Chicken Mozambique is a bold, saucy garlic-lemon chicken dish with a little heat and plenty of rich flavor. Tender bite-size chicken simmers in the savory broth for an easy restaurant-style dinner that's perfect for spooning over rice.
Why This Chicken Mozambique Recipe Works
This version of Chicken Mozambique centers on a rich, garlicky lemon broth with a little heat. Bite-sized chicken cooks right in the sauce, making it perfect over rice or with fries.
Browning the chicken first builds flavor in the pot, then onion, garlic, broth, lemon juice, peri peri sauce, and Sazon come together into a bold sauce that coats every piece.
- Bold garlic lemon flavor: Savory, garlicky, and bright with lemon, plus just enough heat to keep it interesting.
- Saucy and satisfying: Plenty of broth for spooning over rice or serving with fries.
- Easy to make at home: Simple steps and easy-to-find ingredients.
What Is Chicken Mozambique?
While there are different versions, this is the one most often served in restaurants. Instead of large cuts, the chicken is cut into smaller pieces and cooked right in the broth so it picks up flavor as it finishes, creating a garlicky lemon sauce.
It's usually served with something on the side to catch the extra broth, since that's a big part of how the dish is eaten.
What Does Chicken Mozambique Taste Like?
The flavor is rich, savory, garlicky, and lemony, with a little warmth from the peri peri sauce. It's not a heavy cream sauce or a tomato-based stew. The broth is lighter, but still full of flavor and perfect for spooning over rice or dipping fries into.
Ingredients Overview
The key ingredients in Chicken Mozambique are chicken breast, onion, garlic, broth, lemon juice, peri peri sauce, and Sazon Goya con Culantro y Achiote. That combination gives the dish its signature flavor and color.
This recipe was tested using Trader Joe's peri peri sauce, and it makes a medium-spicy dish. Use a little less for a milder version or add more if you want extra heat.
When shopping for Sazon Goya con Culantro y Achiote, look for the packet with the peach-colored label. There are several varieties, and this is the one used for this recipe.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
The Garlic Lemon Mozambique Sauce
The sauce is what sets this dish apart. After the chicken is browned, onion and garlic go into the same pot, followed by broth, lemon juice, beer or wine, oregano, Sazon, and peri peri sauce.
As it simmers, the broth picks up the browned bits left behind in the pan and turns into a garlicky lemon sauce with a little heat. It's loose enough to spoon over rice, but flavorful enough that fries work just as well on the side.
How To Make Chicken Mozambique
The key is to brown the chicken first, then build the sauce in the same pot so all that flavor stays right where you want it. Once the chicken goes back in, it only needs a short simmer to finish cooking in the sauce.
See the step-by-step visual instructions below.
Step 1: In a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter together.
Step 2: Add the diced chicken and brown over medium high heat for 3 to 5 minutes. The chicken should be lightly browned but still a little pink in the center.
Pro Tip
Don't brown the chicken too much. It should be lightly browned on the outside but still a little pink in the center, since it will finish cooking in the sauce. Overcooking at this stage can make it dry.
Step 3: Transfer the browned chicken to a bowl and set it aside.
Step 4: Add the chopped onion and garlic to the Dutch oven and sauté until softened and fragrant.
Step 5: Add the lemon juice, beer or wine, chicken broth, oregano, and Sazon packets. Stir everything together and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes so the sauce can reduce a little.
Step 6: Stir in the peri peri sauce and return the browned chicken to the pot. Cook another 5 minutes, or until the chicken is heated through and the sauce is hot.
Step 7: Transfer to a serving dish, spoon some of the sauce over the top, then garnish with chopped cilantro and lemon wedges. Serve hot with rice or fries.
What To Serve With Chicken Mozambique
Chicken Mozambique is best served with something that can soak up the sauce. White rice is a classic choice, but fries are just as common and make a great option on the side.
For sides, keep it simple. If you want to build out the meal, you can serve it with our brown rice, white rice, French-fries.
