Greek Styled Grilled Chicken Thighs
How to prepare Greek styled grilled chicken thighs.
Servings: 4
Equipment
- 1 Grill gas or charcoal
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
- ¼ cup olive oil
- zest & juice of large lemon
- 3 cloves garlic mnced
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano or 2 teaspoons fresh, chopped
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika optional
- 1 teaspoon honey optional
- fresh parsley chopped, for serving
Instructions
Make the marinade (2 minutes).
- Whisk olive oil, lemon zest + juice, garlic, oregano, vinegar, salt, pepper, paprika, and honey in a bowl.
Prep the chicken (3 minutes).
- Pat thighs dry with paper towels. Trim excess fat. For skin-on thighs, gently loosen the skin from the meat with your fingers to let the marinade reach deeper.
Marinate (10–360 minutes).
- Put chicken and marinade into a zip bag or bowl. Massage to coat. Refrigerate 30 minutes for decent flavor; 2–6 hours is ideal. (Avoid lemon-heavy marinades longer than ~8 hours — acid can change texture.)
Preheat the grill (5–10 minutes).
- Heat to medium-high (about 400–450°F / 200–230°C). Clean and oil grates.
Grill the chicken.
- Bone-in, skin-on: Start skin-side down over direct heat. Grill 6–8 minutes until the skin chars and releases. Flip and grill 6–8 minutes. Move to indirect heat (or lower flame), close lid, and finish 8–12 minutes until thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C).
Boneless, skinless:
- Grill 5–7 minutes per side over medium-high until internal temp is 165°F (74°C). Use an instant-read thermometer and avoid touching bone.
Rest (5–7 minutes).
- Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil. Resting lets juices redistribute.
Serve.
- Sprinkle parsley and lemon. Serve with tzatziki, warm pita, Greek salad, or roasted veggies.