This flavorful Chimichurri Chicken recipe features juicy grilled chicken infused with a simple homemade chimichurri sauce that is so delicious, you’ll want to put this green sauce on everything!
This is one of our favorite grilled Argentinian chicken dishes. It is easy to prepare in under 30 minutes using ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and a pack of fresh parsley.
Grilled Chimichurri Chicken Recipe
Everything about these grilled chimichurri chicken thighs just screams summer. Our chimichurri marinade is made with fresh parsley and is a very basic and yet very delicious chimichurri sauce (nothing complicated!).
Chicken thighs are soaked in the marinade for a few hours and the product is bold and flavorful, yet light and refreshing at the same time.
We love to make this chimuchurri chicken on the outdoor grill. You know I love to make my food on the grill during the summer because my husband’s in charge of all things grilling and therefore he is in charge of all things dinner. 😀
No grill? No problem! Grilled chimichurri chicken is as delicious on grill pans, or just a good old frying pan, as on an outdoor grill.
What is Chimichurri?
Chimichurri originated in Argentina and is an herb-based sauce (typically using parsley or cilantro based) loaded with robust earthy and tangy flavors. You can almost describe it as a cross between a salsa and pesto.
Chimichurri is a condiment that is typically served with grilled meats. We love it on beef, seafood, or chicken.
Because of its tart and fresh flavors, we also use it as a marinade for grilled meats such as this chicken chimichurri recipe.
Chimichurri chicken is simply grilled chicken infused with chimichurri sauce. Chimichurri sauce can either be a marinade or a condiment…or both, in our case! It is versatile and tasty and you NEED IN YOUR LIFE!
I love making this grilled chimichurri chicken because it is easy, healthy and delicious. It always surprise me how SO MUCH flavor is packed into this simple chicken dish.
Ingredients
Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients you will need to make this chicken chimichurri recipe:
- Chicken – We are using boneless, skinless chicken thighs here. You can use other cuts of chicken, such as chicken breasts as well. I personally prefer dark meat chicken for this because it is the most flavorful and juicy. You can also cut the meats into small pieces and skewer them.
- cooking oil – any neutral oil for greasing the grill to prevent chicken from sticking.
Chimichurri Marinade
To make a chimichurri sauce, there’s several variations out there. All of them are delicious! It is about having a balance of flavors. Here is my favorite and it is a very basic version that tastes anything but basic:
- parsley – remove stems. We are using Italian (flat leaf) parsley for this chimichurri recipe. You can use cilantro or do half cilantro half parsley if you prefer.
- red vinegar – I like the flavor of red wine vinegar in my chimichurri marinade but you can also use other acid such as lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or other types of vinegar.
- paprika – I like bringing a hint of smokiness to it with paprika. You can use smoked paprika if you are looking for an extra dose of smokiness.
- red pepper flakes – this will give it a mild kick of spice! Adjust to taste.
- garlic – use fresh garlic for best flavor. I just throw cloves of garlic into the food processor along with the other ingredients and let it mince it up! Avoid using garlic powder – the flavor is just not the same
- dried oregano – if you have fresh oregano you can use that instead. I just find that I don’t typically have fresh oregano at hand, and for the amount it is needed, there’s really no need to get the fresh ones if it’s too much trouble.
- salt and black pepper – this will really open up the flavors of the chimichurri marinade. If chimichurri taste bland, add more salt until the flavor realy comes through.
- olive oil – we are using a good amount of oil so try to use a good quality olive oil if you can!
Kitchen Tools
Grill your chimichurri chicken on your outdoor grill, or cook it on the stovetop using a grill pan or even just a regular frying pan.
When I cook this indoor, I like to use this 12-inch grill pan for this recipe, which is my all-time favorite grill pan.
How to make chimichurri chicken on grill pan
Prepare Chicken Chimichurri Marinade
Grab a few pantry-friendly ingredients and make that chimichurri sauce! It is fairly easy to make, and it is the key to bringing lovely Argentinian flavors to this chicken chimichurri dish.
Bring olive oil, fresh parsley leaves (de-stemmed), salt, red wine vinegar, garlic cloves, dried oregano, paprika, salt and black pepper into a food processor.
Pulse to blend. It should yield about 1 – 1 1/2 cup cup of delicious green chimichurri marinade that’s out of this world delicious.
Feel free to add more olive oil if you prefer the consistency a bit thinner.
Also don’t forget to taste it and add more salt to open up the flavors if needed.
In a pinch, you can definitely go to the store and get some chimichurri sauce. But freshly made chimi sauce is always the best. And it’s really pretty straight-forward to make!
Marinate Chicken
Generously marinade chicken with three-fourths of the chimichurri sauce, and save the other one-fourth for later.
Do not cross-contaminate the marinade sauce and the sauce that will be served with the chicken later.
Marinate chicken dish for ~4 hours for best flavors. You can also let it marinade overnight for even more intense flavors.
Preparing grill or Grill pan
If you are using a grill pan, our goal is to ‘grill’ this chimichurri chicken as we would on a grill. I like to let the chicken sit in room temperature for about 15-30 minutes to get it to room temperature while I prepare grill or grill pan ready.
