Prep Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 14 mins Total Time: 44 mins Makes: 4 servings
Perfect any night of the week, these chimichurri grilled chicken thighs are easy to make and loaded with flavor. Marinated then grilled to perfection, you’ll love this simple recipe.
Ingredients
1 – 1.5 pounds Smart Chicken Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
Avocado oil, to brush the chicken and the grill grates
for the Chimichurri Sauce
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup avocado oil
¼ cup white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2-3 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup flat leaf Italian parsley leaves only, remove stems
½ cup cilantro leaves only, remove stems
⅓ cup fresh oregano leaves only, remove stems
Salt and pepper to taste
Grilling Tips:
• Preheat your grill to 400-450°F. Clean the grill grates and lubricate them with avocado oil right before you are ready to add the protein.
• Brushing the grill grates with avocado oil right before adding the meat will prevent the meat from sticking to the grates. Avocado oil has a high smoke point which will also promote a good sear.
• When marinating any protein in an acid-based marinade be sure to use a NONREACTIVE bowl. Glass or Ziplock bags work best. Metal bowls are reactive and will impart a metal flavor into the protein as it marinates. This is due to the acid in the marinade. So be sure to use a glass bowl or Ziplock bag!
• Only marinate this chicken recipe for 15 minutes for up to 2 hours. This marinade has vinegar in it so it will breakdown the protein. If it sits too long your protein will get mushy and will be very difficult to grill. Make sure you cover the glass bowl with Saran wrap and place it in the refrigerator when marinating.
• Once the chicken has marinated, remove the bowl from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before prepping the chicken for the grill.
• Wipe off any excess chimichurri marinade AND brush the chicken with avocado oil before placing it on the grill. This is especially true for thick cuts of meat. Reason being, is that thick cuts of meat will require a longer cooking time and you do not want the herbs in the marinade to burn leaving behind a bitter taste. For thin cuts of meat, this is not much of a worry, as long as you control the grill temperature.
• When grilling boneless skinless chicken thighs, you’ll want to grill the chicken for 5-7 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees to ensure doneness.
Directions
Make the Chimichurri Sauce: Add flat leaf Italian parsley leaves, fresh oregano leaves, cilantro leaves, garlic cloves, white wine vinegar, granulated sugar, cumin, kosher salt, and a few turns of cracked black pepper to a food processor. Give it a buzz.
Once the herbs and garlic are well chopped you can add this mixture into a small mixing bowl. Next, add the extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil. Mix well and set aside.
Marinate the Chicken Thighs: Add the boneless skinless chicken thighs to a glass bowl. Add half of the chimichurri marinade, reserving the second half to use as a sauce later. Toss the chicken in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes up to 2 hours.
Grill the Chicken: Preheat the grill to 400-450°F. See grilling tips above! Very important! Pull the marinated chicken thighs from the refrigerator and let them rest for 15-20 minutes at room temperature. Wipe off any excess marinade and brush the chicken with avocado oil. Add the chicken to the prepared grill, and grill for 5-7 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure doneness. Remove the boneless skinless chicken from the grill and serve hot with extra chimichurri sauce on the top or on the side.
Nutrition
serving: 1 serving or one grilled chicken thigh with 1/4 of the chimichurri sauce, calories: 468kcal, carbohydrates: 3g, protein: 22g, fat: 41g, saturated fat: 6g, polyunsaturated fat: 5g, monounsaturated fat: 28g, trans fat: 0.02g, cholesterol: 108mg, sodium: 103mg, potassium: 294mg, fiber: 0.1g, sugar: 2g, vitamin a: 31IU, vitamin c: 1mg, calcium: 16mg, iron: 1mg
