Our Chimichurri Skirt Steak recipe is a grilling staple! Skirt steak is generally a leaner cut, but when marinated and grilled over open flame, it turns out really tender and juicy!
Serve along with grilled sides for an gorgeous dinner! It’s the kind of summer recipe that you’ll keep coming back to year after year!
Quick Look: Chimichurri Steak
- Prep Time: 20 mins, Cook Time: 15 minutes, Marinating: 3 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 25 minutes (including marinating)
- Method: Grilling
- Main Ingredients: Skirt steak, citrus, Italian parsley
- Flavor Profile: Smoky, herby, tender and juicy steak
- Ideal for: Summer grilling, cookouts
Jump to:
Ingredient Notes
- Skirt steak: If you can’t find it, flank steak works just as well.
- Baby potatoes: These need to be parboiled before they hit the grill so they cook fully. Keep the skin on so they don’t fall apart when grilling.
- Lime and orange juice: Freshly squeezed, for the marinade. They not only add amazing flavor but also helps to tenderize the meat with the acidic component.
- Cherry tomatoes and asparagus: Or your favorite vegetables! Make sure you have a grilling basket too.
- Salt and pepper to taste
- For the chimichurri sauce: Finally chopped parsley, dried or fresh oregano, olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, chili flakes, salt and pepper.
Ingredient quantities are listed in the recipe card below, as always.
Substitutions and Variations
- Steak: Flank steak also works great here. You might need to increase the cook time since it’s generally a thicker cut.
- If you want to go big with the sides, try my easy grilled vegetables!
- More veggies: Mushrooms, zucchini, corn, and bell peppers are great additions.
- More sauces to serve in addition to the chimchurri: Romesco Sauce, Lemon Basil Dressing, or even this caramelized Pineapple Salsa!
How to Make Chimichurri Steak on the Grill
It’s really easy and straightforward. Let’s make it!
Step 1 | Make the chimichurri sauce
First things first, make the homemade chimichurri sauce. It’s really easy. In a bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients until evenly mixed. We’ll use half of it for the marinade and the rest for serving.
Step 2 | Marinate the skirt steak
Generously season the skirt steak with salt and pepper. In a bowl or large resealable bag, combine lime juice, orange juice, and half the chimichurri. Add the steak, coat well, seal, and marinate for up to 2 to 3 hours at most. Any longer and the acid will make the meat chewy.
While the chimichurri steak is marinating, parboil the baby potatoes for 8-10 minutes until just fork tender. They will continue to cook as they grill later.
Step 3 | Grill steak and vegetables
Preheat the grill to high, about 450ºF. Grill the skirt steak for about 3-4 minutes per side, until nicely charred and cooked to your liking. Skirt steak is best served medium-rare (130-135ºF) or medium (140ºF), but it’s up to you! Always use an instant read thermometer for accuracy.
Let the grilled grilled meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing to allow the juices to redistribute. This will keep it juicy and tender!
While the steak rests, toss the par-boiled potatoes and sliced vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill until nice and tender. For a fuller vegetable spread, try my easy grilled vegetables recipe.
Step 4 | Slice against the grain
Slicing skirt steak against the grain can be tricky because of the direction of the muscle fibers. To slice it properly, first cut the steak into 3 or 4 sections. Then turn each piece and slice thinly against the grain (perpendicular to the lines), as shown below.
Step 5 | Serve with the grilled sides
Arrange the sliced steak on a large platter, along with the grilled sides. Serve the skirt steak with more sauce on top, in a dish on the side, or both.
Tips for Success
- This chimichurri sauce recipe makes about 1½ cups. Double or triple the recipe to increase the amount as needed.
- Skirt steak is a thin and lean cut, and is best served medium-rare (130-135ºF) or even medium (140ºF). When overcooked, it can get chewy.
- Make sure your grill is really hot to get a nice sear without overcooking the center.
- Slice against the grain! As shown in the photo above in step 4.
- For the potatoes and other smaller vegetables, I’d recommend using a grilling basket.
