This oven baked Portuguese chicken and potatoes recipe is a rustic comfort food dinner made with tender chicken, thick sliced potatoes, peppers, onions, white wine, garlic, and spicy Piri-Piri sauce.

Portuguese Chicken and Potatoes Featured Image

Why You’ll Love This Portuguese Chicken and Potatoes Recipe

Easy to prepare with simple ingredients
Great for leftovers because the flavors deepen overnight
Rich, savory flavor with a touch of spice
The potatoes soak up the delicious sauce while baking
A rustic one pan meal that feels comforting and hearty
Perfect for family dinners or weekend meals

This Portuguese chicken and potatoes recipe (sometimes known as “Piri Piri chicken”) is one of those comforting meals that fills the kitchen with incredible aroma while it slowly cooks in the oven. Tender chicken, thick sliced potatoes, onions, and bell peppers are baked together in a rich, flavorful sauce made with garlic, paprika, tomato sauce, white wine, lemon juice, and spicy Piri-Piri sauce.

Portuguese chicken and potatoes in a baking pan with fresh bread

The result is a hearty dinner packed with savory flavor with just the right amount of heat. As the chicken roasts, the potatoes soak up all of the delicious sauce, creating a meal that feels simple, rustic, and incredibly satisfying.

This is the kind of dish that works just as well for a cozy family dinner as it does for Sunday supper with leftovers the next day. The flavors become even deeper as it sits, making it one of those recipes that somehow tastes even better later.

Please note: the photos shown are from a second pan we made at the same time that spent the night in the refrigerator before reheating. Because of that, the sauce had thickened considerably. Before serving, we loosened it with about 1 cup of heated broth and additional wine.

Ingredient Notes

Piri-Piri Sauce

Piri-Piri sauce adds the signature spicy flavor to this Portuguese chicken and potatoes recipe. The heat level can vary depending on the brand you use, so feel free to adjust the amount to your preference. If you enjoy spicy food, you can always add a little extra before serving.

White Wine

A dry white wine works best for this recipe. Something simple like Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or a dry cooking wine adds depth and flavor to the sauce without overpowering the dish. The wine helps create a rich, savory sauce as everything slowly bakes together.

Chicken Drumsticks or Thighs

Both drumsticks and chicken thighs work really well in this recipe because they stay tender and juicy during the long baking time. Drumsticks are a little easier to serve and tend to be more budget friendly, while thighs usually provide slightly richer flavor.

Potatoes

Russet potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes, or red potatoes all work well in this dish. Yukon Gold potatoes are especially nice because they become creamy inside while still holding their shape during baking. Be sure to slice the potatoes thick enough so they do not become too soft while cooking.

Please note: Making changes to any recipe as written can result in a recipe failure.
Any substitutions or variations listed are simple or tried and true changes that we think will work in this recipe.
Results are not guaranteed.

recipe FAQs

Piri Piri sauce is a spicy Portuguese style chili sauce commonly made with peppers, garlic, citrus and oil. It adds heat and bold flavor to chicken dishes without overpowering the other ingredients.

Yes! This recipe is a great make-ahead meal because the flavors continue to deepen as it sits. You can prepare the dish a day in advance and store it covered in the refrigerator before reheating. If the sauce thickens after chilling, simply add a little chicken broth or white wine while reheating to loosen it back up.

This Portuguese chicken and potatoes recipe is hearty enough to serve on its own, but it also pairs really well with simple side dishes, fresh bread, or additional vegetable recipes. If you enjoy comforting family dinners, be sure to check out some of our other easy dinner recipes and comfort food meals for more inspiration.

Storage and Reheating

Store leftover Portuguese chicken and potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. As the dish sits, the flavors continue to deepen, making the leftovers especially delicious the next day.

When refrigerated, the sauce may thicken considerably because of the potatoes and roasted ingredients. To loosen the sauce while reheating, simply add a small splash of chicken broth, white wine, or even water before warming.

For best results, reheat the chicken and potatoes in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until heated through. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave for a quicker option.

If desired, sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving to brighten the flavors again after reheating.

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Portuguese Chicken and Potatoes

Nicole Cook

Rustic Portuguese chicken and potatoes baked in a flavorful sauce with garlic, paprika, wine, and Piri-Piri sauce.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 2 30

Total Time 2 45

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Portuguese

Servings

Ingredients

10 chicken drumsticks or chicken thighs
¾ cup onion chopped
3 bell peppers seeded and sliced
1 ½ pounds potatoes peeled and sliced thick
3 cloves garlic chopped
1 cup white wine
2 cups chicken broth
12 ounces tomato paste
1 tablespoons piri piri sauce
1 teaspoon paprika
2 bay leaves remove before serving
¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
salt to taste
pepper to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

In a large baking pan, add onion, bell peppers, garlic, white wine, chicken broth, tomato sauce, piri piri sauce, paprika, bay leaves, fresh parsley, salt and pepper. Mix everything together.
3/4 cup onion, 3 bell peppers, 3 cloves garlic, 1 cup white wine, 2 cups chicken broth, 12 ounces tomato paste, 1 tablespoons piri piri sauce, 1 teaspoon paprika, 2 bay leaves, 1/4 cup fresh parsley, salt , pepper
Add your sliced potatoes and chicken and coat well. Allow to marinate for 2 hours. Drizzle your olive oil over the top. Cover with tinfoil.
10 chicken drumsticks, 1 1/2 pounds potatoes, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and cook for at least 1 hour. If you want to slow cook it in the oven, you can lower the temp to 300 degrees F and allow to cook for at least 2 hours.