Grilled Chimichurri Chicken Thighs
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If you love bold, fresh flavors, this one’s for you: juicy grilled chicken with a vibrant sauce you’ll want to spoon over everything.
Chimichurri is a bright, herb-packed sauce from Argentina, traditionally served with grilled meats, and it comes together in minutes. In this grilled chimichurri chicken, it pulls double duty as both a marinade and a finishing drizzle, so you get big, fresh flavor with very little effort. The chicken comes off the grill juicy and lightly charred, and that vibrant green sauce spooned over the top really makes it.
Serve it with rice to soak up all that sauce and a simple veggie or salad on the side—roasted carrots, grilled asparagus, or fresh corn salad all pair nicely.
What You’ll Need To Make Chimichurri Chicken Thighs
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs – My go-to here. They’re juicier, more flavorful, and much more forgiving on the grill than breasts. They also hold up well to the acidic marinade, soaking up all that flavor without getting tough.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – The base of the chimichurri; adds richness and helps the sauce coat the chicken.
- Sherry wine vinegar + fresh lemon juice – A mix of both gives the sauce a bright, balanced tang.
- Garlic & shallot – Garlic for bite, shallot for a milder, slightly sweet onion flavor.
- Fresh parsley, cilantro & mint – A fresh, herby mix that makes the sauce aromatic and flavorful.
- Salt, black pepper & crushed red pepper flakes – Seasons the sauce with a subtle kick of heat.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the chimichurri. In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, shallot, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, parsley, cilantro, and mint. Pulse until the herbs are finely chopped, and the mixture is well combined but still textured.
Pro Tip: Pulsing the food processor in short bursts rather than running it continuously keeps the herbs from turning into a paste and maintains the coarse texture of the sauce.
Step 2: Marinate the chicken. Transfer half of the chimichurri (about ½ cup) to a large zip-top bag or bowl and add the chicken thighs. Toss to coat evenly, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Pro Tip: If marinating the chicken in a bag, squeeze as much air as possible. This ensures the marinade stays in direct contact with the surface of the chicken for better flavor penetration.
Step 3: Grill the chicken. Preheat the grill (or grill pan or broiler) to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill for 5 to 7 minutes per side until cooked through and nicely charred.
Pro Tip: Let the excess marinade drip off the chicken before placing it on the grill. This helps prevent flare-ups and allows the meat to char rather than steam.
Step 4: Serve. Transfer the chicken to a platter and serve with the reserved chimichurri spooned over the top or on the side.
More Grilled Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
Grilled Chimichurri Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1½ tablespoons sherry wine vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
- 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from 1 lemon
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 medium shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1¼ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1½ cups gently packed fresh parsley
- 1 cup gently packed fresh cilantro
- ½ cup gently fresh mint
- 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Make the chimichurri: In a food processor, combine the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, shallot, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, parsley, cilantro, and mint. Pulse until the herbs are finely chopped, and the mixture is well combined but still has a bit of texture.
- Marinate the chicken: Transfer half of the chimichurri (about ½ cup) to a large zip-top bag or bowl and add the chicken thighs. Toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Grill the chicken: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates. Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Grill for 5 to 7 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through and nicely charred.
- Serve: Transfer the chicken to a platter, spoon all of the reserved chimichurri over the top, or serve on the side (be generous with the sauce). Serve warm.
Notes
- If you don’t have a grill, you can cook the chicken on a grill pan over medium-high heat or under the broiler, turning once, until nicely charred and cooked through.
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Sauce variation: For a creamier, milder sauce, stir some mayonnaise (about 1 part mayo to 2 parts chimichurri, or to taste) into the reserved sauce used when serving the chicken.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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I’m making this for dinner tonight so my chicken thighs are marinating. I snuck a taste of the Chimichurri after preparing and can’t wait to try this! Should the remaining marinade be refrigerated or simply left on the counter until serving?
Side note: My husband knows if I’m preparing one of your recipes, it will delicious. 😋
This was hands down, the best chimichurri I’ve ever had! Delicious!
I would give this 10 stars if I could! Absolutely fantastic.
One of the BEST things about all your recipes is the blending of flavors and the accuracy of amounts…no need to “adjust seasonings”! The chimichurri was delicious … we felt we could eat it by the mouthful! YUM! Many thanks for another great recipe!
Excellent! I went right to the store to shop when this recipe came to my in-box. Loved the unique chimichurri, especially the mint which brightens the whole dish without making it taste minty. This is our new favorite summertime chicken.
Absolutely delicious! This dish will be on repeat all summer long.
It’s been a long time since I’ve had chimichurri this delicious. It pairs so well with the chicken. Thank you so much, Jenn!
I made this last night and it was fabulous. Even my picky 18 year old son loved it. The chimichurri is absolute perfection. I roasted the chicken on a baking sheet with non-stick foil on 400*for about 45 minutes and it was great that way as well.
This was a home run!! The chimichurri is vibrant with just the hint of heat. It really flavors the thighs beautifully! I’m going to use the additional sauce to make a salad dressing to finish the chicken tomorrow, yum 😊
Do you think this would work with shrimp? Maybe with a shorter marinating time?
Glad you liked it! Yes, I think this would work nicely with shrimp, but because the shrimp won’t play nicely with the acid in the marinade, I’d divide the marinade into 2 halves:
– One half (for the marinade) should not have any vinegar or lemon juice.
– The other half (the sauce) should contain both.
I’d also reduce the marinating time to 60 minutes max. I’d love to hear how it turns out!