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A baking dish with roast chicken with veggies and a bowl of chimichurri on the side
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Hot Chicken with Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce

An easy, economical, and flavorful hot chicken with cilantro chimichurri sauce prepared in the oven to be enjoyed all year round. It can be served with steamed vegetables.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • For the Chicken
  • 1 stick unsalted butter softened, ½ cup
  • 1 tablespoon fresh garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons Knorr chicken bouillon** powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • Juice of ½ lime freshly squeezed
  • 4 whole Amazon red peppers or malagueta peppers in vinegar**
  • 1 4-½ to 5-pound chicken rinsed and patted dry
  • although the Tabasco peppers are slightly milder.
  • ** Malagueta pepper is a very popular ingredient in Bahian cuisine.
  • For the Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro*
  • ¼ cup green olives*
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic peeled
  • ¼ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon sugar*
  • * These ingredients are not part of the traditional recipe.

Instructions

  • Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 º F (About 205 ºC).
  • In the food processor, process all the ingredients together well (except the chicken, of course) until obtaining a homogeneous, pasty mixture.
  • Place the chicken (breast-side up) on a rack in a large roasting pan. Using your fingers, spread half of the butter mixture under the chicken skin, and the other half over the exterior of the chicken and in the cavity (this way, we maintain our chicken moist while it cooks and also add flavor). After that, tie the chicken legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the chicken wings a bit under the back.
  • Roast the chicken for about 75 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers a safe 160 degrees F (About 71º C). Let the chicken rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serve with chimichurri sauce. Enjoy!
  • Note: A whole, non-stuffed chicken baked/roasted at 400 degrees F (ours) takes about 15 minutes per pound to be cooked.
  • Any leftover chicken and sauce can be used to make delicious sandwiches. Add cheese!
  • For the sauce: Puree all ingredients together well in a food processor. Serve with the Roasted Hot Chicken. Any leftovers can be transferred to an airtight container and refrigerated. It's great in sandwiches.

** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.

Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.

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