Cilantro Chimichurri Chicken

This recipe is about more than just alliteration -- grilled chicken with an Argentinean twist. A traditional chimichurri sauce is made with parsley, so if you don't care for cilantro, simply replace it with parsley.  You can also blend half cilantro and parsley for a milder version.


I got the recipe from Eclectic Recipes, but as always, I added my own twists.

CILANTRO CHIMICHURRI

• a large bunch of cilantro, about 1 cup packed
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons red or white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, or 1 tablespoon fresh
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flake, optional
• kosher salt
• pepper

1. Combine cilantro, garlic, vinegar, oregano, cumin, and optional red pepper flake in a food processor. Pulse until fine.
2. Turn food processor on and stream in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Instead of red pepper flakes, I added Tabasco. I also added about a tablespoon of lime juice.  Before I added the olive oil, I divided the sauce in half and rubbed my chicken with vegetable oil and half of the chimichurri (so it won't stick to the grill.)


You actually don't need to add olive oil to the sauce if you prefer a coarse herb mixture (think gremolata.)


Grill the chicken until it's done, then serve with a dollop of chimichurri and whatever side you choose. For this evening, I grilled corn on the cob and asparagus.