Marinated chicken chops with chimichurri

Name: Marinated chicken chops with chimichurri
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients: For the chicken; 6 large chicken legs; 3 tbsp all-purpose seasoning (check it’s gluten free if you need it to be); 2 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tbsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp chilli flakes; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 heaped tsp salt flakes; Cooked basmati rice to serve; For the chimichurri; 1 tbsp dried oregano; 2 tbsp red wine vinegar; 1 garlic clove; 5g coriander leaves; 90ml extra-virgin olive oil; ½ tsp caster sugar; 1 red chilli, finely chopped; For the salad (optional); 4 little gem lettuces, leaves separated; 100g radishes, finely sliced; 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; Juice 1 lemon

Portion size: Serves 6
Prep time 45 min, plus at least 1 hour marinating and resting. Cook time 15 min
Difficulty: easy

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

Rosie Mackean

Chef and food writer

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Learn how to make chicken chops with Rosie Mackean’s clever barbecue recipe. Serve the juicy grilled chicken with rice and a punchy, Argentinian-style chimichurri sauce.

Clever cooking method: “I discovered chicken chops a couple of summers ago and haven’t looked back,” says Rosie. “Essentially you take a chicken leg, then debone the drumstick and most of the thigh, leaving the meat attached on one side so it looks like a chop. This is a little fiddly, but it’s such a good way to get a quick, even cook on grilled chicken – plus you have extra surface area for a nice spicy rub to soak in.”
Know-how: “Don’t worry too much about neatness when you’re creating the chicken chops. The gist is that you’re moving all the meat up to the top of the leg, detaching the meat by cutting, scraping and sliding.”
Get ahead: you can prep and marinate the chops the day before, then store in the fridge.

Serve as part of Rosie’s laid-back barbecue menu for six, with charred courgette dip and flatbreads and cherries jubilee for dessert.

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Ingredients

For the chicken

6 large chicken legs
3 tbsp all-purpose seasoning (check it’s gluten free if you need it to be)
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp ground cumin
1 heaped tsp salt flakes
Cooked basmati rice to serve

For the chimichurri

1 tbsp dried oregano
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove
5g coriander leaves
90ml extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp caster sugar
1 red chilli, finely chopped

For the salad (optional)

4 little gem lettuces, leaves separated
100g radishes, finely sliced
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Juice 1 lemon

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Method

To prepare the chicken chops you’ll need a sharp, small knife – a boning knife is the best for the job if you have one. Put the chicken leg on your board so the thigh is skin-side down and the drumstick is closest to you. Pierce the drumstick where the bone is, then run your knife down the bone of the drumstick, repeating this motion, running the blade along the bone all the way around to release the meat from the bone. Cut around the ankle to completely separate the drumstick meat from the bone, then bring the knife up to the knee bone that connects the drumstick and thigh, pushing the meat with it.
Carefully trim around the knee bone so the drumstick meat slides up towards the thigh, then cut the meat from the thigh bone in the same way, sliding the knife up and down the bone, except this time you want to leave it intact on the right-hand side so the meat is still attached. When you’ve finished, the chop should have the meat attached to the thigh bone like a flag attached to a flagpole (see Know-how). Repeat with the rest of the chops.
Mix the chicken spices and salt together in a bowl to create a rub, then sprinkle it all over the chops, rubbing it in well. Leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours.
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To make the chimichurri, whizz all the ingredients (except the chilli) together in a blender. Mix in the chilli at the end to give the sauce a pop of red colour.
Wrap the bones of each chicken chop in foil to stop them burning. I like to grill my chops on a nice hot grill, with the hottest coals in the middle and a slightly cooler part around the outside. Keep them on this cooler part to start with, letting them sizzle on one side until they’re easily movable (not stuck to the grille). Then, a couple at a time, give them a turn on the hottest bit of the grill to guarantee a crisp – but not burnt – exterior. Keep moving them around as they cook, rotating them in and out of the hottest part of the grill. They’ll take around 12 minutes to cook through. Once both sides are a wonderful dark colour with a few crispy bits, they’ll be done – transfer to a tray and let them rest for 5 minutes, covered with foil.
Meanwhile, mix all the salad ingredients together (if using) with a pinch of salt and pepper. Serve the chicken chops on a platter, drizzled with the chimichurri, with the rice and salad alongside.