This Sheet-Pan Chimichurri Chicken Is the Weeknight Dinner You'll Make on Repeat

Each summer, my friend Michaela hosts a backyard barbecue and makes the world’s best grilled chicken. For years, I've begged her for the recipe—and this summer, she finally shared it. She starts with a zesty cilantro chimichurri, using part of it to marinate boneless, skinless chicken thighs and saving the rest to serve alongside the finished meal. The resulting meat is tender and juicy, with a vibrantly green and herbaceous sauce.

While Michaela serves her chicken straight off a gas grill, my charcoal grill requires more effort than I’m willing to put in on a weeknight. So to recreate the grilled chicken's charred, smoky flavors in my kitchen, I turn to my broiler. To make this tasty chicken into a true one-pan meal, I roast vegetables on the same sheet pan until they're nicely charred but still sweet and juicy, then serve everything with the reserved chimichurri and some rice, roasted potatoes, or flatbreads.

Chimichurri With a Twist

Argentinean chimichurri traditionally includes parsley, oregano, garlic, oil, and vinegar. Here, I add a generous handful of cilantro to intensify the chimichurri's fresh, herbaceous flavor, then mix about a third of a cup with half a teaspoon of honey to make the marinade. The additional sugar from the honey provides a hint of sweetness and helps promote browning, giving the chicken a satisfying grilled flavor. You can marinate the chicken for just an hour, but for even better results, you can let it sit for up to eight hours. (As Serious Eats contributor Tim Chin found in his marinades investigation, the ideal marination time is between one and eight hours.) The portion of the chimichurri that's reserved to use as a sauce also benefits from an extended rest in the fridge, as this allows the flavors to meld and mellows the bite of raw garlic.

Pre-Salt Your Zucchini

A colorful mixture of vegetables is what really turns this dish into a satisfying meal. I like to use zucchini, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, and red onion, all cut into similarly sized pieces so that they cook at roughly the same rate. Since zucchini contains a lot of water and can become mushy in the oven, I pre-salt it to draw out excess moisture, which helps it keep its shape when cooked and prevents the meal from becoming waterlogged. Even after salting the zucchini, you may notice a bit of liquid on the pan once the chicken and vegetables are cooked. These schmaltzy juices aren't a problem, and are delicious spooned over rice or soaked up with a piece of bread.

Your Broiler Is Your Friend

While the broiler doesn't deliver the exact same smokiness as a grill, it's a solid alternative for achieving some char. The key is to position a rack near the top of the oven—about six inches below the heating element—and let the broiler preheat for about five minutes so it's nice and hot.

Round out the Meal However You Like

I eat this one-pan chicken dinner all the time, and part of the reason I never tire of it—aside from how delicious it is—is that it's endlessly adaptable. I usually pile the chicken and vegetables into warm flatbreads, but rice or roasted potatoes are great vehicles that help round out the meal.

My dad sampled the dish while I was developing the recipe, and it’s since joined his weekly rotation, too. He likes to add fresh vegetables like sliced cucumber and red onion to the plate for a refreshing crunch, along with kalamata olives to bring a briny, savory note. However you serve it, be sure to finish with generous spoonfuls of the reserved chimichurri. The vibrant sauce is the real star of the show—and the reason my family can’t get enough of this easy weeknight dinner.