Chimichurri Chicken

One of our favorite healthy and easy dinner recipes is Chimichurri Chicken! An addictive green herb sauce drizzled over simple spice-rubbed boneless chicken breasts (or thighs) makes for a flavor-packed meal.

We love pairing this delicious Chimichurri Chicken with this light and refreshing Cucumber Salad, easy Bruschetta, or Roasted Carrots.

If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time, it’s probably no surprise to you how much I like sauces. I think they add so much flavor and complexity to dishes! And nothing beats a sauce that’s homemade.

This chimichurri sauce is no exception to my love of sauces! While it’s not 100% authentic to Argentina chimichurri, it’s my favorite take on the famous herb sauce.

Chimichurri

If you aren’t familiar with chimichurri, it’s an uncooked sauce that’s typically paired with grilled meat (often as a marinade and/or sauce).

Chimichurri sauce originated in Argentina and Uruguay and comes in green and red versions. Over time, chimichurri has spread, and most Latin American countries have their own version. Typically, the sauce is made from finely chopped parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano, and red wine vinegar. The dominant flavors are usually parsley and garlic. My chimichurri has a few more flavors added: cilantro, lime juice, and a little bit of honey to balance the acidity.

Many uses for chimichurri

This Chimichurri Sauce is SO versatile– I add it to so many things! Chimichurri Sauce is generally served as a condiment, but it is wonderful as a flavor booster for protein marinades, grains, and salad. Below are some of my favorite ways to use this sauce:

• Tossed in couscous (try this shrimp couscous!), cooked quinoa, or cooked rice
• Added to grilled vegetables or roasted vegetables
• In a salad (as the dressing) with avocado, tomato, and red onions
• Over every type of grilled protein you can imagine
• Added to cooked beans 
• Folded into mayo to create a delicious herb spread for sandwiches or wraps
• Stirred into sour cream or Greek yogurt for a taco cream sauce

Tips for Chimichurri Chicken

• Chop the herbs: While this sauce can be prepared in a food processor, I think it’s best with hand-chopped herbs. Doing this creates a more textured and coarse sauce. However, if you’re looking to save some time, here’s how to make chimichurri in a food processor (step by step photo guide here):
  • Add all the ingredients except the parsley, cilantro, and olive oil to a food processor; use a mini-prep processor if possible. I use and love this one.
  • Pulse to chop — you want ingredients pretty finely minced here.
  • Add herbs — again, pulse to chop, but this time you want the herbs to be a little coarser (they’ll soften as they sit).
  • Drizzle in oil — while the processor is running, drizzle in the oil to help thicken the sauce and chop the herbs a little more. You don’t want this sauce to be smooth; it’s best with some texture.
• Make the chimichurri ahead of time: If you’re planning meals for the week (or meal prepping), I recommend making the sauce a day or two ahead. You might even want to double it and add it to whatever else you’re eating during the week (see ideas above). This herb sauce just gets more and more flavorful as it sits!
• Adjust red pepper flakes: If you don’t like any heat to the sauce, leave the pepper flakes out. On the flip side, add more red pepper flakes for additional heat.

Great side dishes

• Roasted asparagus (so much flavor!)
• Strawberry salad (easy, quick, delicious!)
• Chickpea salad (Mediterranean-inspired)
• Roasted sweet potatoes (incredible seasoning blend!)

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5 from 3 votes

Chimichurri Chicken

By Chelsea Lords

One of our favorite healthy and easy dinners is Chimichurri Chicken. Tender, spice-rubbed chicken breasts or thighs are topped with a vibrant green herb sauce for a flavor-packed meal!

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

• Grill or grill pan

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

Chimichurri

• ▢ 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
• ▢ 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• ▢ 1 large lime
• ▢ 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
• ▢ 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• ▢ 1/2 cup olive oil
• ▢ 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ▢ 1 tablespoon honey
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Chicken

• ▢ 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• ▢ 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 2-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ▢ 2 teaspoons salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pepper
• ▢ 1-1/2 cups uncooked basmati rice optional

Instructions 

• Juice the lime using a citrus juicer to get 2 tablespoons lime juice. In a large Mason jar (see note 1), add the finely chopped garlic cloves, red wine vinegar, and freshly squeezed lime juice and stir. Add the olive oil, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, and honey to the Mason jar. Place the lid on the jar and shake to combine. Remove the bulk of the stem and finely chop a bunch of parsley to get a full 1/2 cup. Finely chop the cilantro and measure to get 1/2 cup. Add the finely chopped parsley and cilantro to the jar and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Place the lid on the jar and refrigerate overnight or let stand at room temperature while preparing everything else.
• Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat, about 400℉ (see note 2). Generously oil the grill by drenching a rolled-up paper towel in vegetable oil and using tongs to rub it over the grill grates. For a grill pan, add 1 tablespoon of oil to the surface. Remove excess fat from the chicken breasts. Slice the breasts in half horizontally. Use a meat mallet or frying pan to pound the breasts to an even thickness. Don't flatten them, just ensure they're uniform. Using a pastry brush, brush olive oil over all sides of chicken. In a small bowl whisk together cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle this seasoning mix over all sides of the chicken. Press, but don't rub, into the chicken.
• Place the prepared chicken onto the grill or grill pan and cook for 5–6 minutes per side. The chicken is done when the juices run clear, and the internal temperature reaches 160–165℉. Remove the chicken from the grill or grill pan and let rest for 5 minutes, tented with foil. Slice chicken against the grain.
• If desired, serve cooked chicken over a grain of choice. I enjoy white rice or couscous most! I like to stir about 1/3 cup chimichurri sauce into the cooked grain. Add chicken on top and spoon generous amounts of sauce over everything. For storing leftover chimichurri, see directions in the blog post.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: If you prefer to use a mini food processor, read the post for directions.

Note 2:  You can also use a regular pan! Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan over medium-high heat.  Add prepared chicken breast and cook for 4–6 minutes per side until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and loosely cover with foil. Let the chicken rest for 5–10 minutes. Slice against the grain.

Storage: To store Chimichurri Chicken, keep the chicken and sauce separate. Store cooked chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Chimichurri sauce can be refrigerated in a sealed jar for up to a week. Reheat the chicken and spoon fresh sauce over before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 505kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 182mg | Potassium: 646mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 845IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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