Chimichurri Grilled Chicken Bowl (Printable View)
Grilled chicken in chimichurri over rice, topped with veggies, avocado and a creamy garlic drizzle.
# What You Need:
→ Chimichurri Marinade & Sauce
01 - 1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
02 - 3 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried oregano)
03 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1/2 cup olive oil
05 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
06 - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
07 - 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
→ Grilled Chicken
09 - 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
→ Garlic Sauce
12 - 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
13 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
14 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
15 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
16 - Salt and ground black pepper to taste
→ Bowl Assembly
17 - 2 cups cooked white or brown rice (or quinoa)
18 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
19 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
20 - 1 avocado, sliced
21 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
22 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
23 - Lime wedges, for serving
# How To Make It:
01 - In a mixing bowl, combine finely chopped parsley, oregano, minced garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Mix well and reserve half for serving.
02 - Arrange chicken breasts or thighs in a shallow dish. Coat evenly with half of the chimichurri. Cover and marinate for at least 20 minutes or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
03 - Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade, discard excess marinade, and season with additional salt and pepper. Grill for 6 to 8 minutes on each side until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and lightly charred. Let rest 5 minutes, then slice.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, minced garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until smooth.
05 - Divide cooked rice among four bowls. Top with grilled chicken slices, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, and red onion. Drizzle with garlic sauce and reserved chimichurri. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Your friends will think you secretly attended a Latin American cooking class.
- The garlic sauce makes even leftovers worth fighting over.
02 -
- Once I accidentally skipped salting the chicken marinade, and the flavor just didn’t sing—don’t leave out the salt!
- Saving half your chimichurri before marinating is essential; the sauce gets a little too 'chickeny' otherwise.
03 -
- Letting the chicken marinate longer (up to 2 hours) builds even deeper flavor—but don’t go much past that or things get mushy.
- Use a microplane for mincing garlic to avoid big raw bits in your sauce—it disperses flavor more beautifully.