lettuce leaf to each, top with a layer of the mini fillets (I usually do 3 large-4 small) and add in a few spoonfuls of the salsa. Serve immediately.
Notes
Use just a pinch if sharing with younger children who aren’t used to spice.
Baby & Toddler
Suitable for 12 month+. Serve deconstructed. Slice their chicken mini fillets lengthways, into finger wide strips. Do the same with their pitta bread. You can serve them some tomato slices and any other vegetables you’d like them to have.
YOUNGER CHILDREN & FUSSY EATERS
If you have a tomato or salad hater, serve theirs simply with the lettuce and chicken inside and a salad veg on the side, OR if they like carrot, you can mix some grated carrot with a little mayo and add that in. Or just add in plain grated carrot, no mayo. You can add plain mayo to their pitta instead of the peri peri mayo if you like.
STORAGE
Store Chicken leftovers in an air-tight container or resealable food bag in the fridge for up to 3 days (cook day + 2) or freeze, then defrost for 24 hours in the fridge and reheat in the microwave, until steaming hot all the way through.
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