This skirt steak marinade with chimichurri is so good it should be illegal, boos. It makes me wanna drag out the grill even when I swore I wasn’t cooking a thing! I came up with a garlic and citrus marinade that tenderizes the meat and infuses it with loads of flavor, but the best part is definitely the chimichurri sauce. Y’all HAVE to make it. If you’ve never had it before, think of it as a tangy, bright pesto. Latin America in a bite. Get into it.
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PRO TIP: Skirt steak is my pick here because it’s thinner, cooks up fast, and has a rich, beefy flavor. But a good flank steak marinade will give you tender and flavorful results too!

Skirt Steak Marinade Recipe with Chimichurri Recipe
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Ingredients
For the Marinade and Grilling:
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons apple cider or red wine vinegar
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 pound skirt steak
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Chimichurri Sauce:
- 1 cup fresh parsley
- 1 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/4-1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- Optional: 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
For the Marinade and Grilling:
- Whisk all of the ingredients together and pour into a large ziploc bag.
- Add skirt steak to ziploc bag with marinade and allow to marinade up to 6-7 hours max depending on how thick the meat is.
- When ready to grill, liberally season with salt and pepper.
- Grill until golden brown and perfectly charred then allow to rest before slicing on a cutting board.
For the Chimichurri:
- Add all of the ingredients to a heavy duty blender or food processor and blend until everything is chopped up and smooth then serve. Seriously that easy.
Notes
- Fridge: Wrap leftover skirt or flank steak in foil or store it in an airtight container, then pop it in the fridge. It will stay good for 3-4 days. Keep the chimichurri in a sealed jar or container in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freezer: Slice the steak, wrap it up tight in plastic and foil, then tuck it into a freezer bag. It will hold up for about 2 months. The chimichurri can be frozen too, just spoon it into an airtight container or ice cube tray for up to 2 months.
- Reheating: Let the steak sit out for 15-20 minutes, then warm it in a hot skillet or on the grill until heated through. Skip the microwave if you wanna keep it juicy. The chimichurri should stay chilled and be spooned on cold or at room temp, never reheated.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Buy the best meat you can, boos. Go for top quality if you can swing it, or just grab the best your budget allows.
- Get that grill HOT! Let it smoke before you even think about dropping that steak on.
- Let the steak rest after grilling. That’s how the juices stay put instead of running all over your plate.
- Cut against the grain in thin slices. Look for those lines running through the meat and slice across them for the most tender bite. This works every time y’all, whether you’re making flank steak with chimichurri or chimichurri skirt steak.

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Serving Suggestions
- Veggies: Some easy sides for this grilled steak with chimichurri sauce are green beans with tomatoes, balsamic-glazed Brussels sprouts, garlic green beans, and honey-glazed carrots.
- Potatoes: Garlic mashed potatoes, smashed potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, roasted fingerlings, or sweet potato fries all give me life!
- Salads: A fresh vinegar coleslaw, Caesar salad, or a simple onion and cucumber salad balance out the richness of this skirt steak marinade with chimichurri.
- Bread: Warm yeast rolls, classic garlic bread, or a slice of roasted garlic bread are perfect for soaking up extra sauce.
Recipe Help
Yup. For tough cuts like skirt or flank, keep it under 24 hours in the fridge. Anything longer and the texture can get mushy. And NEVER re-use a flank steak marinade after raw meat has been sitting in it!
Nope. You can use a cast-iron skillet or grill pan on the stovetop. Just make sure it’s piping hot before the meat goes down.
Best skirt steak I’ve ever had foreal. The red pepper flakes make the chimichurri.
Hooray! This makes me so happy. Thanks so much!
Can it be marinated for 24 hours?
Yes it would be awesome!
But honestly you don’t want to break down the beef too much so I would suggest not marinating it over 8 hours.
Is there anything you can use to substitute for the cilantro, or can I just omit it entirely? I’m one of those people that thinks it tastes like soap! 🙂
You can omit it and add more of the parsley. It won’t taste exactly the same. Hahaha soup.
How does your chimmichurri look so creamy? Mine is always oily.
It might be too much oil in the recipe you are making possibly?
Can I do this on a grill inside my house ? As its winter now and don’t want to wait for the summer for this amazing recipe !
Yes you totally can!
Hi Jocelyn,
how long do you cook the steak for? As I understand it flank or skirt shouldn’t be cooked for long. Just seared on the outside. What do you recommend?
Regards
Paul
(London)
I think it depends on how well you want your steak cooked. Everyone in my family varies so I usually do a mix of 4-5 minutes on each side and then some longer for those who want it well done.
Looks SO GOOD! Can’t wait to try it this Labor Day holiday.
Sounds A-MAZ-ING! Will other cooking methods (pan frying) work? I don’t have a grill.
I really love the looks of this! I’ve never made chimichurri before, but I definitely want to try it!
This sounds so delicious! Wish we were having this for dinner tonight!
Grilled skirt steak is the best – I’ve only used it in soft tacos and always feel like I should branch out. And I love the sound of this marinade – all the herbs and lime are so vibrant and fresh. Definitely saving this up for when we get the barbecue back out next summer!