Grilled Chimichurri Salmon — Salmon filets are grilled until flaky and tender, then topped with a tangy herbed chimichurri sauce! This is a FAST and EASY grilled salmon recipe that’s ready in 20 minutes. Perfect for meal prep or whenever you’re craving a fresher and lighter summer meal that's exploding with FLAVOR!
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time10 minutesmins
Total Time20 minutesmins
Course: Fish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 721kcal
Author: Averie Sunshine
Ingredients
½cupfresh parsley
¼cupfresh cilantro
3garlic cloves
¼cupred wine vinegar
1teaspoonkosher saltor to taste
½ to ¾teaspoonred pepper flakesor to taste
½cupolive oilor as needed
4skin-on salmon filetsabout 6 to 8 ounces each
Fresh lemonoptional for serving
Instructions
Preheat your outdoor gas grill to medium-high heat, or approximately 400F. Tips - Do not crank your grill to max heat. This is too hot for cooking a delicate protein like fish. If you don't have a grill and want to make this recipe indoors, I recommend using an indoor grill pan on top of your stovetop OR baking it in a 375F in foil for about 15 minutes, then broiling for about 5 minutes, or until done. Use my Sheet Pan Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon recipe as a guideline if baking it.
To the large canister of a food processor, add the parsley, cilantro, garlic, red wine vinegar, salt, red pepper flakes, and pulse until the mixture is finely chopped. Tips - I prefer a food processor for this task rather than a Vitamix High Speed Blender or similar blender, but it will still "work". If you like lots of sauce or want extra for serving, double the chimichurri sauce recipe.
With the food processor running on low speed, slowly drizzle in the olive oil through the feed tube chute, and continuing mixing until the chimichurri sauce is well combined.
Reserve 1/4 cup chimichurri sauce for serving (if you made a double batch, you can reserve more).
Place the salmon filets on a large baking sheet or platter, and brush generously on all sides, top and bottom, with the chimichurri. Tip - For extra flavor, season each salmon filet with a bit of extra kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Place the salmon fillets skin-side DOWN on your grill, close the lid, and allow them to cook and sear, undisturbed, for about 5 minutes.
Using a grilling tongs, carefully flip each filet over, close the lid, and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes more, or until done. Salmon is done with it's a light colored pink and opaque in color, it flakes easily with a fork, and if you check the internal temperature with a digital thermometer, it should read 140-145F.
Remove the salmon from the grill, place it on a serving platter with the skin side down, and brush the reserved salmon over the top.
If desired, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top before serving. Salmon is best fresh but extra will keep airtight in the fridge for about 4 days. Extra chimichurri (if you have it), stored separately in an airtight container, will keep for about 4-5 days, noting the green color will darken as time passes meaning it has oxidized. One way to combat this is to drizzle in a bit of lemon juice with the fresh herbs as you're blending them in the food processor. The taste really won't change, but it won't be as vibrant and pretty.