Chimichurri Chicken Bowl (Printable)

Juicy herb-marinated chicken over rice with colorful vegetables and zesty chimichurri sauce.

# What You Need:

→ Chimichurri Marinade & Sauce

01 - 1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
02 - 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
03 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried)
05 - 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
06 - 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
07 - 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
08 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Chicken

10 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 1.5 pounds)
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Bowl Assembly

13 - 2 cups cooked white or brown rice
14 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
15 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
16 - 1 avocado, sliced
17 - 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
18 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped for garnish
19 - Lime wedges for serving

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Combine parsley, cilantro, garlic, oregano, olive oil, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper in a mixing bowl. Whisk until well incorporated. Reserve 1/3 cup as finishing sauce.
02 - Place chicken breasts in a resealable bag or shallow dish. Pour remaining chimichurri over chicken, ensuring complete coating. Refrigerate for minimum 30 minutes, extending to 4 hours for enhanced flavor development.
03 - Preheat grill, grill pan, or skillet to medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade and season both sides with additional salt and pepper.
04 - Grill or cook chicken 6 to 7 minutes per side until fully cooked and juices run clear. Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes. Slice against the grain.
05 - Divide cooked rice among 4 serving bowls. Distribute sliced chicken, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, avocado slices, and red onion evenly across each bowl.
06 - Drizzle reserved chimichurri sauce over each bowl. Garnish with fresh herbs. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The chicken stays impossibly juicy because the acid in the chimichurri does half the cooking work before you even fire up the pan.
  • You can prep everything in advance and just cook when hunger hits, making weeknight dinners feel effortless.
  • It's vibrant enough to impress people, but simple enough that even a crowded kitchen won't stress you out.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting period after cooking—those five minutes let the juices redistribute so your chicken stays moist when you slice into it.
  • Reserve that fresh chimichurri before you marinate the chicken; cooked food sitting in raw herb sauce is safe, but raw chicken in fresh herbs isn't ideal.
  • If your chicken looks slightly thicker on one end, gently pound it to even thickness so it cooks at the same rate throughout.
03 -
  • If you don't have a grill, a cast-iron skillet works just as well and sometimes creates even better color on the chicken.
  • Fresh cilantro can be replaced with extra parsley if someone at your table refuses to eat it, though you'll lose that distinctive brightness.
  • Lime juice squeezed over the finished bowl just before eating brings everything into focus and ties all the flavors together perfectly.
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