CHIMICHURRI CHICKEN THIGHS

5 from 1 vote

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Seared chicken thighs are tossed with a fresh and vibrant chimichurri sauce made with parsley, lemon, garlic, and shallots. 

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Chimichurri Chicken Thighs - Olivia Adriance

Summer meals are meant to be easy. It’s all about eating delicious foods with those that you want to spend time with.

This Chimichurri Chicken Thigh recipe will give you the summer vibe you’re looking for with minimal effort. 

Now, the cooking method for these chicken thighs may seem familiar and that’s because it is! I’m using my viral “Lazy Girl” Chicken Thigh recipe here.

It’s become a staple for many of you because it comes out perfect each and every time. To freshen it up for summer, I’m spooning a quick chimichurri sauce right over the top. 

Chimichurri is a bright, savory, uncooked sauce that is commonly used in Latin American cuisine.

I love it because it adds so much flavor to basic meals, including oven-baked or seared chicken, grilled steak, and even tacos.

It’s also great as a salad dressing or used as a marinade. The possibilities really are endless. 

I can’t wait for you to try this during your next summertime gathering. Enjoy! 

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Key Ingredients for Chimichurri Chicken Thighs

An easy summertime meal is only a few ingredients away… Here’s what you’ll need. 

Ingredients for Chimichurri Chicken Thighs - Olivia Adriance
  • Chicken: I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I find this cut of meat to be the juiciest and the most forgiving to cook. You could use chicken breasts, but the cooking time will vary. 
  • Broth: Bone broth is a staple in my pantry and is the perfect ingredient for deglazing the pan and getting all the crispy goodness into the sauce. You can use regular chicken broth or stock as well. 
  • Shallot and Garlic: Together, these two alliums give the chimichurri just the right amount of bite. 

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  • Olive Oil: Use a good extra virgin olive oil here since you’re not cooking the sauce. 
  • Lemon Juice: A bit of brightness, which will also keep the parsley green and vibrant. 
  • Red Wine Vinegar: Gives the sauce a bit of tang.  
  • Parsley: Fresh flat-leaf parsley is 100% necessary for chimichurri. You’ll need 1 ½ cups so grab a big bunch or two and give it a good chop. 

How to Make Chimichurri Chicken

To begin, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. While the skillet is heating up, season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper. 

Add the chicken thighs to the dry skillet (that’s right, there is no need to add oil). 

Recipe Tip

Be sure there is enough space between each thigh and they aren’t crowded. An overcrowded pan will steam the chicken as opposed to searing it. 

Cook the chicken, undisturbed, for 10 to 12 minutes or until they appear almost cooked through.

While it may be tempting to move the chicken around on the pan, avoid the temptation! Doing so won’t give you the nice crust you’re looking for. 

Flip the chicken and cook for another 5 minutes. 

Turn the temperature to medium-low and add the chicken broth, scraping up the chicken bits as the broth deglaze the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula. 

Allow the sauce to reduce until there is only a thin glaze over the bottom of the pan, tossing the chicken in the sauce as you go.

Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside to rest. 

While the chicken is resting, make the chimichurri sauce by combining the shallot, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, and parsley in a small mixing bowl.

Stir to incorporate. 

Spoon the chimichurri over the chicken thighs, serve, and enjoy!

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5 from 1 vote

CHIMICHURRI CHICKEN THIGHS

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Lean chicken thighs are seared and topped with a fresh and zesty chimichurri sauce. Best enjoyed on a patio with a large, bountiful salad and some fresh watermelon.
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Ingredients 

For the Chicken:

  • 1 ½ pounds chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
  • Salt and pepper to season
  • About ½ cup chicken bone broth (start with ¼ cup and add more as needed)

For the Chimichurri:

  • 1 shallot, finely minced
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups fresh flat leave parsley, chopped

Instructions 

  • Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.
  • While the skillet heats up, season your chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper.
  • Add the chicken thighs to the dry skillet, making sure there is enough space between them and they aren’t crowded. Cook, undisturbed, for 10 to 12 minutes or until they appear almost cooked through. Note: it’s important not to move them around while cooking because you want a nice crust to form.
  • Flip the chicken and cook for another 5 minutes.
  • Turn the temperature to medium-low and add the chicken broth, scraping up the chicken bits as the broth deglaze the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula.
  • Allow the sauce to reduce until there is only a thin glaze over the bottom of the pan, tossing the chicken in the sauce as you go.
  • While the chicken is resting, make the chimichurri sauce by combining the shallot, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, and parsley in a small mixing bowl. Stir to incorporate.
  • Spoon the chimichurri over the chicken thighs, serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 556kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 25g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 167mg | Sodium: 732mg | Potassium: 533mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2104IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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2 Comments

  1. Jane says:

    5 stars
    What a fabulous meal! I made the chimichurri in the morning and cooking the chicken thighs later was a breeze. The simple bone broth Glaze was inspired and added complexity to this easy recipe. the chimichurri was the best recipe I’ve tasted. I made extra chimichurri and enjoyed it on a wide variety of dishes. Thank you!

    1. Olivia Adriance says:

      So glad you loved this, Jane! Thank you so much for leaving a comment and a review!