Grilled Chicken Skewers with Chimichurri Sauce
Grilled Chicken Skewers with Chimichurri Sauce are a flavorful and delicious way to enjoy grilled chicken. Chicken breast marinates before it's grilled and smothered in a vibrant homemade chimichurri sauce.
Servings 8 skewers
Ingredients
Chicken Skewers
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast (cut into 1-inch chunks)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (freshly squeezed or bottled)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced or pressed)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 wooden skewers soaked in water for 30 minutes (or use metal - no need to soak)
Chimichurri Sauce
- 1 cup freshly parsley leaves packed
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves packed
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic (minced or pressed)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or ¼ teaspoon for mild heat)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Add the chunks of chicken into the marinade and toss to coat evenly with the marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, or a lid, and let it marinate in the refrigerate for up to 2 hours (minimum of 1 hour).1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
- Make The Chimichurri Sauce : Into a food processor, add the parsley, cilantro, red wine vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Pulse until the herbs are finely chopped.1 cup freshly parsley leaves, 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 2 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- With the food processor running on low speed, slowly stream in the olive oil until the sauce is well combined and emulsified. Set aside.* The sauce can stay at room temperature or store in the fridge up to 48 hours in advance, to allow the flavors to blend, before using it on the chicken skewers.1/2 cup olive oil
- Preheat the grill to a medium-high heat, about 400℉.
- Thread the marinated chicken onto the soaked wooden skewers, distributing the pieces evenly.
- Grill the chicken skewers for 5-7 minutes on each side or until the chicken is cooked through and slightly charred around the edges.*The proper temperature for chicken should be 165℉.
- Remove the chicken skewers from the grill and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve the chicken skewers hot, drizzled generously drizzled with the chimichurri sauce.
Notes
Don't Want Chicken Skewers? : You can grill the chicken pieces directly on the grill and skip the threading onto the skewers part. Just ensure the pieces are large enough not to fall through the grill grates, or use a grill basket.
Marinating Tips : While 1-2 hours is ideal, you can marinate for up to 24 hours. However, avoid marinating for too long to prevent the lime juice from breaking down the proteins too much which will make the chicken mushy. I find that 2 hours of marinating time is just perfect!
Chicken : 1.5 pounds is equal to about 3-4 chicken breasts. If you prefer chicken thighs, those can be substituted in this recipe.
Packed Parsley & Cilantro : This just means that when you are measuring out the 1 cup and 1/2 cup, firmly pack and press the herbs into the measuring cup to equal 1 cup. Don't just loosely put them in there when measuring.