Chimichurri Roast Chicken

 

Seems like ages since my last post. I've been quite busy of late. Well, actually, I've been on holidays. Busy on holidays with the kids. Then, I returned from my holidays and was busy getting back into routine again. Now that I've settled back in, it was time to start those blogging juices flowing. Not. Speaking of which, I made a juicy roast chicken with chimichurri for dinner last night. I only just discovered chimichurri a few months ago.Prior to that, it always crossed my mind as being related to chimichanga (well, they do sound like they come from the same family!). We have a little herb garden at home, and there are two plants in particular that are thriving throughout the year - the rosemary and the parsley. There was a time, many years ago, when our parsley never survived more than a few months. Now, we have a parsley bush that's enough to make chimichurri for a month.

So, there. What do you do when your garden is overgrown with parsley? Make chimichurri of course. This delicious parsley sauce is now my best friend. It goes with absolutely anything that's grilled or roasted - prawns, fish, steaks, chicken, vegetables, you name it. And because it has a slight tang to it from the vinegar, it makes everything taste so appetizing that you keep eating more and more. That's not really a bad thing, unless one is pregnant and lactating, as there might be uterotonic effects of excessive consumption of parsley. In fact, did you know that parsley is one of the most underrated superfoods, and is often overlooked in its popular role as a garnish? Parsley is packed full of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, has healing properties and can potentially reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. Google parsley and read all about the nutritional benefits of this wonderful herb.

Anyway, I digress. Chimichurri - super easy to prepare, super tasty and versatile and great if you're looking to use up extra parsley lying around. Make sure you use flat-leaf or Italian parsley, and not the curly ones. If you've never tried it, you should! Delizioso!

Chimichurri Roast Chicken

Ingredients

2 chicken marylands (whole leg)
Salt and pepper

Chimichurri Sauce:

1 1/2 cups tightly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Method

Prepare Chimichurri by mixing all the ingredients together. Set aside, or refrigerate for up to 3 days until ready for use.

Preheat oven to 200C (400F).

Rub salt and pepper over the chicken. Gently lift the skin until it separates from the flesh, and stuff it with some chimichurri. Rub 1 tbsp of chimichurri all over each chicken Maryland. Place in a roasting tin. Toss some potatoes and vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper (and butter if you like). Arrange these in the roasting tin. Bake for 1 hour until chicken is cooked and browned. Turn up the heat to 230C (440F) for the last 5 minutes to crisp up the skin. Serve immediately with extra chimichurri on the side.