Chimichurri Chicken Thighs
These chimichurri chicken thighs are bright, herby, and easy enough for a weeknight. Boneless skinless thighs cook quickly and stay flavorful, and the fresh cilantro-parsley sauce keeps the whole dish lively without adding much extra work.
The same chimichurri works as both the marinade and the finishing sauce. Just reserve part of it before it touches the raw chicken. You can cook the thighs on an outdoor grill, a grill pan, or a cast-iron skillet, and the chicken is done when the thickest piece reaches 165°F.
Ingredients for Chimichurri Chicken Thighs
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 900g)
- 1 cup packed fresh cilantro, chopped (about 15g)
- 1 cup packed fresh parsley, chopped (about 30g)
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
- 1 small shallot, chopped (about 30g)
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 small jalapeño, seeded for less heat
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup olive oil (about 110g)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Optional: add 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes if your jalapeño is mild, and serve with lemon wedges.
Fresh herbs work best here. If you want the sauce a little more parsley-forward, use more parsley and less cilantro.
How to Make Chimichurri Chicken Thighs
- Make the chimichurri: In a small bowl or food processor, combine the cilantro, parsley, oregano, shallot, garlic, jalapeño, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Pulse briefly for a chunky sauce, or chop everything by hand and stir to combine. The chimichurri should be loose and spoonable, not thick like a paste. Taste and adjust the salt or acidity if needed.
- Reserve some for serving: Set aside about half of the chimichurri in a separate bowl. Keep it separate so it stays safe to spoon over the cooked chicken later.
- Marinate the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry, then toss them with the remaining chimichurri until evenly coated. Let them sit for 15 minutes while you heat the grill or pan, or refrigerate for up to 24 hours if making ahead. If marinating longer than 30 minutes, keep the chicken chilled.
- Preheat the grill or pan: Heat an outdoor grill, grill pan, or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Lightly oil the grates or pan if needed. The chicken should sizzle as soon as it hits the surface.
- Cook the chicken: Arrange the thighs in a single layer without crowding. Cook undisturbed for 5 to 6 minutes on the first side, then flip once and cook for 5 to 6 minutes more, until the outside is well browned and the thickest piece reaches 165°F. Start checking early if your pieces are small or thin.
- Rest and serve: Transfer the chicken to a plate and rest for 5 minutes. Spoon some of the reserved chimichurri over the top and serve the rest on the side.
Texture and Doneness Tips
If you use a food processor, pulse just until the herbs are finely chopped. Overprocessing can turn the chimichurri heavy instead of loose and spoonable. If the sauce separates as it sits, stir it again before serving.
For the chicken, leave the thighs undisturbed long enough to brown before flipping. Moving them too soon makes it harder to get good color. Avoid spooning the fresh reserved sauce onto the chicken while it cooks, since the garlic and herbs can scorch over high heat.
Why Did My Chimichurri Chicken Turn Out Dry?
Boneless thighs cook fast, so they can go from juicy to overdone in a minute or two. Check the thickest piece early and pull the chicken as soon as it reaches 165°F. A short rest also helps the juices settle before serving.
What to Serve With Chimichurri Chicken Thighs
Simple sides work best here. Try grilled corn, watermelon salad, or baked coconut lime rice. Extra chimichurri is also good spooned over rice or vegetables.
If you want a richer chicken-thigh dinner, try Creamy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs next.
For another easy chicken-thigh dinner with a bright flavor profile, see Garlic Lemon Chicken Thighs with Spinach.
How to Store and Reheat Chimichurri Chicken Thighs
Let the chicken cool before storing. Refrigerate the cooked chicken in an airtight container for up to 4 days, and keep any extra chimichurri in a separate container so the chicken does not get soggy.
Reheat gently in a low oven or in short microwave bursts, just until warmed through, so the chicken does not dry out. If the chimichurri thickens in the refrigerator, let it sit at room temperature for a bit and stir before serving.
The chimichurri can be frozen in ice-cube trays for longer storage. For make-ahead prep, you can marinate the chicken up to 24 hours in advance.
Nutrition
Nutrition is approximate and will vary based on ingredient brands, exact amounts, and serving size.
- Serving size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: about 650
- Protein: 41g
- Fat: 51g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Per 100g: about 225 calories, 14g protein, 18g fat, 2g carbohydrates
Equipment
- grill or grill pan or cast-iron skillet
- food processor or knife
- mixing bowl
- tongs
- instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 900g)
For the Chimichurri
- 1 cup packed fresh cilantro, chopped (about 15g)
- 1 cup packed fresh parsley, chopped (about 30g)
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
- 1 small shallot, chopped (about 30g)
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 small jalapeño, seeded for less heat
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup olive oil (about 110g)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Optional: 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (if jalapeño is mild)
- Optional: lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Combine cilantro, parsley, oregano, shallot, garlic, jalapeño, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and black pepper in a food processor and pulse briefly for a chunky sauce, or chop by hand and stir to combine; the chimichurri should be loose and spoonable.
- Set aside about half of the chimichurri in a separate bowl for serving.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry and toss with the remaining chimichurri until evenly coated; let sit 15 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate up to 24 hours (keep chilled if marinating longer than 30 minutes).
- Heat an outdoor grill, grill pan, or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot and lightly oil the grates or pan if needed.
- Arrange the thighs in a single layer without crowding and cook undisturbed for 5 to 6 minutes on the first side.
- Flip once and cook 5 to 6 minutes more, until the outside is well browned and the thickest piece reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and rest for 5 minutes.
- Spoon reserved chimichurri over the chicken and serve the rest on the side.
Tips
- Pulse the herbs just until chopped to keep the chimichurri loose and spoonable.
- If the sauce separates as it sits, stir it again before serving.
- Leave the thighs undisturbed long enough to brown before flipping to develop good color.
- Do not spoon the reserved fresh sauce onto the chicken while it cooks to avoid scorching the herbs and garlic.
- Check the thickest piece early and remove once it reaches 165°F (74°C) to avoid overcooking.
Variations
- Parsley-forward chimichurri: Use more parsley and less cilantro for a milder, more parsley-forward sauce.
- Spicier chimichurri: Add 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or leave the jalapeño seeds in for extra heat.
