This Sheet-Pan Chimichurri Hen Is the Weeknight Dinner You may Make on Repeat

Every summer season, my good friend Michaela hosts a yard barbecue and makes the world’s finest grilled rooster. For years, I’ve begged her for the recipe—and this summer season, she lastly shared it. She begins with a zesty cilantro chimichurri, utilizing a part of it to marinate boneless, skinless rooster thighs and saving the remaining to serve alongside the completed meal. The ensuing meat is tender and juicy, with a vibrantly inexperienced and herbaceous sauce.

Whereas Michaela serves her rooster straight off a gasoline grill, my charcoal grill requires extra effort than I’m keen to place in on a weeknight. So to recreate the grilled rooster’s charred, smoky flavors in my kitchen, I flip to my broiler. To make this tasty rooster into a real one-pan meal, I roast greens on the identical sheet pan till they’re properly charred however nonetheless candy and juicy, then serve the whole lot with the reserved chimichurri and a few rice, roasted potatoes, or flatbreads.

Chimichurri With a Twist

Argentinean chimichurri historically contains parsley, oregano, garlic, oil, and vinegar. Right here, I add a beneficiant handful of cilantro to accentuate the chimichurri’s recent, herbaceous taste, then combine a couple of third of a cup with half a teaspoon of honey to make the marinade. The extra sugar from the honey offers a touch of sweetness and helps promote browning, giving the rooster a satisfying grilled taste. You’ll be able to marinate the rooster for simply an hour, however for even higher outcomes, you possibly can let it sit for as much as eight hours. (As Severe Eats contributor Tim Chin present in his marinades investigation, the perfect marination time is between one and eight hours.) The portion of the chimichurri that is reserved to make use of as a sauce additionally advantages from an prolonged relaxation within the fridge, as this permits the flavors to meld and mellows the chunk of uncooked garlic.

Pre-Salt Your Zucchini

A colourful combination of greens is what actually turns this dish right into a satisfying meal. I like to make use of zucchini, cherry tomatoes, crimson bell pepper, and crimson onion, all minimize into equally sized items in order that they prepare dinner at roughly the identical fee. Since zucchini accommodates plenty of water and may turn out to be mushy within the oven, I pre-salt it to attract out extra moisture, which helps it preserve its form when cooked and prevents the meal from changing into waterlogged. Even after salting the zucchini, you might discover a little bit of liquid on the pan as soon as the rooster and greens are cooked. These schmaltzy juices aren’t an issue, and are scrumptious spooned over rice or soaked up with a chunk of bread.

Your Broiler Is Your Pal

Whereas the broiler does not ship the very same smokiness as a grill, it is a strong different for attaining some char. The bottom line is to place a rack close to the highest of the oven—about six inches beneath the heating ingredient—and let the broiler preheat for about 5 minutes so it is good and sizzling.

Spherical out the Meal Nonetheless You Like

I eat this one-pan rooster dinner on a regular basis, and a part of the explanation I by no means tire of it—other than how scrumptious it’s—is that it is endlessly adaptable. I normally pile the rooster and greens into heat flatbreads, however rice or roasted potatoes are nice autos that assist spherical out the meal.

My dad sampled the dish whereas I used to be growing the recipe, and it’s since joined his weekly rotation, too. He likes so as to add recent greens like sliced cucumber and crimson onion to the plate for a refreshing crunch, together with kalamata olives to convey a briny, savory word. Nonetheless you serve it, make sure you end with beneficiant spoonfuls of the reserved chimichurri. The colourful sauce is the true star of the present—and the explanation my household can’t get sufficient of this straightforward weeknight dinner.

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