Chimichurri Chicken Bites

Chimichurri Chicken Bites are a great party appetizer that always fly off the plate!

Chimichurri Chicken Bites are one of our family’s favorite dinners. Except for my daughter Kylie; she won’t touch them to save her life. Because they’re green, you know. 😂 But Katie? She can’t run down the stairs fast enough when she knows they’re ready.

Me? I’ll put chimichurri sauce on just about anything. Within reason.

WHAT IS CHIMICHURRI?

Chimichurri is an Argentinian sauce and condiment that Argentinian’s put on just about everything. It’s filled with flavor and a wonderful acidic tang that can really bring a dish to life. It can also be used as a marinade. I make it most often in the summertime when fresh herbs are everywhere but it’s delicious anytime, on and in almost any dish you can come up with. It’s most commonly used to top grilled steak, however, which is another reason it’s perfect for summer barbecues.

WHAT’S IN CHIMICHURRI SAUCE?

Fresh herbs, such as parsley and oregano, olive oil, garlic, vinegar, and sometimes red pepper flakes. The ingredients vary a bit, depending on the recipe, but I’ve found that those are the most common. Different herbs can be used as well. For example, you could make a cilantro chimichurri with a very different flavor profile. The sauce can be blended completely, as in this recipe, or the herbs can be hand chopped for a more “chunky” sauce.

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN BITES?

Making the chicken bites is basically the same as making chicken meatballs. But chicken bites sound so much more fun, doesn’t it? You can make them as I’ve instructed in the recipe below, or you can bake them in on a sheet pan at 400F for about 15 minutes or so until they’re cooked through. I like to broil them for the last couple minutes of baking time so they brown a bit on the top. But my preferred method is cooking them in a skillet as they tend to stay a bit moister that way.

HOW TO SERVE CHIMICHURRI CHICKEN BITES?

I serve my Chimichurri Chicken Bites one of two ways: on a platter with toothpicks and the sauce in a small bowl in the center for dipping (see the photo below) or on a platter with toothpicks but the sauce poured onto the platter and the bites sitting right in the sauce (as in the photos above). I prefer the latter as I think it’s not only prettier but easier for guests to pick up. Both ways work well, however, so choose whichever way you like.

MORE DELICIOUS CHIMICHURRI RECIPES:

• Steak & Potatoes with Fresh Summer Vegetables
• Cedar Plank Grilled Salmon
• Shrimp Skewers

If you’d like more recipes from Latin America or what dishes would go well with these Chimichurri Chicken Bites, scroll down to see what my fellow bloggers created for our monthly Progressive Dinner Party. We’ve got everything covered, from cocktails to dessert!

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Chimichurri Chicken Bites

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 23 minutes

A unique appetizer that flies off the plate every time!

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Ingredients

For the chicken bites:

• 2 lb ground chicken (or turkey)
• 2 large eggs
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, (for keto use ground pork rinds)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, (for keto use avocado oil)

For the chimichurri sauce:

• 2 cups fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup fresh oregano
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, (for keto use avocado oil)
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp each coarse salt & freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

For the chimichurri sauce:

1. Place all ingredients into a high-powered blender and blend until very smooth. Allow to sit at room temperature while you make the chicken bites to allow flavors to meld.

For the chicken bites:

1. Using your hands, mix together the ground chicken, egg, garlic, breadcrumbs, salt, and black pepper. Form the mixture into small, bite-sized rounds (meatballs), about 1-inch thick.
2. Heat the 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken bites and cook them until they're nicely browned on all sides and cooked through, about 7-8 minutes, in batches if necessary. (Alternatively you can bake these at 400°F for about 15 minutes).
3. Serve the chicken bites on a platter with a small bowl of chimichurri sauce for dipping. Alternatively, you can place the bites in a shallow dish with sides, pour in some of the sauce and set the bites on top, then serve the remaining on the side for dipping.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1079Total Fat: 89gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 68gCholesterol: 336mgSodium: 1054mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 59g

The amounts include all of the chimichurri sauce.

Flavors of Latin America!

Cocktails

• The Caipirinha – Brazil’s Signature Cocktail – Creative Culinary

Appetizers

• Chimichuri Chicken Bites – The Wicked Noodle

Breads

• Pan Blanco Cuencano – Karen’s Kitchen Stories

Main Course

• Instant Pot Chicken Filled Arepas (gluten free) – The Heritage Cook

Side Dishes

• Patatas Bravas Chilenas (Chile Potatoes) – From a Chef’s Kitchen
• Easy Colombian Patacones or Green Plantains – Mother Would Know

Desserts

• Tres Leches Cake – That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a Progressive Dinner Party. Each recipe in our menu this month features the flavors of Latin America and our host this month is Karen who blogs at Karen’s Kitchen Stories.

If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats it’s a virtual party. A theme is chosen each month, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out. Come along and see all of the delicious summer dishes!

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Kristy Bernardo

Kristy Bernardo is the recipe creator behind The Wicked Noodle. She's a five-time cookbook author, has taught cooking classes to both kids and adults, and has been creating recipes for nationwide brands since 2009. She learned most of her cooking skills from her mom and grandmother, then honed those skills at boot camp at the Culinary Institute of America.

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