Grilled Chicken Chimichurri Recipe

You need to make this recipe if you’re craving a juicy, tender, and flavourful chicken recipe. This Grilled Chicken Chimichurri is definitely the easiest weeknight meal you can make. It’s fresh and flavourful, making it a great summer staple. It’s also gluten-free, paleo, and low-carb too, so everyone can enjoy it. Garlicky and herby, you will want to make this chicken chimichurri recipe over and over. 

 

In my family, we all love Chimichurri sauce. My husband can’t get enough of it. Every time I make this recipe, he literally grabs a spoon and eats out of the food processor and he doesn’t even wait for the chicken to be ready!! Believe me!

This sauce is not only delicious, but gluten-free, paleo and also low-carb. I love it because it is easy to make and ready in 5 minutes. 

This is a very popular sauce in South America and being from Brazil I know that we love to serve it over steak, but it’s also delicious over grilled chicken, potatoes and salmon!

Some of my favourite ways to use chimichurri are in my Chimichurri Chicken Chopped Salad, Chimichurri Shrimp Broccoli Skillet, Chimichurri Chicken Salad, and Chimichurri Chicken Green Beans Skillet recipes.

For this recipe, you will also need garlic, parsley, oregano, white wine vinegar, and olive oil. I know that the traditional recipes call for vegetable oil. However, I think it’s much flavourful with olive oil, and this is the reason why I used it.

There are so many versions of this classic Argentinian sauce recipe. I’ve seen this Chimichurri being made with additional flavourings such as thyme, lemon juice, red onion, spices like paprika, red pepper flakes, cumin, and even cilantro or basil instead of parsley. The sky is the limit here. 

As you can see, all the ingredients are very easy to find. You probably have all of them in your kitchen. So, don’t wait any more. Please, give this recipe a try and let me know how it turns out! Thanks!

How To Make Grilled Chicken Chimichurri

Ingredients

• Chimichurri marinade sauce — All you need are a few simple ingredients to make a delicious homemade chimichurri sauce. My homemade sauce consists of olive oil, vinegar (white or red-wine vinegar), garlic, salt, fresh or dried oregano, parsley, onion, red pepper flakes or red chili or even chili peppers, and honey.
• Chicken breasts — Always try to get chicken breasts that are similar in size, so they cook as evenly as possible. I like using free-range organic chicken with no antibiotics or added hormones, but you can use whatever is accessible to you.
• Olive oil — I like to use olive oil, but you can swap it for another oil such as avocado oil.
• Paprika — You can use regular, sweet, or smoked paprika. It’s up to you which flavour profile you prefer.
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

Brine the Chicken

• Combine warm water and 2 tablespoons of kosher salt in a large bowl.
• Stir it well until salt is dissolved in the water.
• Add the chicken breasts and let them sit for 15 to 30 minutes.

Make the Chimichurri Sauce

• Add the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, oregano, parsley, red pepper flakes, and honey to a food processor.
• Blend on low until everything is broken down, for around 3 minutes.

Prepare the Chicken

• Remove the chicken from the brine and pat the chicken dry with a paper towel.
• Brush oil over all sides of the chicken breasts. Sprinkle with paprika, salt, and pepper.

Grill the Chicken

• Turn all burners on medium-high, cover, and heat the grill until it reaches 450 degrees F.
• Place the chicken on the grill and grill it for about 6 minutes on each side.
• Remove the chicken from the grill and place it on a serving dish. Drizzle with chimichurri sauce before serving. Serve the chicken with potatoes/rice and veggies, in wraps, grain bowls, salads and so on.

Can I Make This Indoors?

If you don’t have a grill, not to worry. You can make this easy chimichurri chicken on the stovetop or oven. Pan fry the chicken for 6 minutes per side as well, or roast the chicken. See my baked chicken post on how to do so. I love using my cast-iron skillet or a grill pan to make this indoors.

Can I meal prep this?

Yes, you can meal prep this chimichurri chicken recipe. You can double or triple this breast recipe and grill them in batches. Once cooled, store the chicken breasts with chimichurri sauce in an airtight meal prep container, either portioned out in multiple meal prep containers or in one large container.

You can keep the chimichurri chicken breasts refrigerated for up to four days in an airtight container. Reheat them in the microwave when ready to eat. If you prefer to enjoy the chicken chilled, you can skip reheating it altogether.

Can I freeze this?

If you want to make these grilled chimichurri chicken breasts ahead of time to freeze for meal prepping, you can do so by allowing the breasts to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, transfer the chicken to an airtight freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze them for up to 3 months.

When ready to enjoy, simply thaw in the fridge overnight and then gently reheat in the microwave. You can also freeze the chicken breasts and the remaining chimichurri sauce separately.

Why Do You Brine Chicken?

Brining is the process where the chicken is soaked in a salty liquid. Brining helps adds flavor, tenderizes the chicken, and makes it juicy, so don’t skip this step! Make sure to marinate the chicken immediately afterward.

What if I don’t have a food processor?

If you do not have a food processor or a blender to make the chimichurri sauce, you can mince everything finely with a knife and mix everything together instead.

Can I use chicken thighs?

For sure! If you prefer chicken thighs, you can use them instead of chicken breasts. You’ll have to adjust the cooking time. Just make sure you cook the chicken until it has reached an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

Can I make the chimichurri sauce ahead of time?

The chimichurri will be most vibrant the day you make the sauce. However, you can keep it in the fridge for a few days. The herbs will start to lose their flavour over time.

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I would love to see your version. And if you like this Grilled Chicken Chimichurri recipe, please share with your friends and family. Do you wanna taste more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow Primavera Kitchen on Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for all delicious recipes updates. As always, you are really appreciated for stopping by.