Chimichurri Chicken Meal Prep
Seared chicken breast, finished in the oven and sliced, tossed through a fresh, bright chimichurri and served over fluffy basmati rice. Simple, herby, and genuinely quick for a weeknight.
Sear the chicken hot and fast before it goes in the oven, that initial colour is what builds flavour on the outside, the oven finish alone won’t get you the same result. Let the chimichurri sit for a few minutes after blending too, it gives the raw garlic a moment to mellow.
Keeps in the fridge for 4 days. Add the chimichurri fresh where possible, the parsley and coriander lose their colour and vibrancy the longer they sit, and it’s not recommended for freezing.
Chimichurri Chicken Meal Prep
CHICKEN · MEAL PREP · MEDIUM
Bright, herby, genuinely fresh-tasting
Chimichurri is one of those sauces that transforms plain seared chicken into something that tastes far more effort than it actually is, parsley, coriander, garlic, and a good hit of vinegar.
Searing first, then finishing in the oven, gets you proper colour on the outside without drying out the inside, a technique worth using well beyond just this recipe.
The rice does the heavy lifting for meal prep here, filling, neutral, and a great base for the bright, punchy chimichurri to sit on top of.
Chimichurri Chicken Meal Prep
Ingredients
Chicken & Seasoning
- 1 kg Chicken Breast Diced
- 8 g Onion Powder
- 8 g Garlic Powder
- 8 g Smoked Paprika
- 10 ml Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
Chimichurri
- 10 g Flat Leaf Parsley
- 10 g Coriander (Cilantro)
- 3 Garlic Cloves
- 1 g Dried Oregano
- 0.75 g Chilli Flakes Optional
- 80 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 60 ml Red Wine Vinegar
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
Basmati Rice
- 320 g Basmati Rice Washed
- 640 ml Cold Water
- Salt To Taste
Garnish
- Lime Wedge To Serve
- Coriander (Cilantro)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).
- Place a saucepan over high heat and add the rice, cold water, and salt to taste. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook for 14 minutes, undisturbed. After 14 minutes, turn off the heat and leave the lid on for a final 4 minutes. Remove the lid, fluff the rice with a spatula, and set aside.
- Place a large oven-safe pan over high heat, add the olive oil, and sear the seasoned chicken for 3 minutes on each side, or until deeply golden. Transfer to the preheated oven and cook for 14 minutes, or until cooked through to an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F). Remove, rest for 10 minutes, then thinly slice.
- To make the chimichurri, add all of the ingredients to a blender or mortar and pestle and blend or bash until it forms a thick but pourable mixture. Add to the sliced chicken and toss to coat.
- Serve the chimichurri chicken over the fluffy rice. Garnish with lime wedges and coriander, if using. Dig in.
Why let the chimichurri sit for a few minutes before using it?⌄
It gives the raw garlic a moment to mellow out, and lets all the flavours come together properly before it hits the chicken.
Should I keep the chimichurri in the fridge?⌄
Yes, always refrigerate it rather than leaving it at room temperature, especially since it's a garlic and oil based sauce. It's best used fresh anyway.
Can I make the chimichurri ahead of time?⌄
A few hours ahead is fine, refrigerated, but it's really at its best made fresh, the herbs lose their colour and vibrancy the longer it sits.
Can I grill the chicken instead of searing and baking?⌄
Definitely, chimichurri is traditionally paired with grilled meat anyway. Grill over medium-high heat until it reaches 74°C (165°F) throughout.
Just made this tonight! Subbed the chicken breast for chicken thigh as supermarket was out of CB. Could have cooked the chicken for maybe 2 minutes less in oven but still good. So delicious and easy. Used the mortar and pestle for the chimichurri and came out beautifully. Very fresh and zingy. Will be prepping this on the regular. Thank you so much.
Hi, Ruby. That sounds amazing. Very nice. Thanks for making it.