Chimichurri Chicken is bone-in chicken thighs marinated in lemon, olive oil, and spices, air-fried until nice and crispy, then served with homemade chimichurri sauce. It is an easy, but delicious way to serve up tender, flavorful chicken thighs! You can also make this in the oven or on the grill. For another flavorful chicken thigh recipe, check out my Jerk Chicken, too!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Chicken: Look for bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. The skin gets nice and crispy in the air fryer, and the meat is juicy and tender. You could use chicken breasts, but the cooking time may need to be adjusted. Chicken is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Lemon: The juice of a large lemon, about 1/4 cup juice, adds brightness to the marinade. If you don’t have freshly squeezed lemon juice, you could use bottled juice.
Herbs & Spices: You will need salt, pepper, paprika, dried oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder for the marinade.
Chimichurri Sauce: For the most flavor, make homemade chimichurri sauce. Or, you could use store-bought. It adds even more flavor to the seasoned chicken.
What To Serve With Chimichurri Chicken
To complement the vibrant flavor of chimichurri chicken, serve it with one of these delicious side dishes:
- Roasted Vegetables like asparagus, green beans, Brussels sprouts, or carrots
- Steamed white or brown rice
- Roasted Potato Wedges
- Easy Dinner Rolls
- French Baguette
- Corn on the Cob
- Wedge Salad
Can I Make This Ahead Of Time?
Yes! This recipe is ideal for making in advance because of the time for marinating the chicken. You can let the chicken marinate for up to overnight. You can also get the chimichurri sauce made up to a week in advance if making it homemade.
How To Store Chimichurri Chicken
To store chimichurri chicken, try to store any leftover sauce separately from the chicken. After the chicken has cooled completely, store it and the sauce in airtight containers in the refrigerator. They will last up to 3-4 days. Reheat the chicken in the oven, air fryer, or in the microwave.
Chimichurri Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in chicken thighs, skin-on
- ¼ cup (54 g) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large lemon, juiced (about ¼ cup juice)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 recipe chimichurri sauce
Instructions
- To a large bowl, add oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix well.
- Add chicken, tossing to coat evenly. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 4 hours to allow the flavors to meld.
- After marinating, place the coated chicken skin-side up into the basket of your air fryer. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to work in batches. Air fry* at 390°F for 22-24 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F and are golden brown and crispy on the outside.
- Serve warm with chimichurri sauce.
Video
Notes
- Marinate the chicken as instructed.
- When ready, preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the marinated chicken onto the lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the skin is crispy and the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Marinate the chicken as instructed.
- Grill the chicken over medium-high heat for 12-16 minutes, flipping halfway through grilling, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- During the final few minutes of grilling, brush the chicken with chimichurri sauce for the most flavor.
Did you make this recipe?
You can tag me at @iamhomesteader.
What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
I loved the chimichurri sauce on the juicy chicken thighs! These make the perfect choice for a light and fresh dinner!
Elizabeth
This was pretty good. I liked how the lemon in the marinade complemented the fresh and vibrant chimichurri sauce. I would try this recipe with chicken breasts next time.
Rachael
Delicious, flavorful chicken. The skin gets perfectly crisp in the air fryer, which is the best part of chicken. The Chimichurri sauce goes beautifully on these chicken thighs.
Annabelle
I really like the refreshing flavor of the chimichurri sauce, and the chicken was moist and tender!
Selena
This chicken is super flavorful with a crispy exterior that pairs perfectly with the freshness of the herbs in the sauce. I love that the marinating process is super simple as well!
Bella
The chimichurri sauce goes great with this tender chicken! A great way to level up some chicken! Fresh, herbaceous, and vibrant!
where is the chimichurri sauce recipe??
https://iamhomesteader.com/chimichurri-sauce/