Chimichurri Chicken

Chimichurri, the punchy Argentine herb sauce, does double duty here as both marinade and finishing sauce. It's a great way to use a big bunch of market parsley.

Serves 4 · 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the chimichurri

• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 1 cup parsley leaves and stems
• ½ cup fresh oregano leaves
• ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the chicken

• 1½ to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

1. Make the chimichurri: On a cutting board, smash and roughly chop the garlic with ½ teaspoon of the salt, then press and drag it with the flat of your knife until it becomes a coarse paste. Push it to one side.
2. Chop the parsley and oregano with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Add the garlic paste and keep chopping and mashing until the herbs are bruised and fragrant.
3. Scrape everything into a medium bowl and stir in the red-pepper flakes, black pepper, vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil. You'll have about ¾ cup.
4. Pat the chicken dry. If the pieces vary a lot in thickness, pound them to about ½ inch. Rub at least half the chimichurri over the chicken and let it sit for 10 minutes or longer.
5. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Wipe the excess marinade off the chicken and cook until the juices run clear, about 5 minutes per side for thighs or 4 minutes per side for breasts.
6. Serve with the rest of the chimichurri spooned over the top.

Tips

• To roast instead, cook the chicken on an oiled, foil-lined sheet pan at 425°F for 15 to 20 minutes.
• To grill, oil the grates, heat to medium-high and cook over direct heat, about 5 minutes per side for thighs or 3 minutes per side for breasts.
• The sauce keeps up to 2 days in an airtight container in the fridge, and the chicken can marinate overnight. Let it come to room temperature before cooking.

Adapted from Ali Slagle, NYT Cooking.