Chimichurri chicken is a vibrant and zesty chicken recipe made from chicken thighs or breasts that are marinated in an easy chimichurri sauce, then pan-seared or grilled and drizzled with more sauce for serving.
Upgrade your chicken with this chimichurri chicken recipe! Chicken thighs are marinated in a fresh and vibrant chimichurri sauce that’s full of flavor in every bite. You can cook this in a skillet or on the grill, so you can enjoy this recipe year-round.
Pair it with cilantro lime rice or roasted Mexican vegetables for a satisfying and healthy meal.
Here’s why I love this recipe so much:
- Chimichurri is incredibly flavorful! Made with fresh herbs and spices like cilantro, parsley, lime juice, and garlic, the sauce is used to marinate and tenderize the meat as well as for drizzling right before serving. It packs a punch of flavor that’s bright, refreshing, and tangy.
- Use your preferred cooking method. This recipe can be made on the grill, roasted in the oven, or pan-seared.
- It comes together quickly. Because of the lime juice and red wine vinegar in the chimichurri sauce that quickly tenderizes the meat, the chicken only needs to marinate for 30 minutes to get infused with all the flavors. It’s ideal for a fast weeknight dinner but is flavorful enough for a special weekend feast.
Ingredients in Chimichurri Chicken
- Parsley and cilantro: I used an even mix of parsley and cilantro that gives the chimichurri sauce its signature herb-packed flavor.
- Seasonings: I used a mix of kosher salt, oregano, red pepper flakes, and coarse black pepper.
- Lime juice and red wine vinegar: These ingredients are common in most chimichurri sauces. I used red wine vinegar and lime juice to flavor and tenderize the chicken quickly.
- Olive oil: You could also use avocado oil or your preferred vegetable oil.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves add punch to the sauce.
- Chicken: I used boneless skinless chicken thighs because they’re juicy and packed with flavor that complements this bold chimichurri sauce, but you can also use bone-in chicken thighs or breasts if you prefer.
Pro Tip
For the juiciest chicken, don’t overcook it. The chicken should have an internal temperature of 165˚F at the thickest point on an instant-read thermometer.
How to Make Chimichurri Chicken
Make the chimichurri sauce. Place garlic cloves, lime juice, parsley, cilantro, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, oregano, red pepper flakes and pepper into a food processor. Pulse in 1-second intervals until all the ingredients are finely chopped, about 5-6 times.
Reserve ¼ cup of the sauce and set aside for drizzling and serving at the end.
Marinate chicken. In a non-reactive bowl, lightly season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Add chimichurri sauce to the chicken thighs. Gently toss the chicken to evenly coat it with the marinade.
Cover the chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, but up to 8 hours.
Bring to room temperature. 15 minutes before you are ready to cook, take the chicken and reserved sauce out of the refrigerator and sit it on your counter to allow the chimichurri sauce to melt. It will likely have congealed in the refrigerator and needs to come back to the right consistency.
Cook the chicken. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, cook the chicken thighs for about 5-6 minutes on each side until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165°F using an instant-read thermometer. Cook time will vary if you use bone-in or skin-on chicken thighs and breasts.
Serve. Top the chicken thighs with the reserved chimichurri sauce and serve it with some cilantro lime rice, Mexican potatoes, or canned black beans.
Recipe Tips
- For a great sear and crust, let the skillet heat over medium-high heat for a few minutes before cooking the chicken. Flip minimally.
- For a more charred flavor, cook the chimichurri chicken on the grill or with a grill pan.
- Because the chimichurri sauce uses plenty of olive oil, do not add additional oil to the cooking pan or pat the chicken dry.
- I don’t recommend marinating longer than 8 hours, or the chicken will break down too much and develop a weird texture.
- Have leftover sauce? Drizzle it over steak like carne asada, fish, or pork!
- Don’t have chicken thighs? You can use chicken breasts or drumsticks instead. Cook time will vary depending on the thickness of the meat.
Storing and Reheating
To store, place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
To reheat, heat in the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through. You can also reheat in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.
More Chicken Recipes
Chimichurri Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh parsley
- 1 cup fresh cilantro
- ¾ cup olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 ½ limes)
- 2 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 6-7 pieces)
Instructions
- Add the parsley, cilantro, olive oil, garlic, lime juice, red wine vinegar, salt, oregano, red pepper flakes, and black pepper to a food processor. Pulse until all the ingredients are finely chopped. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
- Reserve ¼ cup of chimichurri sauce and set aside in the fridge to use for serving.
- Combine the chicken thighs and the remaining chimichurri sauce in a large bowl. Toss to evenly coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, up to 8 hours. 2 hours is ideal.
- 15 minutes before you are ready to cook the chicken, take it out of the fridge and the reserved chimichurri sauce. Let it sit on the counter to come to room temperature.
- To cook in a skillet: Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Shake off any excess marinade, and add the chicken thighs to the hot skillet. Cook for about 5-7 minutes per side until the internal temperature reaches 165℉.
- To grill: Preheat the grill over medium-high heat. Shake off any excess marinade, and add the chicken thighs to the hot grates. Cover and grill for 5-7 minutes per side until the internal temperature reaches 165˚F.
- Serve with the reserved chimichurri sauce.
Notes
- Because the chimichurri sauce uses plenty of olive oil, do not add additional oil to the cooking pan or pat the chicken dry.
- I don’t recommend marinating longer than 8 hours, or the chicken will break down too much and develop a weird texture.
- Don’t have boneless skinless chicken thighs? You can use chicken breasts or drumsticks instead. Cook time will vary depending on the thickness of the meat. Use a meat thermometer to make sure you don’t overcook it.
Nutrition Information
Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.
This recipe was originally published in February 2024 and has been updated with new photos.
Leave a Reply