Make Ahead Tips
The sauce for steak can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. It will solidify in the fridge, so let it sit on the counter for a few minutes before using. You can also freeze chimichurri for to 2 months in ice cube trays.
Pairing and Serving Ideas
Since this grilled steak recipe already has potatoes and veggies, it’s already a complete meal as is. But if I’m hosting a larger crowd, I’ll be sure to include extra salads! These are my faves:
Recipe FAQs
No, chimichurri is meant to be made with fresh herbs.
Preferably not, I’d recommend 3 hours max. Because the marinade contains citrus, the acid can actually make the neat chewy when left for too long.
Skirt steak is best at medium rare or medium, overcooking makes it tough and chewy due to its lean texture.
More Summer Grilling Recipes
I’d love to hear from you! If you loved my recipe, please consider leaving a 5-star rating and a comment down below. Sign up for my newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest
Chimichurri Skirt Steak
Ingredients
- 2 pounds skirt steak - excess fat trimmed
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 orange, juiced
- 1 pound baby potatoes
- Cherry tomatoes - for grilling
- ½ pound asparagus - ends trimmed, for grilling
- Olive oil - for grilling
- Salt and pepper
Chimichurri sauce:
- 1 cup finely chopped Italian parsley - loosely packed
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil - or to taste
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar - plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic - very finely minced
- ½ teaspoon Red pepper chili flakes - or diced fresh red chili peppers, to taste
- Salt and pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Make the chimichurri sauce: In a bowl, combine all the chimichurri ingredients evenly. Set aside. Reserve ⅓ cup of the chimichurri for the marinade. The rest will be used for serving.
- Marinate: In a bowl or large resealable bag, combine the juice of 1 lime, juice of 1 orange, and ⅓ cup of the reserved chimichurri sauce until evenly mixed. Season the skirt steak with salt and pepper generously, then transfer into the marinade, making sure it's evenly coated. Seal and marinate for about 3 hours in the fridge, but no more than that, otherwise it can get chewy due to the acid.
- Par-boil potatoes: Meanwhile, par-boil the baby potatoes for 8-10 minutes until just fork tender (it will finish cooking on the grill). Drain and set aside.
- Once ready to cook, preheat grill to high heat, about 450 degrees F.
- Grill steak: Grill the marinated skirt steak for about 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare (130-135 degrees F) or a bit longer for medium (140F). Use an instant read thermometer to be sure. Let it rest for 10 minutes. Tip: Skirt steak is a thin cut, so you need high heat to get a nice, charred sear without overcooking the center.
- Grill potatoes and vegetables: While the steak is resting, season the par-boiled potatoes and vegetables with salt and pepper and olive oil. Grill in a grilling basket, brushing with some of the chimichurri sauce to taste.
- Slice steak against the grain: Using a serrated knife, portion the long skirt steak into 3 shorter sections. Then, rotate each piece and slice thinly across the grain (perpendicular to the lines). This will break the fibers and yield tender results.
- Serve: Arrange the sliced steak on a serving platter, along with the grilled potatoes, tomatoes, and asparagus. Serve with the prepared chimichurri sauce on top and on the side. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Marinating time: For best results, marinate for no more than 3 hours. Any longer than that can actually make the meat chewy due to the citrus.
- Use high heat on the grill! Skirt steak is a thin and lean cut, so you need high heat to get a nice sear without overcooking the center.
- Medium-rare (130-135 F) to medium (140 F) is ideal for skirt steak.
- Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing to ensure it’s juicy and tender.
- Slice against the grain: Cut skirt steak into 3–4 sections, rotate, then slice thinly against the grain at an angle for tenderness.
- Make ahead: The chimichurri sauce can be prepared 1-2 days ahead and refrigerated.
- Skirt steak: Flank steak, but cook a bit longer since it’s often a thicker cut than skirt steak.
- Use only fresh Italian parsley for the chimichurri. It won’t work well with curly parsley or dried parsley.
Matthew says
Loved it! We made it with flank steak since we couldn’t find skirt. Very tender and the flavors were definitely there. Added grilled mushrooms and corn on the cob that we grilled with herb butter.