Recipe

Most weeknights in our kitchen come down to the same question at about 5:15: what can I do with this pack of chicken that won't get pushed around the plate? For the past couple of years the answer has been chimichurri chicken. The chopping takes 15 minutes, the marinade does most of the work, and whatever sauce is left over turns Tuesday's dinner into Wednesday's lunch.

If you haven't made it before, chimichurri is a raw herb sauce from Argentina and Uruguay. It's parsley, garlic, oregano, vinegar and olive oil, and down there it goes on grilled beef. In my house it goes on chicken most of the time, and on roasted potatoes and fried eggs when there's some left.
Photo by Sara Deason

What chimichurri is (and what it isn't)

A lot of American recipes blitz everything into a smooth green paste that's closer to pesto. The traditional version is chopped by hand, so you can still see bits of parsley and garlic sitting in the oil. It's loose and sharp from the vinegar, and salty enough to season the chicken by itself.

When I first learned to make a proper chimichurri sauce, the tip that stuck with me was to let it rest for at least 30 minutes before using it. The garlic calms down and the dried oregano softens. Sauce made right before dinner tastes raw and a little harsh, so I make it first and prep everything else while it sits.

Two swaps I'd skip. Balsamic vinegar is too sweet and turns the sauce muddy, so stick with red wine vinegar. And I wouldn't replace all the parsley with cilantro unless your family already likes cilantro; half and half is a safer place to start.

Thighs or breasts for chimichurri chicken?

Both work, but they cook differently.

Boneless, skinless thighs are what I buy most weeks. They stay juicy even if I get distracted and leave them on a minute too long, they stand up to the vinegar in the marinade, and they're cheaper. Chimichurri chicken thighs are also the easiest version to grill because the fat keeps them from sticking.

Breasts are leaner and cook faster, and they dry out faster too. If you're making chimichurri chicken breast, pound the pieces to an even 3/4 inch or slice each one in half horizontally. Otherwise the thin end is overcooked by the time the thick end reaches 165°F.

Chimichurri chicken recipe

Serves 4. Prep: 15 minutes. Marinate: 30 minutes to 4 hours. Cook: 12 to 22 minutes, depending on method.

For the chimichurri (about 1 1/2 cups)

• 1 packed cup flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems, finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried)

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 small shallot, minced (optional)

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

• 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (see the note for kids below)

• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the chicken

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 tablespoon neutral oil for the pan or grill grates

• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Make the sauce. Stir the garlic, shallot, salt and vinegar together in a bowl and leave it for 5 minutes, which takes the edge off the raw garlic. Add the parsley, oregano, black pepper and pepper flakes, then stir in the olive oil. Let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

2. Split it. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the chimichurri into a zip-top bag or shallow dish for the marinade. Cover the rest and set it aside for serving. Don't skip this: sauce that has touched raw chicken can't go back on the table.

3. Marinate. Pat the chicken dry, season it with the salt, and add it to the bag. Turn to coat and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 4 hours.

4. Cook. Wipe off most of the marinade first so the garlic doesn't scorch. Grill or skillet: heat a grill to medium-high, or a cast-iron pan over medium-high with the oil, and cook thighs 5 to 7 minutes per side and breasts 4 to 6 minutes per side. Oven: bake on a lined sheet pan at 425°F for 18 to 22 minutes. Either way, the chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest part.

5. Rest and serve. Let the chicken sit for 5 minutes, slice it, and spoon the reserved chimichurri over the top. Put the lemon wedges and the rest of the sauce on the table.

How long to marinate chicken in chimichurri

Thirty minutes flavors the outside. Two hours is where I land most of the time. I don't go past 4 hours, because the vinegar starts to turn the surface of the meat soft and a bit mushy.

If you want to prep in the morning, mix the marinade without the vinegar, coat the chicken, and stir the vinegar in a couple of hours before you cook. You get the long garlic and herb soak without the texture problem.

Getting picky eaters on board

My kids were suspicious of anything green for a long time. A few things helped:

• Put the sauce on the side. A plate of plain sliced chicken with a little bowl of "green sauce" for dipping goes over far better than chicken that arrives covered in herbs.

• Hold back the pepper flakes. Set aside a kid portion of the sauce before you add them, then add them to the rest.

• Make a creamy version. Stir a tablespoon of chimichurri into 1/4 cup of plain Greek yogurt or mayo. It tastes milder, and my youngest will eat it on almost anything.

Is chimichurri chicken healthy for kids?

For the most part, yes. The sauce has no added sugar, no dairy and no gluten, and most of what's in it is olive oil and fresh herbs. A two-tablespoon serving lands around 120 calories and 13 grams of fat, mostly the monounsaturated kind from the olive oil, with roughly 250 to 300 mg of sodium. If you want the full numbers, here's a good breakdown of how chimichurri holds up nutritionally next to ranch, mayo-based sauces and pesto.

The one thing to watch is portion size. It's an oil-based sauce, so the calories add up if you pour it on. Two tablespoons per person on top of a serving of lean protein makes a balanced weeknight plate. Cut the salt in the sauce if you're keeping an eye on sodium; the vinegar and garlic carry plenty of flavor without it.

What to serve with chimichurri chicken

The sauce is bright and oily, so it goes well with something starchy to soak it up and something fresh on the side. Our regular rotation:

• Roasted baby potatoes tossed with a spoonful of the sauce in the last 5 minutes

• White rice or cilantro-lime rice

• Grilled corn on the cob, zucchini or bell peppers

• A quick tomato and red onion salad with salt and a splash of vinegar

• Warm flatbread or crusty bread for wiping the plate

Leftovers: bowls, salads and sandwiches

Cooked chicken keeps in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. The reserved chimichurri keeps for up to a week in a jar. The parsley darkens after a couple of days, but the flavor holds. You can also freeze extra sauce in an ice cube tray for up to 3 months and drop a cube into soups or rice.

This is how leftover chimichurri chicken gets eaten at our house:

• Chimichurri chicken bowl: rice, black beans, corn, avocado and sliced chicken, with sauce over everything.

• Chimichurri chicken salad: chopped romaine, cherry tomatoes and feta. Whisk a little extra vinegar into the sauce and use it as the dressing.

• Chimichurri chicken sandwich: ciabatta, sliced chicken, provolone, and mayo mixed with a spoonful of the sauce. Toast it in a pan if you have five extra minutes.

Chimichurri chicken FAQ

Can I use dried parsley?

Not for this. Dried parsley has very little flavor and won't give you the fresh, grassy base the sauce needs. Dried oregano is fine, and many Argentine cooks prefer it.

Can I make the sauce in a food processor?

You can, using short pulses. It'll be smoother and a little more bitter than hand-chopped, since the blades bruise the parsley. If you use one, chop the herbs in the processor and stir in the oil and vinegar by hand.

Can I use the same marinade on steak or shrimp?

Yes. Shrimp only needs 15 to 20 minutes in the marinade. Steak can go 2 to 6 hours.

Make the sauce first, double it if you can, and you'll have most of the week's lunches sorted.