Summer is here! And this Chimichurri Grilled Chicken is the smoky, garlicky, tangy grilled chicken recipe made for a warm-weather cookout. I use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs here because they stay extra juicy on the grill, and the Greek yogurt chimichurri marinade helps tenderize the meat, season it deeply, and create those delicious charred grill marks every grillmaster craves. The best part? Each piece gets finished with a spoonful of reserved fresh chimichurri, making this easy recipe flavorful enough for company, but budget-friendly enough for a low-key family dinner!
Fresh and Juicy Chimichurri Chicken
There are a lot of reasons why this juicy grilled chimichurri chicken works, so let me break it down for you. Chimichurri (also known as the ultimate flavor party) brings fresh parsley, cilantro, garlic, red wine vinegar, oregano, cumin, and a little crushed red pepper together into a bright, herby sauce that really plays up the smoky flavors from the grill. I reserve some of that fresh sauce before mixing the rest into the marinade, so every piece also gets a clean, garlicky spoonful right before serving.
Then bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs mean NO dry chicken is invited to this summer cookout. I also tuck some of the Greek yogurt marinade underneath the skin, which seasons the meat more directly and helps keep every piece tender while the outside gets golden and lightly charred. Let the aroma from the grill sell your family on this one; they’re going to love it.
Recipe Success Tips
- Use bone-in, skin-on thighs for the juiciest chicken. Chicken thighs are naturally more forgiving on the grill because they have more fat than chicken breasts, which helps them stay tender over high heat. The skin also helps protect the meat from drying out!
- Using chicken breasts instead? Adjust the method. Chicken breasts can work, but they need a slightly different approach so they don’t dry out. Follow the method in my grilled chicken breast recipe: pound the chicken to ½-¾ inch thick, marinate, then grill for 5-7 minutes per side until they reach 160°F. They’ll rise to 165°F as they rest. Boneless thighs also work and don’t need pounding.
- Save some chimichurri for serving. Set aside the chimichurri you plan to spoon over the cooked chicken before mixing any into the raw chicken marinade. This keeps the finishing sauce fresh, bright, and safe to serve.
- Don’t skip the Greek yogurt marinade. Greek yogurt helps tenderize the chicken and gives the chimichurri a creamy base to coat the thighs as they marinate. I gently pull back the skin and tuck a little marinade underneath, too, so the flavor reaches the meat directly instead of only sitting on the skin. The honey also helps with browning, so the skin gets those gorgeous grill marks and a lightly caramelized finish.
- Use a meat thermometer. Pull the chimichurri chicken from the grill once it reaches 160°F, then cover and rest it so the carryover heat brings it to the safe internal temperature of 165°F. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, look for deeply golden skin, clear juices when pierced near the bone, and opaque meat with no pink remaining in the thickest part.
- No grill? Use a grill pan over medium-high and cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160°F, then rest it, covered, until it reaches 165°F.
Chimichurri Grilled Chicken
Equipment
- Small Mixing Bowl
- Medium Mixing Bowl
- Gallon Zip-Top Bag
- Grill
Ingredients
Chimichurri Ingredients
- 1 cup Italian parsley packed, $0.97*
- ½ cup fresh cilantro packed, $0.23*
- ½ cup olive oil $1.43
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar $0.31
- 3 garlic cloves $0.18
- 1 tsp dried oregano $0.04
- ½ tsp ground cumin $0.02
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper $0.02
- ½ tsp salt $0.01
Chicken Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs bone-in & skin-on, $7.53
- ½ cup Greek yogurt $0.49
- 2 Tbsp honey $0.12
- 1 tsp salt $0.02
- 1 tsp black pepper freshly cracked, $0.02
Instructions
- Gather ingredients.
- Pick parsley and cilantro leaves from the stems. You can save the stems for stock or discard them.*
- Mince the herbs together until very fine.
- Mince garlic.
- Combine minced parsley, cilantro, olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, cumin, crushed red pepper, and salt in a small mixing bowl.
- Stir to combine and set aside.
- Remove chicken thighs from package and pat them dry with a clean paper towel.
- In another mixing bowl, combine ¼ cup prepared chimichurri, Greek yogurt, and honey. Stir to combine.
- Sprinkle salt and pepper over all sides of each chicken thigh, including underneath the skin. Under the skin on each chicken thigh, add a scoop of the yogurt chimichurri mixture.
- Add 4 thighs to a gallon-size zip-top bag and pour the rest of the yogurt marinade in, making sure each thigh is thoroughly coated all over. Seal the bag and let it marinate for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator, or even overnight!**
- Preheat your grill to 375℉.
