Tender, juicy, and full of fresh flavours these chimichurri chicken breasts are so easy to make you'll quickly add them to your summer food lineup.

Best when grilled on a BBQ or cooked in a cast iron skillet, these juicy chicken breasts are infused with flavor by marinating them in an authentic chimichurri for 20- 30 minutes before cooking.

If you want to learn more about what an authentic chimichurri is, click this link.

overhead shot of freshly four pan seared chicken breasts in a pan topped with chimichurri sauce

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What Is Chimichurri?

Chimichurri is a Latin American herb sauce, traditionally served alongside grilled meats as a dipping sauce or spooned right onto the meat.

overhead photo of chimichurri in a white porcelain bowl

In this recipe I use an authentic chimichurri recipe to infuse otherwise relatively bland chicken breasts full of fresh flavors.

Chimichurri Chicken Breasts

While this recipe for chimichurri chicken calls for chicken breasts, feel free to use chicken thighs or drumsticks instead.

To make the recipe you'll need:

Ingredients

4 6-8oz chicken breasts - boneless and skinless
2 tablespoon water
2 tablespoon oil - to pan fry the chicken

Chimichurri Sauce & Marinade

1.5 cups chopped fresh Italian parsley
½ cup fresh chopped oregano
2 cloves fresh garlic
1 cup olive oil
pinch salt
1 teaspoon chopped red chili
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or ½ lemon squeezed

Instructions

1. Start by preparing the chimichurri first. Wash the parsley and oregano then pick the leaves from the stems. Chop the herbs and set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

chopping a large amount of fresh parsley leaves

2. Mince the garlic and red chili. If you don't have fresh red chili, feel free to use dry chili flakes. Mix the garlic and chili with the chopped herbs and remaining chimichurri ingredients.

close up of chimichurri being spooned out of a steel bowl

3. Take half of the chimichurri, and pour it into a large bowl. Add the chicken breasts and water, then ensure all of the chicken is fully coated in chimichurri. Marinate the chicken breast in the fridge for at least 30 - 40 minutes.

The water is added along with the chicken to help infuse flavor into the meat. Water and salt work through osmosis to bring flavor into the meat directly. - Chef Markus

chicken breasts marinating in chimichurri in a steel bowl

4. Once the chicken has marinated, remove the breast from the bowl allowing any excess marinade to drop off.

5. Pan sear the chicken in a pre-heated pan with the 2 tablespoon olive oil until golden brown on each side. About about 5-8 minutes over medium high heat. As the chicken sears, pre-heat your oven to 350F.

6. Pop the seared chicken breasts into the oven either on a sheet pan, or in a heat proof pan, and cook for 15 minutes. Check the chicken for an internal temperature of 150F - 165F to ensure it is fully cooked.

7. Once the chicken is cooked, spoon the remaining chimichurri sauce over the cooked breasts and serve immediately.

What Do You Serve With Chimichurri Chicken?

This light and tender chicken is best served with a light side such as couscous , wild rice, a fresh garden salad or a marinated tomato salad.

You can also turn this recipe into skewers by dicing the chicken and skwering the meat before marinating it. Bake the skewers before serving with fresh chimichurri as a dipping sauce.

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Recipe

Pan seared chicken breasts topped with fresh chimichurri sauce in a pan

Chimichurri Chicken Breasts

Chef Markus Mueller

Simple yet full of fresh flavors, this chimichurri chicken breast recipe is easy enough to make during the week, and perfect for summer cookouts.

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Prep Time 12

Cook Time 20

Marinating 40

Total Time 1 12

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4 portions

Calories 1767.2 kcal

Ingredients

Chicken

4 6-8 oz chicken breasts boneless / skinless
2 tablespoon water
2 tablespoon oil to pan fry the chicken

Chimichurri Sauce & Marinade

1.5 cups chopped fresh Italian parsley
½ cup fresh chopped oregano
2 cloves fresh garlic
1 cup olive oil
pinch salt
1 teaspoon chopped red chili
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or a ½ lemon squeezed

Instructions

Start by preparing the chimichurri first. Wash the parsley and oregano then pick the leaves from the stems. Chop the herbs set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Mince the garlic and red chili. If you don't have fresh red chili, feel free to use dry chili flakes. Mix the garlic and chili with the chopped herbs and remaining chimichurri ingredients.
Take half of the chimichurri, and pour it into a large bowl. Add the chicken breasts and water, then ensure all of the chicken is fully coated in chimichurri. Marinate the chicken breast in the fridge for at least 30 - 40 minutes.
Once the chicken has marinated, remove the breast from the bowl allowing any excess marinade to drop off.
Pan sear the chicken in a pre-heated pan with the 2 tablespoon olive oil until golden brown on each side. About about 5-8 minutes over medium high heat.
Pop the seared chicken breasts into the oven either on a sheet pan, or in a heat proof pan, and cook for 15 minutes. Check the chicken for an internal temperature of 150-165f to ensure it is fully cooked.
Once the chicken is cooked, spoon the remaining chimichurri sauce over the cooked breasts and serve immediately.