Chimichurri Chicken

a reliable Chimichurri Chicken recipe, grilled or pan-fried with authentic Argentine chimichurri!

Chimichurri is growing fast in popularity and is the good condiment to serve with your chicken or steak! So quick and easy to make and tastes good; your Chimichurri Chicken dinner is ready in minutes! With only a handful of ingredients and NO food processors or blenders!

What is Chimichurri Chicken

If you are new to South American food, you might not be familiar with chimichurri. Maybe you tried it from a food truck serving empanadas and wondered what that good green topping was. People often call it an Argentinian sauce, but it is a loose, oil-based condiment meant to go with barbecued meats or churrasco.

With so many variations out there, finding a truly authentic recipe can be tough. This specific chimichurri recipe was passed down by our father. He was born and raised in Uruguay and was one of a reliable cooks we ever knew.

So, what exactly is chimichurri chicken? It is chicken that has been marinated and cooked in a fresh chimichurri mixture, allowing the meat to absorb all the garlic, parsley, oregano, and vinegar before it hits the pan. To be completely honest, people in Argentina and Uruguay do not marinate or baste meat in chimichurri. It is used strictly as a side dish to dip or spoon over your protein at the table.

For this recipe, however, we convinced our dad to break tradition and marinate chicken thighs in the chimichurri before cooking. Chicken takes on flavors completely differently than beef, and the results spoke for themselves. The oil carried the garlic and herbs right into the meat. He ended up loving the outcome when it came to chicken. He just warned us never to try it with his steaks.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

The real secret to this chicken recipe comes down to the marinating technique. As we mentioned earlier, soaking meat in chimichurri goes against traditional rules. But when we finally got our dad to test it out, we realized exactly why making a chimichurri chicken recipe in this way works so well.

Chicken needs a little extra help to take on flavor compared to a good steak. By using the mixture as a marinade, the oil naturally drives all the garlic, herbs, and vinegar straight into the meat before it even hits the pan. You do not just get a coating on the outside; it seasons the chicken all the way through.

This method also makes this chicken chimichurri incredibly fast and simple to put together. You only need to make one mixture. You use half of the batch to marinate the meat and save the rest to spoon over the cooked chicken right at the table. It cuts down on prep time, saves you from washing extra bowls, and gets a great meal ready with little effort.

What Goes Into Chimichurri Chicken

We love making this chicken recipe because it relies on just a few fresh staples to build the flavor. You do not need a long grocery list, and the whole thing takes barely any effort to prep.

• Olive oil: The base of our marinade. We prefer using standard olive oil rather than extra virgin. Extra virgin can be a bit too overpowering and bitter. Standard olive oil perfectly carries all the flavors into the meat.
• Parsley: You need fresh herbs for a real chimichurri. We have seen people try to make this with dried parsley, but the flavor completely falls flat. Chop it finely by hand instead of using a food processor so it stays a loose condiment.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic is non-negotiable here. Please do not use garlic paste or anything out of a jar. It completely ruins the authentic taste. Just finely chop fresh cloves so they distribute evenly throughout the oil.
• Chicken: Traditionally, chimichurri is served strictly with red meats. But for this recipe, boneless skinless chicken thighs are our top choice. They stay juicy and absorb the marinade perfectly. You can swap them for chicken breasts if you prefer, just watch your cooking time closely so they do not dry out in the pan.

Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.

On the stove

Once you've made your chimichurri, marinate your chicken thighs for 20-30 minutes to get all of those flavors in. We use thighs for this as they are guaranteed to stay succulent and juicy, but you can use breasts if you wish! If you choose chicken breasts, we recommend slicing them in half horizontally so they cook evenly without drying out. Letting the meat sit on the counter for this short time also takes the cold chill off, helping it cook much better.

There are two options to choose from how to cook chicken with chimichurri:

• Cast iron pan/skillet (or plancha as we call it)
• Grill (BBQ)

For an easy stovetop chimichurri chicken, a cast iron skillet is ideal. Heat your pan until it is hot so you get a loud sizzle the second the meat hits the metal. Because the marinade is oil-based, you barely need to add extra oil to the plancha. Let the chicken sear completely undisturbed for about five minutes per side to build a dark crust.

If you prefer cooking outdoors, the BBQ grill adds a great smoky char. Whichever method you choose, always let the cooked chicken rest on a cutting board for five minutes before eating. Finish by spooning the reserved fresh chimichurri over the top.

Serve it with

Because this chicken has so much garlic and fresh herb flavor, we like to keep the side dishes simple. Any time we make this, we usually serve it alongside some garlicky crispy roasted potatoes or simple garlic infused buttery rice to soak up all the extra oil and juices left on the plate.

If you want to keep things on the lighter side, it fits perfectly next to a fresh cucumber avocado salad with chicken.

Serve with a simple tomato salad for a healthy, low-carb, light dinner!

It is also incredibly versatile for leftovers. We often slice the chicken cold the next day and throw it into a wrap or over a big green salad for quick lunches during the week. You do not need to overthink the sides when the meat itself has this much going on.

Recipe FAQ's

Both boneless chicken thighs and chicken breasts work beautifully. Thighs stay extra juicy on the grill, while breasts are lean and quick to cook.

Absolutely. Bake the marinated chicken in the oven at 400°F (200°C) for 20–25 minutes, then top with fresh chimichurri before serving.

You can, but homemade chimichurri has a fresher, bolder flavor. Plus, it only takes a few minutes to mix together from scratch.

What you need

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic finely chopped or minced
• 2 red chilies small, 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
• 4 skinless boneless chicken thighs or breasts
• 1 pinch salt to season

Method

1. 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.)
2. Season chicken with salt, p our 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.