Best Chimichurri Chicken Recipes

CHIMICHURRI CHICKEN

Steps:

• Make the sauce: On a cutting board, smash and coarsely chop the garlic with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mash the mixture using the side of your knife until a coarse paste forms. Move the paste to the side of the cutting board, then chop the parsley and oregano together with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Combine the garlic paste and the chopped herbs and chop and mash until the herbs are bruised and fragrant.
• Transfer to a medium bowl. Add the red-pepper flakes, black pepper, vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil; stir to combine. (You should have about 3/4 cup chimichurri. It can be prepared in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days.)
• Make the chicken: Pat the chicken dry. If thickness varies greatly, pound to an even thickness, about 1/2-inch. Rub half the chimichurri all over the chicken and let sit for at least 10 minutes. (You could also refrigerate overnight; just let it come to room temperature before cooking.)
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Wipe off excess marinade from the chicken and cook until juices run clear, about 5 minutes per side for thighs and 4 minutes per side for breasts. (For grilling and oven instructions, see Tips below.)
• Serve with remaining chimichurri spooned over top.

CHIMICHURRI BAKED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine parsley, 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, oregano, vinegar, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper in a bowl; mix the chimichurri thoroughly.
• Place chicken on a cutting board and remove the backbone using kitchen shears. Press down on the breast with the heel of your hand to flatten. Loosen the skin of the chicken carefully and rub the chimichurri underneath, distributing it evenly. Wrap the chicken in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Allow chicken to come to room temperature for no more than 1 hour before baking.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Rub 1 teaspoon olive oil over the chicken; season with salt and pepper. Place onion in a cast-iron skillet. Pour chicken broth over onion. Place seasoned chicken on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 45 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat, near the bone, should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Allow chicken to rest in a warm area for 10 minutes before slicing.

GRILLED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

Steps:

• To make chimichurri sauce: In food processor fitted with metal blade, puree garlic.
• Add parsley and process until finely chopped.
• Add 3/4 cup oil, vinegar, water or chicken broth, and seasonings, and process.
• Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. It should be very flavorful and spicy.
• For marinade: In small mixing bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of the chimichurri sauce, with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and mix until smooth; taste for seasoning.
• Place chicken breasts in a sealable bag and pour in marinade, making sure marinade is evenly distributed.
• Zip bag and refrigerate 1/2 hour to 4 hours.
• Prepare barbecue for medium-heat grilling.
• Remove chicken from marinade and grill about 3 inches from flame, 7 to 10 minutes on each side or until no pink color is showing.
• Place on platter and serve with sauce on the side.
• Advance prep. tip: The sauce can be made up to 6 days ahead, covered and refrigerated. Remove from fridge half an hour before serving.

CHIMICHURRI CHICKEN MARINADE

Steps:

• For the marinade: Add the parsley, vinegar, oregano, red pepper flakes, scallions and garlic to a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. With the food processor running, stream in the oil until uniform in a consistency. Add the lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper. Pulse just to combine. Add 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 8 boneless skinless thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds) to a large resealable plastic bag. Pour in the marinade, squeeze out the air, seal tightly and massage gently to coat the chicken. Refrigerate for 2 hours or freeze up to 1 month; defrost in the refrigerator overnight before cooking.
• To cook: Transfer the chicken to a foil-lined baking sheet and roast in a 425-degree F oven until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F, 20 to 25 minutes.

MAYO-MARINATED CHICKEN WITH CHIMICHURRI

Steps:

• Season chicken cutlets on both sides with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Whisk together mayonnaise and 1/4 cup chimichurri in a large bowl. Reserve remaining chimichurri. Add chicken cutlets to the mixture and turn to coat. Cook immediately, or for better flavor, transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours.
• To cook on the grill: Heat a gas or charcoal grill over high heat for 10 minutes. Cook chicken cutlets directly over high heat, turning and flipping occasionally, until just cooked through and lightly charred all over, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Spoon some of the remaining chimichurri over the chicken and serve the rest in a small bowl on the side.
• To cook in a skillet: Heat a large (12-inch) cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until a drop of water immediately balls up and dances across the surface. Add chicken cutlets in a single layer and cook, swirling them and flipping them occasionally until browned all over and just cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Spoon some of the remaining chimichurri over the chicken and serve the rest in a small bowl on the side.

