I was talking recently with Nithya, Alternate Manager at our Kahanoff Child Care Centre. She told me that one of her favourite chicken recipes from our kitchen is the Chimichurri Chicken. She suggested to me to share the recipe with all of you so you can enjoy it, too! This recipe needs a bit of preparation, but it is delicious and rewarding! It is the perfect dinner for the summer season. The herbs in the sauce are so refreshing!
Ingredients for the chimichurri sauce:
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- ½ cup chopped parsley
- ½ green pepper, seeded and finely chopped (or 1 jalapeno if you like spicy)
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon smoke paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon Sambal oelek (optional)
Ingredients for the chicken:
- 6 Chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) or 12 chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)
- Salt &pepper
Preparation for the chimichurri sauce:
In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Set aside.
Preparation for the chicken:
Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper then place in a large glass dish or a large sealable plastic bag. Take 2/3 of the chimichurri sauce and thoroughly coat the chicken. Cover the dish or seal the bag and refrigerate overnight. Refrigerate the remaining sauce. Preheat the oven to 375F, place the marinated chicken on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and cook for about 25 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 74°C.Fora great “hot-off-the-grill” taste, cook it on the BBQ! My favourite way to cook it, on any BBQ, is by using indirect heat. This technique is simple. Heat one side of the grill with the setting on HIGH and use no heat on the other half. Oil the grate on the unheated side.Cook the chicken breast for about 20 to 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 74°C. Finish cooking it on the HIGH heat side to add char marks. Serve with the reserved chimichurri sauce and your favorite salad!
Bon Appétit!
Chef Caroline