Season the grill/grill pan – make sure to butter/oil the pan to prevent chicken from sticking.
Heat the grill/grill pan – when it comes to cooking with a grill pan or a grill outdoor, make sure it is hot before adding any meat on it. So, heat it on medium to medium high before starting to grill.
Grilling chimichurri chicken
Once your cast iron is hot and ready, place chicken skin side down to get a good sear and beautiful marks.
Sear each side for about 5-6 minutes until golden brown. Cover if needed. Cook until the inside of the meat is aligned with USDA’s recommendation of 165°F, then remove promptly. This will yield a moist and tender juicy chicken.
Once chicken is done, plate and top with that zesty and bright flavored homemade chimichurri sauce that you set aside earlier.
When I take that first bite of the juicy tender dark meat chicken and the tangy chimi sauce, I am in food heaven…the dreams of every foodie!
This grilled chimichurri chicken is truly flavor-bursting bites of amazingness!
Serving Suggestions
Here are some of our favorite side dishes that goes great with this chicken chimichurri recipe:
- salads – top chimuchurri chicken on some of our favorite salads such as Strawberry Bacon Spinach Salad, Caesar Pasta Salad and Avocado Orange Salad.
- fresh no cook summer sides – I also love pairing with Pineapple Mango Salsa, Corn and Tomato Salad, or Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Dressing for a quick and light meal!
- grains – try it with quinoa, Easy Mixed Vegetable Rice or Creamy Parmesan Orzo!
- roasted vegetables – check out some of my favorite veggies that I love to serve with this chimichurri chicken dinner. Roasted Broccolini, Garlic Honey Carrots, Oven Roasted Green Beans are a few examples!
Tips and Tricks
- Fresh herbs please! For the best taste, always use fresh parsley. Parsley is the main ingredient and what the majority of the marinade is made of, and dry herbs just don’t pack the same punch.
- Adjust Consistency: If you like a chunky chimichurri sauce, pulse the ingredients lightly in the food processor. For a smoother sauce, keep it running longer. Add more olive oil if you like a thinner sauce.
- Spice it Up: Add more red pepper flakes to increase the heat level in your chimichurri sauce.
- Citrus Twist: Besides red wine vinegar, try adding a splash of lemon or lime juice for extra brightness.
- Alternative Shelf Life: Chimichurri can be stored for about a week in the refrigerator. Freezing in ice cube trays maintains freshness for longer periods.
- Avoid Overcrowding Chicken: Make sure chicken don’t overlap when they are placed on the grill. If grill/grill pan is small, or if you double the recipe, you may wan to cook in two batches. Grilling too many chicken pieces at once reduces the grill temperature, leading to less sear and uneven cooking.
- Avoid Overcooking Chicken: Once internal temperature of chicken reaches 165ºF, remove from heat promptly to avoid overcooking. Overcooked chicken will be dry and unappetizing.
Frequently Asked Questions
While not strictly necessary, marinating the chicken for at least a few hours allows the flavors of the chimichurri sauce to penetrate the chicken, resulting in a more flavorful dish. Marinating is strongly recommended!
Yes! Making the sauce ahead of time allows the ingredients to meld and enhances its flavor. It can be made up to a few days in advance and stored in the fridge.
Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken and the temperature of your grill. As a general rule, grill chicken for about 5-6 minutes on each side over medium heat, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. The best way to measure doneness is using a meat thermometer and checking the internal temperature.
Yes, you can bake the marinated chicken in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
You can use the chimichurri sauce on other proteins like steak or fish, or even as a dressing for grilled vegetables.
Leftover chimichurri chicken can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
ENJOYED THIS RECIPE? Tell us what you think by leaving a rating and review below! 🤍
More Chicken Recipes
- French Onion Chicken
- Chipotle Chicken Tacos
- Gochujang Chicken
- BBQ Chicken Salad
- Garlic Rosemary Chicken
Chimichurri Chicken
Ingredients
Chimichurri
- 1½ cup parsley packed tightly, course stems removed
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ cup olive oil
- 7-8 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp salt plus more to taste if needed
- ½ tsp black pepper
Chicken
- 2 lb chicken thighs boneless, skinless
- cooking oil
Instructions
- Add all of the chimichurri ingredients to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until desired consistency is reached.
- Set aside ¼ of the chimichurri to use later.
- Place the chicken thighs in a bowl. Fully coat with the remaining ¾ of the chimichurri marinade. Allow to marinate 30 minutes to 4 hours.
- Heat grill or grill pan over medium high heat.
- Once the grill or grill pan is hot, grease with cooking oil. Place chicken thighs on the grill, flipping half way through the cooking time. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165℉.
- Remove chicken once cooked.
- Top with reserved chimichurri and serve.
- Enjoy!
Can I use boneless chicken breasts with good results?
Yes! That should work! I prefer dark meat chicken for the flavor but the chimichurri will provide a lot of flavors to the chicken whether it is chicken breasts or thighs. Make sure to marinade for the full 4 hours for best results!
We love this and have made it twice. Thanks for posting!
We used flat-leaf parsley, but it appears you used curly parsley. I am curious if this would make any difference….
Thanks again
Happy to hear that you loved it!
I can’t imagine there being any significant difference!