MAHOGANY BROILED CHICKEN WITH SMOKY LIME SWEET POTATOES AND CILANTRO CHIMICHURRI

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together chopped cilantro, olive oil, minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper; set aside.
• In medium bowl, mix together brown sugar, mustard, hoisin sauce and vinegar. Reserve 2/3 of this mixture. To remainder, add 1/2 cup lime juice and stir in chicken; cover and refrigerate.
• Place sweet potatoes in a heavy saucepan and cover with boiling water. Cook, covered, over medium-high heat until tender, about 15 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking liquid, then drain potatoes in colander. Return potatoes to reserved cooking water and add butter, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice, cumin, lime zest, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Mash potatoes.
• Preheat the broiler. Thread chicken on 8 bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water for 30 minutes. Broil about 6 inches from heat, basting with reserved mahogany sauce until done, about 8 minutes. To serve, divide potatoes among 4 plates; top each with 2 skewers of chicken and drizzle with cilantro chimichurri sauce. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.

GRILLED BRINED CHICKEN WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

Steps:

• For chicken:
• Bring 2 cups water, 1/4 cup salt, and pickling spice to boil in large saucepan, stirring until salt dissolves. Remove from heat; add 6 cups water and honey. Cool brine to room temperature. Add chicken to brine; let soak 1 hour at room temperature.
• Remove chicken from brine and rinse with cold water; discard brine. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Place chicken in 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Combine 1/2 cup olive oil, shallot, basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme, and garlic in processor. Blend until herb mixture is finely chopped. Rub herb mixture all over chicken; cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.
• For chimichurri sauce:
• Place all ingredients in processor; puree until almost smooth. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD:Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover; chill.
• Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Rub excess marinade off chicken, leaving some marinade still clinging. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Grill chicken covered until cooked through, turning occasionally, about 30 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter. Spoon some chimichurri over. Pass remaining chimichurri.

CHICKEN WITH CITRUS CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk water, salt, honey and zests until salt is dissolved. Add chicken, making sure it's submerged. Refrigerate up to 2 hours., Pulse sauce ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup sauce for serving., Remove chicken; rinse and pat dry. Brush chicken with remaining sauce. Grill, covered, over medium-high heat or broil 4 in. from heat until a thermometer reads 165°, 4-6 minutes on each side. Serve with reserved sauce.

GRILLED BONE-IN CHICKEN BREAST WITH CHIMICHURRI

Steps:

• Place garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add cilantro, parsley, oregano, and salt; pulse until finely chopped. Drizzle in oil, vinegar, and lime juice slowly, while the blade is spinning. Process for about 1 minute. Cover with a lid and store chimichurri in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Rub chicken breasts on all sides with herb rub.
• Turn the middle burners to low on the preheated grill and place chicken, skin-side down, over those burners. Close the lid and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the middle burners off and flip chicken. Close lid and cook until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Serve chicken with chimichurri.

CHIMICHURRI CHICKEN

Steps:

• For the chicken: Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add the grapeseed oil and allow it to heat up. Place the chicken breasts in the pan skin-side down, making sure not to overcrowd the pan; cook in batches if needed. Sear one side of the chicken until nicely browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Turn the chicken over and finish cooking until cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F., 3 to 4 minutes.
• For the chimichurri: Combine the grapeseed oil, parsley, vinegar, cilantro, honey, oregano, garlic, shallot, red pepper flakes and salt in a food processor and process slowly. Add the extra-virgin olive oil and mix to combine. The final product should be smooth but have a bit of texture to it.
• For the sweet potatoes: Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add the grapeseed oil and allow it to heat up. Add the sweet potatoes and cook on high to sear, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook the the potatoes, stirring regularly, until tender, about 20 minutes.
• Add the chili powder and cayenne and saute for 1 to 2 minutes to toast the spices. Add the molasses and cook, stirring, until glazed, 3 to 4 minutes. The potatoes should be tender but not falling apart.
• Just before serving, heat the sweet potatoes over high heat and add the kale. Cook until the kale is tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• To plate: Divide the sweet potatoes and kale among 6 plates, placing the vegetables in the center of the plates. Lay the chicken breast over the sweet potatoes. Spoon about 2 ounces of the chimichurri over each of the chicken breast. Garnish with the chopped parsley.

