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Chimichurri Grilled Chicken

This chimichurri grilled chicken is so yummy! It’s flavor packed from the smokiness of the grill or smoker and then gets topped with my chimichurri sauce which makes it’s extra fresh and delicious!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! At least that is what day I am writing up this recipe on. The bright green sauce seems appropriate for the holiday, but it’s really delicious all year round too. Chimichurri sauce originates from Argentina and is usually eaten with beef. This chicken variation is really tasty though and I might just like the chimichurri sauce a tiny bit more with chicken over beef (shhhh don’t tell the beef, ha ha).

You can use a boneless skinless chicken thighs or breast or chicken cut of choice for this recipe. The pictures on this post feature a bone-in skin on chicken thigh, They are a little messier to eat with bone in but still delicious. So choose whatever chicken thigh you personally enjoy.

What you need to make this chimichurri grilled chicken:

Serves 6

  • 2 pounds chicken thighs – boneless or bone-in, both types work
  • Salt
  • Black Pepper
  • Chili powder
  • Garlic powder

Chimichurri Sauce:

  • 1 bunch fresh parsley or roughly 1 cup packed – stems removed, flat leaf or curly both work
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro or roughly 1 cup packed – stems removed
  • 2 tablespoons fresh oregano – optional
  • 2 small chili peppers or 1 large – jalapeno, serrano or chili of choice, seeds removed
  • 2 large cloves garlic
  • 1/3 cup red onion – diced
  • generous pinch of salt
  • generous pinch of sugar
  • 6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil – this isn’t traditional but I like to add it to my sauce
  • Squeeze of lemon juice – optional

Instructions

  1. Heat grill, smoker, pellet grill or oven to 400 F.
  2. Season chicken with salt, pepper, chili powder and garlic powder.
  3. Grill for ~30-45 minutes or until internal temperature is 165 F. times will vary between boneless and bone in chicken thighs.
  4. Blend together the chimichurri sauce ingredients in a food processor, blender or with an immersion blender.
  5. *If you want a roasted twist on the sauce, roast the garlic and onions before adding to the sauce.
  6. Serve on top of grilled chicken and enjoy!

Here are a few other recipes you may love:

Apricot Grilled Pork Tenderloin
Grilled Maple Butter Salmon
Grilled Chili Lime Chicken with Mango Jalapeno Salsa

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Chimichurri Grilled Chicken

Grilled or smoked chicken with a fresh and vibrant chimichurri sauce on top.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Dinner, main course
Keyword: Chicken, Dinner, grill, main course, smoked
Servings: 6 people

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds chicken thighs – boneless or bone-in both types work
  • Salt
  • Black Pepper
  • Chili powder
  • Garlic powder
  • Chimichurri sauce:
  • 1 bunch fresh parsley or roughly 1 cup packed – stems removed flat leaf or curly both work
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro or roughly 1 cup packed – stems removed
  • 2 tablespoons fresh oregano – optional
  • 2 small chili peppers or 1 large – jalapeno serrano or chili of choice, seeds removed
  • 2 large cloves garlic
  • 1/3 cup red onion – diced
  • generous pinch of salt
  • generous pinch of sugar
  • 6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil – this isn’t traditional but I like to add it to my sauce
  • Squeeze of lemon juice – optional

Instructions

  • Heat grill, smoker, pellet grill or oven to 400 F.
  • Season chicken with salt, pepper, chili powder and garlic powder.
  • Grill for ~30-45 minutes or until internal temperature is 165 F. times will vary between boneless and bone in chicken thighs.
  • Blend together the chimichurri sauce ingredients in a food processor, blender or with an immersion blender, this can be done ahead of time if needed.
  • *If you want a roasted twist on the sauce, roast the garlic and onions before adding to the sauce.
  • Serve on top of grilled chicken and enjoy!