South African Braai Chicken: The Ultimate Seed Oil Free Grilling Recipe
In South Africa, braai is not just a cooking method — it is a cultural cornerstone. The word itself means "grill" in Afrikaans, but to South Africans it means community, tradition, and the kind of food that brings people together around an open flame. Braai Chicken marinated in peri-peri spices and cooked over real fire is one of the most celebrated dishes in the country — and at The Kitchen Foodie, it is one of our favorite examples of cooking that is inherently MAHA-friendly.
Traditional braai never involved seed oils. The marinade is built on extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and fresh herbs — exactly the kind of whole, unprocessed ingredients that define MAHA cooking. The fire does the rest. No canola oil required. No vegetable oil shortcuts. Just real food cooked over real heat.
The Peri-Peri Difference
Peri-peri — also spelled piri-piri — is a small but ferociously hot African bird's eye chili that grows across Southern and East Africa. Its heat is sharp and bright rather than slow and heavy, and it pairs magnificently with lemon and garlic in a marinade. According to USDA FoodData Central, capsaicin — the active compound in chili peppers — has well-documented metabolism-boosting and anti-inflammatory properties, making peri-peri chicken one of those rare dishes that tastes indulgent while actively supporting your health.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 1 whole chicken, spatchcocked (butterflied), or 8 bone-in skin-on pieces
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 6 peri-peri chilies or bird's eye chilies, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley to serve
How to Make MAHA Braai Chicken
Step 1 — Make the Peri-Peri Marinade: Combine olive oil, chilies, garlic, lemon juice, smoked paprika, oregano, coriander, and apple cider vinegar in a bowl. Whisk until fully combined. This marinade is punchy, bright, and deeply aromatic — and every ingredient in it is a whole food with genuine nutritional value.
Step 2 — Marinate Generously: Score the chicken deeply with a sharp knife to allow the marinade to penetrate all the way to the bone. Pour marinade over chicken, working it into every cut and under the skin. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours — overnight is ideal. The longer it marinates the more extraordinary the flavor.
Step 3 — Cook Over Real Heat: For authentic braai, cook over hardwood charcoal or wood — not gas. Start the chicken skin-side down over medium-high heat for 10 minutes to get beautiful char marks, then flip and move to indirect heat. Cook for a further 30–40 minutes basting with remaining marinade every 10 minutes. Internal temperature should reach 165°F.
Step 4 — Rest Before Serving: Rest for 10 minutes before cutting. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring every bite is as succulent as possible. Serve with a simple tomato and onion salad dressed in olive oil and lemon — pure MAHA perfection.
No Grill? Use Your Oven
Place marinated chicken on a rack over a roasting pan. Roast at 425°F for 45–50 minutes, basting every 15 minutes, finishing under the broiler for 5 minutes to replicate that braai char. The result is nearly as spectacular as the real thing. For more easy globally-inspired chicken dishes see our family dinner recipe guide and our African recipes collection.
.png "South African Braai Chicken: The Ultimate Seed Oil Free Grilling Recipe")
Get the Full African Recipe Collection
South African Braai Chicken is one of 54 extraordinary dishes featured in our Savor Africa cookbook — the most comprehensive guide to authentic African cooking available on Amazon. From Nigerian Jollof to Ethiopian Doro Wat to Moroccan Tagine, every recipe honors traditional ingredients and traditional fats. Browse the complete Savannah Ryan global cookbook collection for more seed-oil-free cooking across every world cuisine.
The Bottom Line
South African Braai Chicken is everything the MAHA movement champions — whole ingredients, traditional fat, real fire, and food that connects us to something larger than a weeknight dinner. Make it once and you will understand why South Africans have centered their social culture around this dish for generations.
Explore more in our African recipes library and our MAHA no seed oil recipes section.
Follow us for daily MAHA-friendly recipes and global cooking inspiration:
Instagram · X / Twitter · Threads · Facebook · YouTube
Browse All Cookbooks on Amazon
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.