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH CHARRED-SCALLION CHIMICHURRI

Steps:

• Heat grill to medium-high and lightly grease grates with vegetable oil.
• Meanwhile, toss romaine and scallions with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange in an even layer and grill, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and softened all over, about 5 minutes for the romaine and scallion greens, and about 10 minutes for the scallion bulbs. Transfer romaine to a large serving platter. Transfer scallions to a cutting board and let cool, then coarsely chop.
• Rub chicken with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until golden underneath, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until chicken is golden and cooked through, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a platter.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, prepare the chimichurri: Combine parsley, vinegar, garlic, oregano, red-pepper flakes, chopped grilled scallions and the remaining 3/4 cup olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Divide chicken and romaine among plates and drizzle with some of the chimichurri. Serve with lemon wedges and extra chimichurri on the side.

CHICKEN SOFRITO WITH POMEGRANATE AND CILANTRO CHIMICHURRI

Steps:

• For the chicken: Add the oil, adobo, garlic, cilantro with stems and red onion to a food processor or blender and blend until a smooth consistency. Place the chicken in a ziptop bag and add the marinade. Marinate, refrigerated, for at least 24 hours.
• Preheat a grill or cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade and cook until grill marks appear, about 2 minutes on each side. Set aside (the chicken will finish roasting with the vegetables).
• For the citrus roasted veggies: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Peel the oranges and cut each section into individual wedges from the membranes. Place the segments in a bowl. Squeeze the juice from the membranes into a separate bowl and reserve.
• Add the canola oil to a large skillet over high heat. Add the tomatoes, red peppers, onions and eggplant and saute for 4 to 5 minutes, adding a little more oil if needed. Season with salt and pepper.
• Place the grilled chicken breasts and citrus wedges on top of the veggies. Pour in the lime juice and reserved orange juice. Transfer to the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through and the veggies are slightly tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Garnish with the Pomegranate and Cilantro Chimichurri and serve.
• In a medium bowl, combine the cilantro, pomegranate, oil, salt and pepper and toss to coat.

CHICKEN AND SHRIMP WITH PANCETTA CHIMICHURRI

Steps:

• Preheat a grill pan or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.
• Season the chicken and shrimp with the dried oregano, salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Grill the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes each side until cooked through. Grill the shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until pink and cooked through.
• In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring constantly until browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a food processor, combine the garlic, parsley, oregano, vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, and lemon juice. Pulse until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Slice the chicken diagonally and arrange on a large serving platter with the shrimp. Drizzle with the chimichurri and sprinkle with the pancetta.

CHIMICHURRI CHICKEN AND RICE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Cook chicken and onions in Dutch oven or large deep skillet on medium heat 6 min. or until chicken is lightly browned, turning chicken after 3 min. and stirring onions occasionally. Remove from pan; cover to keep warm. Add rice to pan; cook and stir 30 sec. Add broth and half of Our Favorite Chimichurri; bring to boil. Add chicken and onions. (Do not stir.) Cover tightly.
• Bake 30 min. Top with remaining Our Favorite Chimichurri. Bake, covered, 5 min. Top with cheese.

SUMMER CHEF'S SALAD WITH GRILLED PORK, CHICKEN, AND CHIMICHURRI RANCH DRESSING

Steps:

• Make the dressing:
• Combine buttermilk, chimichurri sauce, mayonnaise, and salt in a medium bowl.
• Assemble the salad:
• Toss lettuce and cucumber with dressing in a large serving bowl. Arrange eggs, avocado, radishes, chicken, pork, tomatoes, cheese, and croutons over salad and season with salt and pepper.
• Do Ahead
• Dressing can be made up to 3 days in advance. Cover and chill.

GRILLED PINEAPPLE CHIMICHURRI CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place pepper and pineapple on an oiled grill rack over medium heat; grill, covered, until lightly browned, 3-4 minutes per side., For chimichurri, place cilantro, parsley and lime juice in a food processor; pulse until herbs are finely chopped. Continue processing while slowly adding oil. Chop grilled pepper and pineapple; stir into herb mixture., Mix teriyaki sauce and ginger. Place chicken on an oiled grill rack over medium heat; grill, covered, until a thermometer reads 165°, 5-7 minutes per side. Brush with some of the teriyaki mixture during the last 4 minutes., Brush chicken with remaining teriyaki mixture before serving. If desired, serve with couscous. Top with chimichurri, green onions and macadamia nuts.

