Chimichurri sauce with chicken thighs is the easy and tasty recipe your boring weeknight chicken dinner rotation needs! With a simple roasting step, the chicken turns out juicy with a crisp skin. The chimichurri sauce is savory, herbal, and tangy and pairs perfectly with the chicken. This chimichurri with chicken thighs meal has been on our meal plans for years, it's time you give it a try!
Chimichurri sauce is South American in origin and really shines in Argentinian cuisine with all of the delicious roasted meats. Ingredients vary a bit, but parsley, oregano, garlic, vinegar, and olive oil seem constant. The sauce has a tart punch that balances juicy chicken thighs beautifully. Allowing the sauce to rest a bit while the chicken is cooking mellows out the raw garlic flavor.
A bright and herby sauce is a great way to make everyday chicken taste special. Try this chicken and sweet potato recipe with citrus herb sauce for another great herb-packed sauce!
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Ingredients
I include ingredient notes here when I think they'll be helpful, including ways to source, any preparation tips, or why I've chosen a particular ingredient. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and their quantities!
- Bone-In, Skin-On Chicken Thighs - This cut of chicken gives you the juiciest meat with crispy, roasted skin. Choose chicken thighs that are approximately the same size for even cooking.
- Oregano - Fresh oregano has an earthy and peppery flavor. It's easy to grow yourself during the warm seasons, but also readily available in most supermarkets. Rinse and dry the oregano before using it in the recipe, it can be sandy.
- Parsley - This common herb delivers a bright, verdant, grassy flavor to your chimichurri sauce. Use flat-leaf parsley (also called Italian parsley) if you can find it. It's easier to clean and the flavor is a bit stronger. Just like the oregano, rinse and dry the parsley leaves before preparing the sauce.
- Garlic - Fresh garlic cloves will give the best texture and cleanest flavor to the chimichurri sauce.
- Red Wine Vinegar - Use this common kitchen staple to bring acidity to the sauce. The vinegar helps mellow the raw garlic, balances the olive oil in the chimichurri, and adds a tangy flavor.
- Olive Oil - Choose an olive oil with a light flavor for the chimichurri sauce so that it does not overpower the parsley, oregano, and garlic.
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with foil.
Coat the chicken thighs with olive oil and then lay them skin side up on the sheet pan. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper, to taste. Roast the chicken in the hot oven for 35-40 minutes.
While the chicken cooks, prepare the chimichurri sauce. Strip the oregano stems of their leaves and peel the garlic cloves.
Finely mince the oregano, parsley, and garlic with a sharp knife.
Transfer the minced garlic, parsley, and oregano to a bowl. Add the red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Stir the sauce ingredients well and let them sit at room temperature until serving.
After 35 minutes, check that the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165°F. Roast a bit longer, if needed, to get the proper temperature and so that the chicken is golden and crisp.
Transfer the chicken thighs to a serving platter and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Top the chicken with a portion of the chimichurri sauce. Serve any extra sauce tableside.
Top Tip
The contrast between the acidic sauce and the crispy chicken skin is what makes this main dish shine. Adding a bit of oil to the chicken skin before cooking helps it cook up brown and crisp. Always rely on a meat thermometer for testing that the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F before serving, but leaving the thighs in the oven for a few extra minutes to get a golden skin will make the final product taste even better.
Substitutions and Variations
The substitutions listed below have been tested in this recipe and work well. If you successfully make any other ingredient substitutions, let us know in the comments!
- Other Chicken Cuts - You can make this recipe with boneless and skinless chicken thighs, chicken leg quarters, or skin-on chicken breasts. Cooking time will vary for all of these options. Boneless chicken cuts will take less time to cook through than bone-in versions. Use a meat thermometer to guide you so that the chicken isn't over cooked.
- Add Some Spice - A pinch of dried red pepper flakes or some very finely minced jalapeño will add a bit of subtle spice to your chimichurri sauce.
Equipment
You do not need a lot of fancy kitchen equipment to make chimichurri sauce with chicken thighs. These are the basic tools we use to make prep simple and quick:
- Chef's Knife - An 8- or 10-inch chef's knife is an essential tool in any kitchen. I use it for chopping, of course, but also for crushing garlic cloves on the broad side of the blade, preparing fruit, finely chopping herbs, and more. Chimichurri is best when the herbs are not blended into a paste, so pull out the knife instead of reaching for the food processor or mini-chopper.
- Sheet Pans - I use sheet pans in two sizes, a quarter sheet pan (9" x 13") and a half sheet pan (13" x 18"). For this recipe, two half sheet pans are perfect for baking the chicken as well as some roast potatoes all at once. Sheet pans are so versatile in the kitchen. Buy a good quality set and you'll be using them for years. Mine have a very dark patina, so no judgement if yours look the same.
