This is one of my favorite new weeknight recipes because you can have it on the table in 15 minutes. If you make the chimichurri ahead of time and marinate the chicken, you literally are only in the kitchen for the time it takes to put the chicken in the oven. The chimichurri is also great leftover on anything– scallops, beef, vegetables, rice– you name it. It’s a light and refreshing topping with tons of flavor and not a lot of calories so you won’t feel guilty when you can’t get enough.
Roasted Chicken with Cilantro Ginger Chimichurri
1 pound boneless chicken breasts or thighs, chopped into bite size pieces
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 garlic clove, grated
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Chimichurri:
1 bunch cilantro (about 1 cup, chopped with stems and leaves)
1/4 cup flaked coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 inch piece of ginger, chopped into pieces or grated
1 tablespoon Sriracha
1 teaspoon salt
Mix together the yogurt, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Coat the chicken in the mixture and let sit up to a day. Spread the chicken pieces out on a baking sheet and discard any extra marinade. Roast at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Change to broiler and allow to broil until the chicken starts to get some browned bits on top.
Meanwhile, combine all the chimichurri ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it becomes a chunky paste. Serve over the chicken or on the side as a dipping sauce.