- Add the thighs to the hot grill and let them sear and cook for 15 minutes.
- Flip the thighs and cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the chicken temps at least 160℉. Remove the thighs from the grill and cover them on a plate. They will continue to cook as they rest, covered, and will reach 165°F.
- Top each chicken thigh with a generous helping of reserved prepared chimichurri sauce and serve.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition
how to make Chimichurri Grilled Chicken step-by-step photos
Gather all of your ingredients.
Prep the fresh herbs: Pick the leaves from 1 cup packed Italian parsley and ½ cup packed fresh cilantro. You can leave them on if you prefer, but the stems are coarser and fibrous, which can make the chimichurri feel more textured and less leafy (will still be delicious though!) I prefer to save the stems for making homemade stock. You can also discard them if you don’t need them.
Mince the herbs and garlic: Finely mince the parsley and cilantro together until the herbs look small and even.
Now mince 3 cloves garlic.
Make the chimichurri sauce: Add the minced parsley, cilantro, ½ cup olive oil, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, minced garlic, 1 tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp ground cumin, ¼ tsp crushed red pepper, and ½ tsp salt to a small mixing bowl.
Stir until everything is well combined and the oil looks flecked with herbs and garlic. Set the chimichurri aside so the flavors can mingle while you prep the chicken. (Refrigerate the sauce while the chicken marinates).
Dry the chicken: Pat 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs dry with paper towels. This helps remove excess moisture so the marinade clings to the chicken!
Make the marinade: In a separate bowl, stir together ¼ cup of the prepared chimichurri, ½ cup Greek yogurt, and 2 Tbsp honey until smooth and creamy.
Season the chicken: Season the chicken thighs on all sides with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper, including under the skin. Gently lift the skin on each thigh and tuck a spoonful of the yogurt marinade underneath so the flavor gets right against the meat.
Marinate the chicken: Add the chicken thighs to a gallon-size zip-top bag, then pour in the remaining yogurt marinade. Seal the bag and massage gently until each thigh is coated all over. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for even more flavor.
Grill the chicken thighs: Once you’re ready to cook, preheat your grill to 375°F. Place the chicken thighs on the hot grill, skin-side down, and cook for 15 minutes. The skin should start to turn golden and crisp around the edges.
Flip the chicken: Flip the thighs and grill for another 15 minutes, or until the thickest part reaches at least 160°F on an instant read thermometer. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely; the chicken will continue cooking as it rests and reach the safe internal temperature of 165°F.
Once cooked, the chicken should be deeply golden with charred grill marks, the skin should look crisp, and the juices should run clear when pierced near the bone. If you cut into the thickest part, the meat should look opaque all the way through with no pink remaining.
Finish and serve: Spoon the reserved chimichurri generously over each grilled chicken thigh and serve while warm. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
The grill is already hot, so you might as well take advantage of it! No use wasting perfectly hot coals, am I right? Our grilled vegetables give you plenty of variety, but you can simplify that recipe even further by brushing the veggies with a little extra chimichurri from this recipe, adding a crank of salt and pepper, and serving them right alongside this chimichurri grilled chicken. Another way to use that already-hot grill is by throwing some perfect spicy, crisp grilled cabbage on there. It’s a unique summer side you can make for pennies, and it will leave everyone asking for the recipe!
Pasta salad is the quintessential summer side dish at my house, so we don’t even fire up the grill unless there’s a batch of classic pasta salad in the fridge ready to go. I’d count one piece of chicken as one serving here, then add a scoop of pasta salad or some grilled veggies to make it a full summer dinner.
Storage & Reheating
Once cooled, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. To freeze, wrap the cooled chicken, without the finishing sauce, tightly and freeze for up to 2-3 months.
If you have extra reserved chimichurri (that never touched the raw chicken), store it in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. The herbs will wilt in storage, but it’ll still be delicious served over the reheated chicken! Reheat the thighs on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven until warmed through, and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. You can also microwave leftovers in short intervals, but the oven does a better job of keeping the skin from turning too soft.
Try These Chimichurri Recipes Next!
- These Chimichurri Chicken Kebabs are broiler-friendly, so you can still get browned edges without firing up the grill.
- I’d make Chimichurri Zucchini and Orzo Salad when I have extra zucchini to use up and want something more exciting than a basic side.
- It’s easy to turn this Chimichurri Chickpea Salad into a fuller meal with pita, crusty bread, greens, or a hard-boiled egg!
More Grilled Chicken Recipes
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