What do you know about chicken? Is it something you know well? Is it something new? Is it ever different?
If you’re like most people, then you get tired of eating the same boring chicken dish. You might even have kids or family members who moan and groan when you tell them that chicken is being served for dinner yet again.
But chicken is always different with a new sauce. This recipe features a chimichurri sauce that will introduce you to a whole new way of eating chicken!
As chefs say, the secret is in the sauce. We use fresh parsley (high in vitamins A, K, and C; magnesium, potassium, folate, iron, and calcium), garlic cloves (a good source of vitamins C, K, manganese, copper, zinc, phosphorus, potassium and iron), and red and green chilli (high in vitamins A, C and K and the phytonutrient capsaicin).
Capsaicin is a unique nutrient with many different benefits. Research shows that it helps protect the heart and reduce the risk of the following conditions: metabolic syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver, atherosclerosis, diabetes, obesity, cardiac hypertrophy, stroke and high blood pressure (1).
Capsaicin also has pain-relieving abilities. Research shows that it has anti-obesity effects and may help reduce body weight by “heating up” your metabolism (2, 3, 4).
Specifically, capsaicin induces thermogenesis to help you burn more calories. One study found that eating 2.56 mg of capsaicin each meal helps promote fat oxidation during negative energy balances (5). It’s a great spice to add to your diet if you’re trying to lose weight or you just want to spice up your chicken!
Our sauce also calls for lemon, which is high in vitamin C, folate, potassium, and flavonoids, and dry oregano, which contains thymol and carvacrol. Both of these nutrients have been shown to inhibit the growth of bacteria with their antimicrobial activities (6).
These spices are better absorbed in the body when you serve them with healthy fats. That’s why we add olive oil to the sauce. Your family will thank you for this recipe!
Let’s Do It!
Start by preparing the sauce. Combine all sauce ingredients in a food processor (except for the olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest) and pulse until well combined.
Then transfer to a bowl and stir in the lemon juice, olive oil and lemon zest. Let the sauce sit for about 10 minutes.
Season the chicken breasts with salt and 3 tablespoons of the mixture. Chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes.
Fry the chicken in a stovetop pan over medium-high heat. Cook on each side until crispy (about 7-8 minutes). Alternatively, you can bake or grill these chicken fillets too.
Plate the cooked chicken, cover with foil, and let the chicken rest for a few minutes. Then add the remaining sauce on top before serving with your favourite low-carb greens.
More Low-Carb Chicken Dishes You Can Try:
- Baked Cheddar Cheese Garlic Chicken Breast
- Garlic Butter Chicken Breast with Steamed Broccoli
- Herb Chicken with Lemon Cauliflower Rice
Keto Chimichurri Chicken
Ingredients
For chicken:
- 2 chicken breast medium, or chicken thigh
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- sea salt to taste
For chimichurri sauce (makes 1 cup):
- ½ cup olive oil extra virgin
- 2/3 cup fresh parsley chopped
- ½ tsp dry oregano
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red chilli small, seeds removed and chopped
- 1 green chilli small, seeds removed and chopped
- ½ lemon freshly squeezed
- 1 tsp lemon zest or to taste (optional)
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare chimichurri sauce: combine all ingredients except olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.
- Transfer processed mixture to a bowl. Stir in olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- Season chicken breasts with salt. Add 3 tbsp of chimichurri sauce. Mix well and chill for 20 minutes.
- Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry marinated chicken 7-8 minutes per side or until crispy, golden, and cooked through.
- Transfer fried chicken to a plate, cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Divide chicken between serving plates, pour 2 tbsp of chimichurri over each fillet and enjoy!
