Open Categories +

Blog Home

Chicken Livers Peri-Peri

Melissa's Kitchen Masterlist
Effortless Entertaining
The Skinny on the Italian Diet
Now Trending:
I'm Melissa!

A Food Network chef + mama obsessed with travel, and mouth watering food. I also own a gorgeous cooking school in Italy. My mission? To share the secrets of La Dolce Vita so you can create a healthy, beautiful, delicious life filled with joy!

hello,

Ready to Manifesto Some Miracles?

tell me more

Grab a copy of my lastest book "Miracles Manifested" and enter to win a trip to Italy valued at $7000!

If you’re missing South African, this recipe will make you feel like you just returned home.

This dish has its roots in Portugal but it has become a traditional South African staple served throughout the country.

Peri-Peri (ˌpiːriˈpiːri/ pee-ree-pee-ree, also spelled piri piri, pili pili) was brought to Africa by the Portuguese.

It is known as the African bird’s eye chili. Nandos, a food chain famous for their hot sauces and chickens, make the best livers around.

I salivate just thinking about them. You can order them mild, hot or my favorite….extra hot. They are rich and decadent and set your mouth on fire.

Livers are usually served with a crusty floured roll and creamy coleslaw to cool the heat.

So I had to re-create them in my own kitchen and now you can bring South Africa home.

Enjoy this lekker (lit– tasty) graze (lit — food) xxx Chef MM

Chicken Livers Peri-Peri – Chef Melissa Mayo

This dish has it’s roots in Portugal but it has become a traditional South African staple served throughout the country.Peri peri (ˌpiːriˈpiːri/ pee-ree-pee-…

Print

Chicken Livers Peri-Peri

  • Author: Melissa Mayo

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 TBS olive oil
  • 2 lbs/ 1Kg chicken livers – washed and dried
  • 2 onions cut into 1/3-inch semi-circles
  • 1 to 2 tspn chilli flakes (depending on how hot you likethem)
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 2 cloves of garlic chopped
  • 6 red and super ripe tomatoes chopped
  • 1 cup red wine
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup ketchup/Tomato sauce
  • 2 to 4 tsp Nandos Peri-peri sauce ( depending on how spicy you want the livers)
  • Coarse salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 sourdough/French baguette
  • Olive oil spray

Instructions

Rinse the chicken livers in water and dry.

Heat olive oil in a sauté pan on the stove on high heat. Cook the chicken livers in the pan until all the blood is gone (10 minutes). Don’t move them around too much so they aren’t mushy. Set the livers aside.

In the same pan, sweat the onion rings on medium/high heat for 8 minutes until they are golden and caramelized (careful not to burn them).

Turn the heat to high and add the chilli flakes, red wine, bay leaves, water, and chopped tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes till water starts evaporating.

Add the livers to the mix and cook for a further 10 minutes. Add the ketchup. Add the sambal chilli/peri-peri and salt and pepper. Season to taste. You can add more chili if you prefer it spicier. Remove from heat and set aside

Heat a grill pan on high heat. Add 2 TBS of olive oil. Slice the baguette in half and cut it into 4-inch pieces. Spray the bread with olive oil spray and place face down in the grill pan till they start smoking and grill lines appear (4-6 mins).

Garnish with some fresh parsley, chives, or cilantro. Serve livers with crusty bread and a green salad.

SERVES 4-6

Notes

This dish can be made ahead and reheated. It also freezes well.
You can add a splash of cream at the last minute to make the sauce creamier.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag me @themelissamayo— I can't wait to see what you've made!

+ show Comments

- Hide Comments

add a comment

Reply...

I'm Melissa, your host & tour guide.

A Food Network chef, author, mamma, eternal optimist, wannabe-mermaid, spice mixologist, and “dough therapist” (yep, it’s a thing)—

I'm also the founder of Susina Cucina, the gorgeous, Italian cooking school I manifested into my reality. I’m obsessed with Aperol spritzes, travel, and mouthwatering food… especially pizza and pasta.

more about me

Ciao Bella,

enter now →

In Italy, they add work and life on to food and wine.

Win a one-week luxury trip to Tuscany 

The Magic of Italy
without the planning

Explore

Food Netwok Chef, Melissa is dishing up delicious food and a once-in-a-lifetime experience for your soul.

find out more →

The Magic of Italy
without the planning

Explore

Food Netwok Chef, Melissa is dishing up delicious food and a once-in-a-lifetime experience for your soul.

find out more →

Hands down the prettiest, do-it-yourself, easy-to-use, customizable, website templates on the internet. They look super expensive, but I promise they won't break the bank. 

Tonic Site Shop

Want a site like mine?

check it out →

READ MORE →

TRAVEL

LIFESTYLE

READ MORE →

RECIPES

FRESH FROM THE BLOG

Healthy living is beautiful … That’s why it’s calledLa Dolce Vita”.

READ MORE →

I’m sharing my best recipes, travel guides, and Italian secrets for longevity & aging gracefully. Discover my tips and tricks to become a Rockstar chef, my current obsessions, and tools to embrace joy, find your purpose, and live deliciously!!

@themelissamayo

For delicious recipes, travel guides, inspiration and more, join me on Instagram.

follow along