CHICKEN AND OLIVE EMPANADAS WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

Steps:

• For the chimichurri sauce: Combine the parsley, oregano, cilantro, garlic, crushed red pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a food processor. Process until coarsely chopped. Add the vinegar and pulse to combine. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and whisk in the oil and 2 tablespoons water. Set aside at room temperature. (Can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated; bring to room temperature before serving. Makes 1 cup.)
• For the filling: Put a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Put the chicken thighs skin-side down in a large saucepan. Add the broth, parsley sprigs and bay leaf, turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until a meat thermometer inserted in a piece of chicken near the bone registers 150 degrees F, about 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate. When cool enough to handle, discard the skin and shred the meat into large pieces; you should have about 2 cups. Place in a medium bowl. Reserve 1/2 cup of the broth. (Strain and keep the rest to make delicious soup!).
• Wipe out the saucepan, heat it over medium heat and add the lard. Add the onion, season with salt and cook, stirring, until soft but not brown, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with the cumin and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Stir in the flour. Whisk in the 1/2 cup broth and let it bubble and thicken, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes. Pour the mixture over the chicken, add the olives and toss to combine. Taste and add salt if necessary-the filling should be aggressively seasoned, since it will be wrapped in the dough. Pop the chicken into the refrigerator just until cool, about 10 minutes.
• To make the empanadas: Place a small bowl of cool water by your work surface. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Working with 1 wrapper at a time and keeping the rest covered, brush a little water on one edge of the empanada wrapper. Put 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of the wrapper and fold in half. Use your finger to press out the air, making a border of about 1/2 inch around the filling. Press with a fork to seal the edges. Transfer to the prepared sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
• Bake the empanadas until golden brown, about 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through. Serve warm with the chimichurri sauce.

GRILLED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE AND COCONUT RICE

Steps:

• To make the sauce; in a food processor puree the garlic. Add the parsley and chili pepper and process until finely chopped. Add the oil, vinegar, broth and seasonings. Process to blend. Taste and adjust the seasonings. It should be very flavourful and spicy.
• In a zip lock bag combine 3 TBS of the chimichurri sauce with the 2 TBS of oil, stirring until smooth. Add the chicken breasts, turning to coat evenly. Close the bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
• Preheat a grill for medium heat grilling. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill for 7 to 10 minutes on each side, or until no pink is showing. Set aside and keep warm while you prepare the rice.
• In a medium non-stick saucepan toast the coconut over medium heat, stirring constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• In the same saucepan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the rice and sauté for about 3 minutes, until well coated and lightly browned. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add the salt, pepper and lime slices. Stir with a fork. Cover tightly, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until rice is tender and fluffy.
• Add the toasted coconut and currants, stirring through with a fork.
• Divide the rice among 6 hot serving plates. Top each serving with a grilled chicken breast and a portion of the remaining chimichurri sauce on the side.

MAHOGANY BROILED CHICKEN WITH SMOKY LIME SWEET POTATOES AND CILANTRO CHIMICHURRI

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. Thread chicken on 8 bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water for 30 minutes. Broil about 6 inches from heat, basting with reserved mahogany sauce until done, about 8 minutes. To serve, divide potatoes among 4 plates; top each with 2 skewers of chicken and drizzle with cilantro chimichurri sauce. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.

CHIMICHURRI CHICKEN WRAPS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 420 degrees F (215 degrees C).
• Combine parsley, cilantro paste, olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Mix until smooth and place in fridge until chicken is ready.
• Rub adobo, salt, and pepper on both sides of tenderloins.
• Cook in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the centers, about 25 minutes.
• When chicken is almost finished baking, heat a saute pan over medium-low heat. Coat pan with olive oil and add onion and bell peppers. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Remove chicken from the oven and let sit a few minutes to cool. Slice avocado and remove chimichurri sauce from fridge. When chicken has cooled, chop/shred chicken with 2 forks and mix with chimichurri. Place on spinach tortillas and top with veggies and avocado. Form wrap, slice in half, and enjoy!