chimichurri-marinated chicken thighs, parsley and oregano and garlic blended into a marinade, sheet-pan roasted over sweet potato and onion

Chimichurri is a full bunch of parsley, a half bunch of cilantro if you use it, whole cloves of garlic, all going into the blender at once. It takes 10 minutes and a cutting board, and what comes out is bright enough to carry a plain sheet-pan dinner. Make it while the oven heats, or make it a day ahead, either way this is real AIP flavor, not a stand-in for something you are missing.

Folate is one of the nutrients that runs low when the gut has been inflamed for a while, and this marinade is built almost entirely out of parsley, which means a real dose of it lands in every bite of chicken. That is quiet repletion, not just seasoning.

These thighs are bone-in and skin-on on purpose, the whole bird used, not the trimmed-down parts. Roast them over the sweet potato so the drippings do not go to waste, and let the smell of garlic and citrus in the kitchen be its own small reward for a weeknight.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, large lower stems removed
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, large lower stems removed (omit if you like)
• 3 tbsp fresh oregano leaves (or 1 1/2 tbsp dried)
• 8 to 10 medium cloves garlic
• 2 tsp unrefined salt
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar (or coconut vinegar; the vinegar is fine on AIP, only alcohol is excluded)
• juice of 1 lime
• red pepper flakes omitted (a nightshade, excluded on AIP)
• 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 small onion, coarsely diced
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, to coat the vegetables
• a little extra salt for the vegetables (black pepper omitted, an excluded seed spice on AIP)

Method

Make the chimichurri marinade. Put the parsley, cilantro if using, oregano, garlic, salt, the 1/4 cup olive oil, the vinegar, and the lime juice in a blender or food processor and blend into a coarse green sauce.

Put the chicken thighs in a bowl and pour about two thirds of the marinade over them, turning to coat. Reserve the rest. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight for deeper flavor.

When you are ready to cook, heat the oven to 400 F. Toss the cubed sweet potato and diced onion with the 2 tbsp olive oil and a little salt and spread them across a sheet pan.

Set the marinated thighs skin-side up on top of the vegetables. Roast for about 35 to 45 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165 F at the thickest part and the skin is golden, and the sweet potatoes are tender.

Spoon the reserved chimichurri over the chicken to serve.

Air fryer variation

The air fryer crisps the skin beautifully. Roast the cubed sweet potato and onion in a separate dish or batch first, since the timing differs. Cook the marinated thighs skin-side up at 380 F for about 18 to 22 minutes, until they reach 165 F and the skin is crisp. Spoon the reserved chimichurri over the top and serve with the roasted vegetables.

*Adapted from thecuriouscoconut.com*