Chimichurri chicken tacos and why parsley deserves more love

Plus, citrus-y bakes that are low carb and grain-free!

Hello! This week, we’re making tacos! Chimichurri chicken tacos, with a chicken and roasted vegetable filling that all cooks on one sheet pan in 15 minutes. The veggies are a mix of roasted delicata squash, bell pepper, and onion, tossed in a Peruvian-inspired seasoning blend. Tuck it into a grain-free tortilla, then top it with fresh chimichurri and pineapple. These tacos are a dream!

I ended up with a large amount of parsley recently after I received a giant bunch (the biggest, most beautiful bunches I’ve ever seen!) in my farm produce box, two weeks in a row. My go-to for parsley is always chimichurri, a condiment made with the finely-chopped herb, olive oil, garlic, and an acid like lemon or vinegar. It’s so simple and has an abundance of uses, including drizzled over protein like salmon, chicken, steak or grilled tri-tip, or served as a salad dressing, on a wrap, as a dip, etc.

That was what inspired this recipe. A bright green, earthy, garlicky chimichurri, a little on the thick side a la salsa, so it can be generously spooned over the seasoned chicken and veggie taco filling.

Parsley is an overlooked and underrated herb, one that, for some reason, has been relegated to garnish status here in the U.S. And it deserves far more than that.

When it comes to nutrients, parsley is a powerhouse. I was introduced to parsley’s superfood profile a few years ago when I discovered it’s among the list of top anti-angiogenic foods (foods that inhibit new blood vessels from forming, a crucial step in the growth of tumors and cancer progression). Parsley has many other impressive health benefits— it’s rich in antioxidants, vitamin C (more per ounce than oranges, actually), vitamins A and K, as well as digestive and anti-inflammatory properties, to name a few.

The bottom line: parsley offers so much more than just a pop of color on a plated dish. And since parsley is a concentrated source of nutrients, eating even a little bit here and there can be beneficial.

Chop it up and sprinkle it into salads, dressings, grilled meat, fish. Be generous with it in meatballs and meatloaf and sauces. And then of course, there are these chimichurri chicken tacos. ☺️ (Keep reading for the recipe and printable PDF!)

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Here’s what to bake with all the gorgeous citrus right now! All of these recipes are free, either on the blog or on Substack.

• lemon pound cake with glaze (pictured below)

• olive oil lemon curd

• lemon poppy seed or lemon mixed berry high-protein muffins

• orange cake with yogurt cardamom frosting

• lemon ricotta cheesecake bars (pictured below)

• lemon blueberry scones

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The combination is bright and almost tropical, with the fresh pineapple and herbaceous chimichurri. It’s everything I’m craving right now, and is a wonderful meal that fits this in-between season as we transition from warming and heavier comfort foods to lighter, sunnier dishes.

The filling ingredients cook on one sheet pan!

I usually ask my older kids how they want their tacos assembled, but when I first served this to them, I just loaded it up with the works. Deep-green parsley/cilantro chimichurri, pineapple and all. They enjoyed every last bite which is really saying a lot since one of them in particular has a strong aversion to the mixing of fruit with anything savory, and the other generally prefers (the most basic) taco fillings only, sans tortilla.

My one-year-old ate hers too (a deconstructed version without the chimichurri) so just know that the chili powder in this recipe results in a very mild amount of spiciness.

And speaking of deconstructed tacos, all of the elements— the chicken and veggies, pineapple and chimichurri— can turn into a seriously good bowl situation. Enjoy it over cauliflower rice or fresh greens or simply as it is, which makes next day’s lunch (if you have leftovers) even easier to assemble.

You’ll probably end up with a good amount of chimichurri left over, which is something else to be excited about (it’ll taste even better the next day!).

Recipe tip: I know there’s a lot of chopping involved to get the herbs finely minced. You might be tempted to blitz it altogether in a high-powered blender or food processor, and you certainly can, but I’ve found that over-processing can lead to a slightly bitter chimichurri. If you’d rather use an appliance to save time, I recommend pulsing over and over until it reaches a good, finely-minced consistency.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep time: ~30 minutes

For the seasoning: