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Chimichurri Chicken

Chimichurri chicken with char-marked, juicy grilled breasts topped with vibrant green parsley-garlic sauce. The chicken is marinated briefly, then grilled until it hits 165°F for a clean, confident finish.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
marinating 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 8 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Argentinian-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs Use either breasts or thighs; adjust grill time as needed for thickness.
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 0.25 salt and pepper to taste Season both the chicken and lightly in chimichurri to taste.
Chimichurri
  • 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, packed
  • 4 garlic Use cloves.
  • 0.5 cup olive oil
  • 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper

Equipment

  • 1 grill pan

Method
 

Make the chimichurri
  1. Blend or finely chop the parsley, garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper until evenly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning, then set aside.
Marinate the chicken
  1. Rub the chicken with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper until coated. Spread 2 tablespoons chimichurri over the chicken and marinate for 30 minutes.
Grill
  1. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Keep it hot so the chicken sears quickly and forms prominent grill marks.
  2. Grill the chicken 6-7 minutes per side until cooked through to 165°F. Cook until the surface shows visible char and grill marks.
Finish and serve
  1. Rest the chicken for 5 minutes off the heat. Top generously with the remaining chimichurri and serve immediately.

Notes

For best flavor, let the chimichurri sit after blending so the garlic and vinegar mellow; stir again before using. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container up to 3 days; reheat gently so the chicken doesn’t dry out. Freezing cooked chicken is possible, but the chimichurri is best stored fresh—freeze the chicken only. Dietary swap: use all dried oregano (1 1/2 tsp) if you don’t have fresh.