Serving Suggestions
Chimichurri sauce with chicken thighs is a great main dish for weeknight meals or weekend dinners with guests. The oven is already on, so the easiest sides we make most often are some roasted potatoes and carrots. Toss these with olive oil, salt,and pepper, and roast them on a separate sheet pan right along with the chicken.
You can also serve the chicken with a large green salad, mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice.
Make This Recipe Kid Friendly
I haven't yet convinced my kids to enjoy the chimichurri sauce, but that doesn't mean I give up on this meal for family dinners. The kids do enjoy the crispy skin on the chicken when it is prepared this way, so I serve theirs with an alternate dipping sauce. They use barbecue sauce, ketchup, or even ranch dressing! They are also big fans of the roasted potatoes I usually make as a side, so the addition of some fruit or fresh carrot sticks makes this an easy and complete meal.
It can be tricky to feed pickier eaters at your dinner table and not feel like you are cooking the same 4 meals each week! Check out this post on keeping peace with picky eaters for some ideas and tips to help the whole family enjoy dinner time.
Storage
Store any leftover chimichurri sauce well covered and separate from the chicken thighs in the refrigerator for up to two days. The sauce will be a darker color green, but the flavor and texture will be good once it comes to room temperature. The chicken thighs are best reheated in the oven, air fryer, or toaster oven to help keep the skin crisp.
Make-Ahead Options
Chimichurri mellows and the flavors harmonize when it has a bit of time to sit after mixing. This makes it a perfect sauce to make ahead of time, saving you time during the dinner prep crush. The color will darken with sitting, so if you prize that vibrant green color make it and use it shortly after!
FAQ
Chimichurri sauce is not going to be the same with dried herbs instead of fresh. The sauce gets its texture, flavor, and color from the fresh herbs!
Chimichurri sauce is so good on juicy chicken thighs, but there are lots of other ways to enjoy it! With the bright acidity from the vinegar, it's a great balance to roasted root vegetables. The natural sweetness in parsnips, carrots, sweet potatoes, or golden beets is dreamy with the garlicky and herbal chimichurri. You can also serve chimichurri sauce with steak, shrimp, or fish.
Chimichurri is traditionally made with just parsley and oregano as the herbal contributions. If you want to add additional herbs or swap these for other favorites, it won't be a chimichurri, but it will still be a delicious sauce for roasted chicken thighs. You can't go too wrong with olive oil, garlic, and red vine vinegar to add to a blend of rosemary, thyme, oregano, and parsley.
Boost Flavor with More Herbs
This chimichurri sauce is packed with oregano and parsley, but there are plenty of other herbs that can brighten up any recipe. Try one of the recipes below to incorporate fresh herbs into your meal rotation:
More Oven Favorites
Let the oven do some hands-off cooking! These oven recipes are full of flavor and family friendly, perfect for adding to your weekly meal plans:
Try It and Share
I hope you try this Chimichurri Sauce with Chicken Thighs recipe and enjoy it as much as we do. I want to see your results! Tag your photo with #planeatpostrepeat and mention me @planeatpostrepeat on Instagram or Facebook. I can give you a virtual high five and thank you for cooking one of my recipes! Comment below with any questions and please leave a review so others can find this recipe more easily.
This post was originally titled Chicken Thighs with Chimichurri Sauce. The post was updated in February 2026 to add extensive preparation details and step-by-step photos as well as add additional post structure for easy navigation. The recipe was not changed from the original April 2021 version.
Recipe
Chimichurri Sauce with Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- ⅓ cup oregano leaves (packed)
- ½ cup parsley (leaves and stems, packed)
- 2 cloves garlic (peeled)
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 5 tablespoon olive oil (plus additional for coating chicken)
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste, plus extra for chicken)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (ground, plus extra for chicken)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with foil.
- Season the chicken thighs by coating them with a bit of olive oil and then sprinkling with salt and pepper to taste. Place them skin side up on the pan and roast for 35-40 minutes in the hottest part of the oven.
- While the chicken is cooking, strip the oregano stems of their leaves and peel the garlic. Finely mince the garlic, oregano, and parsley.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the herbs and garlic, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper until combined. Allow the sauce to sit at room temperature for the remainder of the chicken cooking time.
- Remove the chicken thighs from the pan when they are golden, the skin is crisped up, and the internal temperature has reached 165°F. Transfer the chicken to a plate to rest for 5 minutes and spoon over the sauce. Serve extra sauce table side.
Nutrition facts are sometimes provided below and are calculated using an online calculator. With specific brands of ingredients and additions, omissions, or substitutions the nutrition facts may change. We encourage you to use your own nutrition facts calculator to obtain the most accurate nutrition facts for your meal.
Cassie Waltman says
We love this chimichurri sauce for coating our roasted potatoes!