Boneless thighs sit overnight in olive oil, lemon, garlic and dried oregano, and at the lot they take about 12 minutes over direct heat. Thighs stay juicy well past done, so take them to 175°F, where the meat gets tender, not just safe. Throw a few lemon halves on the grill cut side down while the chicken cooks and squeeze them over at the end, then a handful of parsley. Set a spoonful of the marinade aside before it touches the chicken and drizzle that on too. Serve it with pita and tzatziki, or over rice.
At the lot: Marinate at home, ride the chicken at the bottom of the cooler, and grill it over direct medium-high heat; plan on about 30 minutes from lighting to eating on a gas grill, longer on charcoal. Cook ahead: Grill at home and carry it hot in a towel-lined cooler, or grill it the night before and reheat it at the lot to 165°F. Homegating: Same cook in the backyard, or a grill pan or the broiler if the weather turns.
175°F
Thighs, for tender dark meat
12–14
Minutes over direct heat
4–24 HRS
In the marinade
6
Serves
Ingredients
Chicken
- 3 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, about 10 to 12
Marinade
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, plus the zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 5 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp kosher salt (Diamond Crystal; 1¼ tsp if Morton)
- 1 tsp coarse black pepper
To serve
- 3 lemons, halved
- ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Steps
At home
- The night before, whisk the marinade. Spoon 3 tablespoons into a small jar and refrigerate it; that part never touches raw chicken.
- Toss the thighs with the rest of the marinade in a zip-top bag, seal it and refrigerate 4 hours to overnight.
- The chicken rides sealed at the bottom of the cooler at 40°F or below, below the jar, the lemons, the parsley and anything else ready to eat.
At the lot
- Heat the grill to medium-high, about 425°F. Oil the grates. Lift the thighs out of the bag and let the extra drip off. Throw out the marinade in the bag.
- Grill the thighs smooth side down 6 to 7 minutes, until they release and have char, then flip and grill 6 to 7 minutes more. Grill the lemon halves cut side down at the same time, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Check that the thickest thigh reads at least 165°F; for tender dark meat, take them to 175°F. Rest 5 minutes.
- Pile them on a platter, squeeze the grilled lemons over, drizzle the jar of saved marinade and scatter the parsley. Chicken sits out no more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F.
Cook ahead
- Grill at home through step 6 and wrap the thighs in foil. Preheat a cooler with hot water, pour it out, line it with a towel, set the foil pack in and cover it with a second towel. Nothing cold goes in it. Check that they still read 140°F or above at the lot, then finish them with lemon and parsley.
- Or grill them the night before, cool them and chill them within 2 hours. At the lot, heat them in a foil packet over medium heat until they read 165°F. Or slice them cold over a salad and keep them in the cooler at 40°F or below until you serve.
Pack for the lot
How long should you marinate Greek chicken thighs?
4 hours to overnight in the fridge. Past about a day, the lemon starts to make the surface soft. Throw out the marinade once it has touched raw chicken.
What temperature should grilled chicken thighs reach?
Chicken is safe at 165°F. Thighs are dark meat and most tender at about 175°F to 185°F, so it's fine to take them past 165°F.
How long do you grill boneless chicken thighs?
About 12 to 14 minutes over medium-high direct heat, 6 to 7 minutes a side. Go by the thermometer, not the clock.
Can you use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
Yes, but pound them to an even thickness and pull them right at 165°F. Breasts have less fat and dry out quickly past done.
What do you serve with Greek chicken?
Grilled pita, tzatziki, sliced tomato and red onion, a Greek salad or rice. The tzatziki in our pork souvlaki recipe works here too.
Can you make Greek chicken ahead for a tailgate?
Yes. Grill it at home and carry it at 140°F or above in a preheated, towel-lined cooler, or grill it the night before and reheat it to 165°F at the lot.
Want tzatziki and pita with it? The pork souvlaki page has both. More chicken off the grill: huli huli chicken and lemon pepper wings. Pour sweet tea lemonade or big-batch margaritas, and set out Texas caviar. Carrying it hot? See how to keep food hot at a tailgate. Cold-weather tips are in our cold-weather tailgating guide.
