July 2, 2012

Grilled Chicken with Chimichurri

Every now and then I find a recipe that is a real hit with my husband. Chimichurri is one of those recipes.
Grilled Chicken with Chimichurri
 Chimichurri is a sauce that originated in Argentina, but it's also used extensively in many other countries. It is super simple to make and is packed with flavor. It's usually used to top grilled meat (any kind), but I've also heard of people using it to sauce other foods, like potatoes. One of my favorite ways to use it is as marinade for chicken.

There are a million different recipes for chimichurri, but this is the one I like to use:

Chimichurri Sauce

Makes enough to marinate 6-8 chicken breasts, with a little extra to use to top the chicken after grilling.

2 cups flat leaf Italian parsley - about one bunch - stems okay
4 large garlic cloves (if you use pre-minced garlic like I do, it's about 4 tsp total)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

You can spend lots of time chopping everything up and then mix it all together, but I prefer to toss it all in my food processor and let it whirl. I trim the very bottom off the parsley stalks and toss them in whole, stems and all. Don't be scared to do this. It saves so much time!

The mixture should be chunky.

If you are using your chimichurri as a marinade, make sure you put some aside first so you can use it to top the cooked meat.

The chimichurri can be made up to 5 days in advance and should be refrigerated. Bring it to room temperature before serving.

Step by step photos of the making of chimichurri sauce.

2 comments:

  1. That looks delicious! We might have to make that soon! And thank you for reminding me what it's called; my fiance asked me last night what that rice-like stuff we got at Trader Joe's a few weeks ago was. I kept saying, "It was just rice with that sauce. You know, that South American sauce. The stuff that's really good." Now I guess we don't have to rely on TJ's for it anymore :)

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    Replies
    1. I had a similar thing happen. The first time I had chimichurri, I was at a friend's house. I tried to remember what the awesome sauce that she used on her grilled chicken was called, but I just couldn't remember. Two years later, someone talked about it on Food Network, and I had a light bulb moment. :)

      I love TJ's, but making your own chimichurri is the BEST! It's really inexpensive and tastes fantastic with fresh ingredients.

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