The Best Chimichurri Chicken, grilled or pan fried with authentic Argentine chimichurri!
Chimichurri is growing fast in popularity and is the most perfect condiment to serve with your chicken or steak! So easy to make and tastes incredible, your Chimichurri Chicken dinner is ready in minutes! With only a handful of ingredients and NO food processors or blenders!
Authentic Chimichurri
Chimichurri is a loose oil-based condiment used to accompany barbecued meats or churrasco. With so many variations in the world of Chimichurri, it’s difficult to say which is the closest to the most authentic recipe there is. This Chimichurri recipe is my Uruguayan born and raised father’s recipe; one of the best cooks I know.
Chimichurri Chicken
Truth be told, in Argentina or Uruguay we don’t marinate or baste our meats in chimichurri…ever. Used solely as an accompaniment for your proteins, chimichurri is always served on the side of your plate to dip or pour over your meat.
With this recipe, however, I convinced my father to try marinating some chicken thighs as they are a completely different flavour to beef, and to try the outcome.
He is now converted…with chicken only. Don’t touch his steaks or yours though. If you’d lIke to see how we cook our steaks with chimichurri, see this link!
How to cook chicken with chimichurri
There are two options to chose from to get the best flavour out of your chicken:
- Cast iron skillet (or plancha as we call it)
- Grill (bbq)
Once you’ve made your chimichurri, marinate your chicken thighs for 20-30 minutes to really get all of those flavours in. I use thighs for this as they are guaranteed to stay succulent and juicy, but you can use breasts if you wish!
Serve with a simple tomato salad for a healthy, low carb, light dinner!
Read more about our Authentic Chimichurri recipe here!
Best Chimichurri Chicken
Ingredients
Chimichurri:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped or minced
- 2 small red chilies or 1 red chili, deseeded and finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon finely chopped chili)
- 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 - 1 level teaspoon coarse salt (adjust to your tastes)
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper (adjust to your tastes)
Chicken:
- 4 skinless boneless chicken thighs (or breasts)
- Salt to season
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes to release all of the flavours into the oil before using. (Chimichurri can be prepared and refrigerated for 24 hours before serving.) Makes 1 cup.
- Season chicken with salt, pour 4 tablespoons of Chimichurri out into a shallow dish and coat chicken. Allow to marinate for 20 minutes (if time allows). Reserve untouched marinade to serve later.
- Heat a small amount of oil in a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken fillets on each side until golden, crispy and cooked through (about 5-6 minutes each side). Once chicken is cooked, set aside and allow to rest.
- Spoon remaining chimichurri over each chicken thigh (about 2-3 tablespoons of chimichurri per person), or allow your guests to dip their chicken in a small dip bowl of chimichurri.
colleen says
In the picture of the Chimichurri it looks like there is onion in the sauce?? I see white chunks … or is that the garlic?
Rakhee k says
Thank you for this lovely recipe.My daughter said it tastes like restaurant style.. thanks a ton!!
M. Bapat says
Absolutely delicious and most painless recipe 🙂 I make it often and bask in all the accolades ! Thank you.
Demetra says
This looks absolutely awesome, I can’t wait to give this recipe a try. I love that you have the spice of chili in here, so zesty.
Janie Bell says
What kind of red pepper is in the chimichurri?
Karina says
It is a red chili. Hope that helps! Thanks for following along with me!
Angie Douglas says
Where we live in Colorado I do not find fresh red chiles. Do you have the name of the chile? Is it a dry red chile that you devein and remove seeds? May I substitute a Jalapeno or other chile pepper and if I do, do I devein and remove seeds or leave it very hot? I have powdered ancho chile powder, chile molido and hatch medium chile powder and might a teaspoon of one of those work for the heat?
Karina says
Hi Angie, we use something like this: https://www.harrisfarm.com.au/products/chilli-hot-birdseye-each. Any fresh red chili is fine to use. You can also use a milder one!
Evan Mitchell says
Could not possibly forget to give you an accolade about your Chicken Cacciatore recipe. The sauce was to die for. So smooth and silky with a taste so impressive it was a heavenly dining experience.