Substitutions and Variations
Some useful substitutions and variations when making this recipe:
- Adjust the heat: Use a little less peri peri sauce for a milder version, or add more if you want extra heat.
- Use chicken thighs: Boneless chicken thighs work well here and stay juicy as they simmer in the sauce.
- Swap the beer: White wine works well, or you can use extra broth if you prefer not to cook with alcohol.
- Add peppers: Diced bell peppers can be added with the onion for a little extra flavor and texture.
Tips For Success
Helpful tips to help you when making this recipe:
- Brown the chicken, not cook it through: You're just looking for some color on the outside. The chicken will still be a little pink in the center, and that's fine since it finishes cooking in the sauce.
- Do not overcrowd the pot: Brown in batches if needed so the chicken sears instead of steaming.
- Use the same pot for the sauce: The browned bits left behind in the pan help flavor the broth.
- Taste before serving: Peri peri sauces vary in heat, so adjust at the end if needed.
- Watch the seasoning packets: Use Sazon Goya con Culantro y Achiote (the peach-colored packet). There are several varieties, and this is the one that gives the dish its signature flavor and color.
Storage Options
Here's how to store leftovers from this recipe:
- Refrigerate leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze for later: Let the chicken cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
- Reheat gently: Warm on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of broth if needed to loosen the sauce.
Related Recipes
Frequently Asked Questions
Chicken Mozambique is a saucy chicken dish made with garlic, lemon, broth, and a little heat. The American-style version most people know uses browned cubes of chicken simmered in sauce and served over rice or with fries.
It is usually mild to medium spicy, depending on how much peri peri sauce you use.
Yes. You can replace the beer with white wine or additional chicken broth.
Rice and fries are the most common pairings because they soak up the sauce so well.
It is a seasoning blend made with ingredients like coriander and annatto that adds flavor and color to the dish.
Budget Dinner Recipes
Get The Recipe!
Chicken Mozambique with Garlic Lemon Sauce
Equipment
- 6 qt Enameled Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 3 lb boneless chicken breast cubed (about 3 large breasts)
- 1 ½ cup onion chopped
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 ½ cup chicken broth
- ¾ cup beer or white wine
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoon Peri Peri sauce
- 4 packets Sazon Goya con Culantro Y Achiote
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- Chopped cilantro for garnish
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter together.3 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoon butter
- Add the diced chicken and brown over medium high heat for 3 to 5 minutes. The chicken should be lightly browned but still a little pink in the center.3 lb boneless chicken breast
- Transfer the browned chicken to a bowl and set it aside.
- Add the chopped onion and garlic to the Dutch oven and sauté until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.1 ½ cup onion, 6 cloves garlic
- dd the lemon juice, beer or wine, chicken broth, oregano, and Sazon packets. Stir everything together and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes so the sauce can reduce a little.1 ½ cup chicken broth, ¾ cup beer , 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon oregano, 4 packets Sazon Goya con Culantro Y Achiote
- Stir in the peri peri sauce and return the browned chicken to the pot. Cook another 5 minutes, or until the chicken is heated through and the sauce is hot.3 tablespoon Peri Peri sauce
- Transfer to a serving dish, spoon some of the sauce over the top, then garnish with chopped cilantro and lemon wedges. Serve hot with rice or fries.Chopped cilantro , Lemon wedges
Notes
- Brown the chicken, not cook it through: You're just looking for some color on the outside. The chicken will still be a little pink in the center, and that's fine since it finishes cooking in the sauce.
- Do not overcrowd the pot: Brown in batches if needed so the chicken sears instead of steaming.
- Use the same pot for the sauce: The browned bits left behind in the pan help flavor the broth.
- Taste before serving: Peri peri sauces vary in heat, so adjust at the end if needed.
- Watch the seasoning packets: Use Sazon Goya con Culantro y Achiote (the peach-colored packet). There are several varieties, and this is the one that gives the dish its signature flavor and color.
Nutrition
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