Churrasco Chicken
Churrasco Chicken features boneless, skin-on thighs soaked in a garlicky chili-and-herb paste that infuses deep smokiness on the grill. The skin crackles while paprika, cumin, and oregano build warmth, finished with a lively citrus hit. Ideal for a weekend cookout or casual dinner, it delivers juicy meat with bright, peppery zest in every bite.
- Prep15 mins
- Cook20 mins
- Serves4
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Churrasco Chicken, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 57 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 25 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 93 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
- 1 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 44
- Heart Health
- 73
- Metabolic
- 37
- Digestive
- 41
- Inflammatory
- 60
- Performance
- 55
- General Wellness
- 1
Make 2 very shallow cuts in the skin of the chicken thigh, perpendicular to the bone and about 1 inch apart, cutting through the skin but not down to the bone.
- 2
Flip the thighs over, and make a cut directly along the top of the bone in the same direction from one end to the other. Use the tip of the knife to trim along both sides of the bone until you can slide your fingers underneath. Slide the knife under the bone, and cut toward both ends to remove it. Trim off any remaining cartilage.
- 3
Place the prepared thighs into a resealable plastic bag set in a bowl.
- 4
Add the garlic, chili pepper, and sea salt to a mortar, and use the pestle to crush them into a coarse paste.
- 5
Add the lemon zest, oregano, paprika, and cumin, and keep crushing and smashing until a relatively smooth paste forms, about another minute.
- 6
Add the lemon juice, wine vinegar, and olive oil, and stir with the pestle until everything is emulsified.
- 7
Transfer the marinade into the bag with the chicken thighs, along with the extra salt (1 teaspoon of salt per pound of meat is a good rule of thumb). Use tongs to mix very thoroughly. Squeeze out the excess air and seal the bag tightly.
- 8
Marinate in the refrigerator overnight. Chicken can be grilled after marinating just 2 or 3 hours, but overnight is much better.
- 9
Prepare a charcoal grill until the coals are hot, white, and ashy. Place the chicken skin side down over the hot charcoal, and cook for 2 minutes. Turn the chicken over, and cook the meat side for about 5 minutes.
- 10
Turn the chicken back to the skin side, and continue cooking until the skin is nicely browned and lightly charred in spots. If the chicken still needs more time but the skin is getting too dark, flip it back to the meat side and keep grilling until the chicken is done. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
- 11
Remove the chicken to a serving platter, and pour over any accumulated juices. Serve with fresh lemon wedges.
- Calories 3993.83 kcal High 200%
- Protein 758.93 g Good Source 1518%
- Carbohydrate 33.45 g 12%
- Total Fat 92.47 g High 119%
- Saturated Fat 1.48 g Moderate 7%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 2543.36 mg High 848%
- Sodium 6766.39 mg High 294%
- Dietary Fiber 4.43 g Moderate 16%
- Total Sugars 3.44 g --
- Added Sugars 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Calcium 173.62 mg Moderate 13%
- Iron 1.97 mg Moderate 11%
- Potassium 255.27 mg Low Source 5%
- Vitamin A 2.95 mcg Low Source 0%
- Vitamin C 49.19 mg Good Source 55%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Citrus 🍊
- Garlic 🧄
- Alcohol 🚫🍷
About This Recipe
Churrasco Chicken is made with 11 ingredients and serves 4. It takes about 35 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Chili Pepper, Coarse Sea Salt, Dried Oregano, and Garlic. Each serving provides about 3993.83 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Churrasco Chicken made of?
- The main ingredients are Chili Pepper, Coarse Sea Salt, Dried Oregano, Garlic, Ground Cumin. The full list of 11 is above.
- How long does it take to make Churrasco Chicken?
- About 35 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 20 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 3993.83 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Churrasco Chicken easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 11 ingredients and 11 steps.
- Is Churrasco Chicken healthy?
- Churrasco Chicken has an easyChef Pro health score of 57/100. Per serving, it provides 3993.83 calories and 758.93 g of protein, or 1518% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of vitamin C. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 6766.39 mg (294% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 1.48 g (7% of the Daily Value). It contains Citrus, Garlic and Alcohol, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.
The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
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