Peri Peri Chicken Loaded Fries – Nando’s Style Loaded Chips
These peri-peri chicken loaded fries are made completely from scratch. From baked fries with a homemade seasoning, to marinated chicken with a homemade sauce. You can have copycat Nando’s style loaded chips with melted cheese and garlic dip at home, knowing exactly what ingredients went into your meal.
Recipe Overview
Skill Level:
BEGINNER
Prep Time:
20 MINUTES
Prep-Ahead?
Yes!
Cook Time:
45 MINUTES
What Makes This Recipe Great
A delicious sharing meal that beats the takeaway, fully loaded Peri-Peri chips are great for movie nights, sleepover parties and family dinners. You can serve them up already fully loaded or as a DIY dinner where everyone helps themselves and tops their own plate of chips.
We’ve made everything from scratch, from the marinating sauce to the garlic dip. So, not only do you control what you feed your family and know exactly what ingredients have gone into your meal, but you also save money too!
There are plenty of options to take shortcuts with this meal and prepare the ingredients ahead of time too, we will show you how to save time when you need a quick meal in a hurry.
Check Out More Peri-Peri Recipes:
Equipment Needed:
- Rolling Pin: Used to flatten the chicken breasts for even cooking. You’ll also need a plastic food bag or two sheets of clingfilm (plastic wrap).
- Sharp Knife And Chopping Board: For slicing the potatoes, onions and herbs and cutting the chicken breasts.
- Large Bowl: Use a large mixing bowl to marinate the chicken. Make sure it’s big enough to fit everything in.
- Large Saucepan: For boiling the sliced potatoes before baking them into fries.
- Colander: To drain the potatoes after boiling and before baking.
- Large Baking Tray: Used to bake the fries in the oven. It should be large enough to hold the fries in a single layer. Use two or more if necessary.
- Spatula: To flip the fries halfway and handle the chicken in the pan.
- Large Frying Pan or Cast-Iron Skillet: To cook the marinated chicken breasts on the stovetop.
- Two Forks: To shred the cooked chicken breasts. You can also transfer the chicken to a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and turn it a low speed on to shred the chicken easily (do it while the chicken is hot).
- Grater: To grate the cheddar and mozzarella cheese.
Ingredients:
- Homemade Peri-Peri Sauce: We are using a homemade Peri-Peri sauce. But, you can also choose a shop-bought version at a spice level that suits you, if you prefer.
- Chicken Breasts: Use skinless, boneless chicken breasts in this recipe.
- Floury Potatoes: Floury potatoes make the best fries. You can choose varieties such as Maris Piper, King Edward, Russet Potatoes or Maris Peer.
- Cornflour: Also known as corn starch. It coats the fries to make them extra crispy when baked.
- Peri-Peri Seasoning: We are using a homemade Peri-Peri seasoning blend. But, you can use a shop-bought version too.
- Cheddar Cheese: Use a mature cheddar cheese for the best flavour.
- Mozzarella Cheese: I tend to go for a cooking mozzarella which is more dry. You can buy it pre-grated or in a block in most supermarkets. If you want to use fresh mozzarella, I recommend to chop it up or grate it, then allow it to drain for a few hours in a sieve over a bowl. This way, you will prevent the fries from turning soggy.
- Spring Onions: Sliced and used as a fresh garnish for the finished dish.
- Fresh Parsley: Chopped and sprinkled over the dish for a garnish.
- Roasted Garlic Dip: These Nando’s loaded fries taste great with our homemade roasted garlic dip. However, you can purchase a garlic dip to serve with them too.
- Lime Wedges: Served alongside for an optional squeeze of fresh citrus over the dish.
Substitutions and Additions:
Wondering if you can substitute or add an ingredient? Here, I will tell you if that’s possible.
Substitutions:
- Chicken Breasts: You can substitute with boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- Homemade Peri-Peri Sauce: Use store-bought peri-peri sauce if short on time.
- Potatoes: Why not try sweet potatoes in place of the fries for a different flavour?
- Olive Oil: Use vegetable oil, sunflower oil or canola oil as an alternative.
- Cornflour: Plain Flour or potato starch can replace the cornflour.
- Cheddar Cheese: Use Colby or Monterey Jack cheese as a substitute.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Substitute with provolone or fontina cheese.
- Spring Onions: Use chives instead.
- Fresh Parsley: You can substitute with fresh cilantro (coriander leaves).
- Roasted Garlic Dip: Use ranch dressing or aioli as a dipping sauce.
- Lime Wedges: Substitute with lemon wedges for a slightly different citrus flavour.
Additions:
- Nacho Cheese: Try drizzling the loaded chips with some nacho cheese sauce.
- Avocado: Add slices of fresh avocado or a dollop of guacamole on the side.
- Sour Cream: Serve with a side of sour cream mixed with chives for a cooling contrast to the spicy chicken.
- Pickled Jalapeños: Add sliced pickled jalapeños for an extra spicy kick.
- Bacon: Sprinkle cooked and crumbled bacon over the top if you’re a bacon fan!
Smart Shortcuts:
In a rush and need to take some shortcuts with this recipe? Here’s some ideas:
Frozen Fries: Use frozen pre-cut fries and bake them according to the package instructions, then season with peri-peri seasoning after baking.
Rotisserie Chicken: Use shredded rotisserie chicken instead of cooking and shredding the chicken breasts. Mix with the peri-peri sauce and heat through thoroughly.
Pre-Grated Cheese: Purchase pre-grated cheddar and mozzarella cheese to skip the grating step.
Step-By-Step Guide – How To Make Peri-Peri Loaded Chips
Prep-Ahead Time Saving Tips for Peri-Peri Loaded Fries
Planning ahead makes this recipe even faster! Here are some ways to streamline your prep:
TOTAL TIME SAVED:
50 MINUTES
Marinate the Chicken (Save 30 minutes): Mix the peri-peri sauce and lemon juice, then coat the chicken breasts in the marinade. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Alternatively, the chicken can be frozen for 3 months too!
Freeze the Par-Boiled Potatoes (Save 15 minutes): Follow the steps for preparing the fries right up to steam-drying them. Allow the fries to dry and cool completely, then flash freeze in a single layer on a baking tray, before storing them in an airtight container for 4 months. You can bake them straight from frozen when you are ready.
Grate the Cheese (Save 5 minutes): Grated cheese can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 days or in the freezer for 6 months.
Frequently Asked Question
Yes, grilling the chicken is a great alternative. It will add a nice char and smoky flavour to the dish.
Make sure to soak the potato slices in cold water to remove excess starch, that they have dried completely after boiling, and ensure the fries are spread out in a single layer on the baking tray. Tossing them in cornflour also helps give the fries a crispier texture.
Yes, to add more heat, add more chillis when making your peri-peri sauce, or use a spicier version of store-bought sauce for marinating the chicken.
Mastering This Recipe – Expert Tips
- For Crispy Fries: Allow the potatoes to dry out completely after boiling them. Make sure the oil and baking tray are hot before adding the fries. And, finally, don’t overcrowd the baking tray as they will steam rather than bake if packed in too close together.
- Marinate For Longer: The peri-peri chicken will taste good after 30 minutes of marinating, great after a couple of hours and, AMAZING if left to marinate overnight.
- Let Everyone Assemble Their Own Plate: This not only makes it more fun for kids, everyone can control what toppings they have on their peri-peri loaded fries.
Storage
The assembled Peri-Peri chicken loaded fries don’t store well as the fries will become soggy. However, you can store the separate elements of the dish.
Leftover Fries:
- Storage: Can be stored in the fridge for 1-2 days in an airtight container.
- Reheating: Oven: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Spread the fries on a baking sheet and heat for about 10 minutes, or until the fries are hot. Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (350°F). Place the fries in the basket in a single layer and heat for 5-7 minutes, or until heated through and crispy.
Cooked Chicken:
- Storage: You can store the cooked shredded chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.
- Freezing: Place cooked, shredded peri-peri chicken in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. It can be kept for 3 months. Defrost before using.
- Reheating: Oven: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the chicken on a baking sheet and cover with foil to prevent drying out. Heat for about 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is heated through. Stovetop: Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add a little oil if needed. Reheat the chicken, turning occasionally, until warmed through.
Uncooked Chicken:
- Storage: The marinated chicken can be stored in the fridge for 24 hours.
- Freezing: Store the chicken in the freezer in an airtight container for 3 months. Defrost before use in this recipe.
Peri-Peri Chicken Loaded Fries – Nando’s Style Loaded Chips
Ingredients
For The Peri-Peri Chicken
- 130 ml Homemade Peri-Peri Sauce
- 4 Chicken Breasts
For the Fries
- 1.5 kg Floury Potatoes
- 50 ml Olive Oil
- 20 g Cornflour
- 1 tbsp Peri-Peri Seasoning
- Sea Salt , to taste
For Serving
- 100 g Cheddar Cheese
- 90 g Mozzarella Cheese
- 2 tbsp Peri Peri Sauce
- 2 tbsp Mayonnaise
- 3 Spring Onions
- 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley
- Roasted Garlic Dip, for dipping
- 4 Lime Wedges
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts one at a time into a food bag or between two pieces of clingfilm and flatten using a rolling.
- In a bowl, place the peri-peri sauce, add the chicken breasts and coat in the marinade. Cover the bowl and leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
- Preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F).
- Wash and peel the potatoes, then cut them into 1/2 cm thick fries.
- Soak the potato slices in a bowl of cold water for at least 30 minutes to remove excess starch. After 30 minutes, rinse the potatoes with cold water until it runs clear.
- Place the fries in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Add a pinch of salt.
- Bring the potatoes to the boil and then simmer for 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and allow the fries to steam dry.
- Pour the oil into a large baking tray and place in the oven to heat up.
- Toss the potatoes in cornflour, coating them all well.
- Remove the hot tray from the oven and carefully spread the fries in a single layer Make sure they are not crowded to ensure they bake evenly.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the fries are golden brown and crispy.
- While the fries are baking, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until fully cooked and slightly charred, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the chicken from the heat, place in a bowl and shred the meat using two forks.
- Once the fries are done, remove them from the oven and toss in the peri-peri seasoning, transfer them to an oven-safe serving dish or baking sheet.
- Sprinkle the grated cheddar and mozzarella cheese over the fries.
- Place the dish back in the oven or under a hot grill, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Remove the dish from the oven and top the cheesy fries with the cooked peri peri chicken.
- Garnish with sliced green onions, chopped parsley, and a drizzle of peri peri sauce that has been mixed with the mayonnaise.
- Serve immediately with lime wedges and a dollop of roasted garlic dip on the side.
Recipe Notes
- Marinating: Marinate chicken for at least 30 minutes or overnight for best flavour.
- Storage: Marinated Chicken: Refrigerate for 24 hours or freeze for 3 months. Cooked Chicken: Store in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze for 3 months.
- Cheese: Mix different cheeses or add Parmesan for extra flavour.
