Grilled chicken with Thai-style chimichurri

This Asian-inspired chimichurri borrows the herby spirit of the fragrant Argentinian sauce but swaps in fresh coriander and lime juice, instead of solely parsley and vinegar.

Credit: Sippakorn Wongthanapa

• serves

  6

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  40 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 12 skin-on, bone-in chicken thigh fillets
• Fresh coriander (cilantro) sprigs, to serve

Marinade

• 2 coriander roots, scraped and washed clean
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp white peppercorns
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp dark sweet soy sauce (e.g. kecap manis)

Thai-style chimichurri

• 1 small bunch coriander, finely chopped
• 1 small bunch parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp finely chopped brown onion
• ½ garlic clove, finely grated
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• ¼ tsp dried oregano
• ¼ tsp chilli flakes
• 2 tsp sea salt
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of 2 limes

Marinating time: 15 minutes or up to 24 hours

Resting time: 10 minutes

Instructions

1. Use a mortar and pestle to pound the coriander roots, garlic and peppercorns to a rough paste.
2. Place the chicken in a large bowl and add the coriander paste, turmeric, fish sauce and dark sweet soy sauce. Mix well. Transfer to a tray and place in the fridge. Allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes but overnight would be ideal.
3. To make the chimichurri, mix the ingredients in a bowl until well combined. Place the chimichurri in the fridge for 15 minutes to allow the flavours to deepen.
4. Heat your barbecue grill plate to a medium heat. Place the chicken on the grill, skin-side down and cook for 15 minutes. Then flip the chicken over and cook for another 15-20 minutes or until cooked through. You can check by using a thermometer to ensure the internal temperature is at least 75˚C or by piercing the chicken with a skewer. If the liquid is clear, the chicken should be cooked). Transfer to a serving platter and rest for 10 minutes.
5. Serve the chicken with a few spoonfuls of chimichurri spooned over and the remainder served to the side. Scatter over the sprigs of coriander.

Note

You can also roast these in a roasting tin or on a baking tray  for 40 minutes in a 200˚C oven.

Watch how to make this recipe on Episode 8 of Marion Grasby's Flavours Of Heart & Home streaming free on SBS On Demand.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.