If you are looking for a grilled boneless chicken thigh recipe that is both easy to prepare and goes with everything, you just hit the jackpot! You will love how simple the ingredient list is (no special trip to the store to mix up a batch.) And it takes only a few minutes to whisk the garlic, lemon and oregano-based marinade together. Plus I will show you my top tips for how to get perfectly juicy grilled chicken thighs every time!

chicken thighs on a white platter with parsley and lemon

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Why you’ll love this Greek Grilled Chicken

In summer the place to be is on the patio, a cool drink in hand, tending the grill. If this is you, then this Greek Grilled Chicken recipe will be your new go-to chicken recipe for summer! The chicken can marinate for just a couple of hours, or you can leave it in the marinade longer for even more juicy flavor!

The results are tender succulent chicken thighs, perfect for a simple dinner with friends and family, or just an easy weeknight dinner idea. Serve them with our easy Orzo Greek Pasta Salad for a complete healthy seasonal meal. Or you could also slice the grilled chicken and make Greek Gyros with yogurt sauce in pita pockets.

WATCH: How to Grill Chicken Thighs (with Greek Chicken Marinade)

Greek Chicken Thighs Ingredients

the chicken thighs and other ingredients on a white table with labels
  • Boneless Chicken Thighs – We love chicken thighs for a number of reasons, first and foremost of which is that they stay nice and juicy and don’t dry out as easily as white meat chicken breast. They are great in oven-roasted recipes like these Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs They are perfect for grilling recipes because they are thin and cook through in only a few minutes.
    • For this recipe, we used 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, which depending on how big they are weighed anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 pounds.
  • Lemon – Lemon is a commonly used acidic ingredient in Greek and Mediterranean cuisine and so it is the acid of choice today for the chicken marinade. If you do not have lemon juice you could use red wine vinegar instead. The acidity of the lemon juice helps to penetrate the meat and give it flavor. I also like to serve the grilled chicken with lemon wedges too for a burst of tart acidity!
  • Seasonings – The big bold garlic flavor and earthy dried oregano in this marinade is key to this recipe. I also added in dried thyme in a supporting role. And of course salt and ground black pepper. If you can find Greek oregano it has a distinct and strong flavor. I also added on chopped fresh parsley at the end to garnish the grilled thighs. All of the above contribute to the most flavorful chicken!
  • Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – It’s not much of a stretch to say that most Greek recipes include olive oil, so I used a good dose of it for this recipe. Here it acts as a carrying medium for the other flavorful ingredients and helps to coat the chicken. You may like to drizzle a little more olive oil over the grilled chicken thighs to highlight the fruity olive oil flavor.

How to grill Chicken Thighs

Find full details and measurements in the printable recipe card below.

Step 1: Make the Marinade

Whisk garlic, lemon, olive oil, oregano, salt, thyme and pepper in a shallow baking dish or medium bowl. {If you like, you can mix and marinate in a large ziplock bag for easy clean-up.}

Step 2: Add the Chicken To The Marinade

Add the raw chicken and turn to coat in the marinade. Marinate for 2 to 8 hours.

make marinade then add the chicken

Step 3: Pat The Chicken Dry

Preheat grill to high heat. Drain the chicken and discard the marinade. Pat dry with paper towels. This helps to prevent flare-ups on the grill. If the olive oil has solidified, simply brush it off the chicken with the towels.

Step 4: Grill The Chicken

Grill, turning occasionally until the chicken registers 165 degrees F when tested with an instant-read thermometer, 10 to 13 minutes. The timing will vary depending on how hot your grill is, and how big your chicken thighs are. For a gas grill, keep the lid down while grilling, for a charcoal grill keep the lid off.

pat the chicken dry, then grill it

TIMING TIP: I find that not all of the thighs cook at the same rate because there are often hot spots on the grill. It is important to make sure to take the internal temperature of each grilled thigh and insert the probe into the thickest part to get an accurate reading.

Step 5: Serve With Lemon and Parsley

Let the chicken rest, loosely covered with foil for about 5 minutes. Serve the grilled chicken sprinkled with freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley and lemon wedges on the side. You can also drizzle on a little bit of high-quality extra-virgin olive oil for a burst of fresh olive oil flavor.

Serve this grilled boneless chicken thighs recipe with side dishes. Or slice them and make into Greek Gyros with our Tzatziki dip, cucumbers, red onions and warm pita bread.

chicken thighs on a white platter with parsley and lemon

How long to grill Boneless Chicken Thighs

It takes about 10 to 15 minutes but the timing will vary depending on how large your chicken thighs are, and how hot the grill is. If your grill is hot, 350 to 400 degrees with the lid down, it will take about 12 minutes (or 5 to 6 minutes per side) on average. The key is to use a digital thermometer so you do not have to guess if your chicken thighs are done.

What to serve with Greek Grilled Chicken

The garlic, lemon and herbs in this recipe pair with Greek foods and a wide variety of other Mediterranean cuisines.

How to Store Grilled Chicken Thighs

Store leftover grilled chicken thighs in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to four days.

Reheating Greek Chicken Thighs

To reheat, wrap the leftover chicken in aluminum foil and reheat in the oven set at 350 degrees F until hot all the way through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Alternatively, reheat in the microwave on high power for 45 seconds per thigh, or until steaming hot.

Grilling Chicken Thighs Recipe FAQs

Can I use bone-in chicken thighs instead of boneless?

You can use bone-in chicken thighs to make this recipe too. Make sure to remove the chicken skin first before marinating the chicken in the Greek marinade. Then follow the same instructions but make sure to cook the chicken longer. It will take about 20 minutes (or more) to cook the chicken through. Use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the chicken is at least 165 degrees near the bone.

Can I marinate chicken thighs for longer than 8 hours?

This marinade is high in acid, so it is not good for longer marinating times. Doing so will yield chicken with dried and tough outer surface. Do not marinate longer than 8 hours. If you need to make it further in advance, you can marinate the chicken for eight hours, drain it and pat it dry. Cover and refrigerate until ready to grill.

Can you use this marinade for boneless chicken breast?

I know not everyone is a fan of dark meat chicken, so I wanted to assure you that this Greek marinade can be used for chicken breast and other proteins as well. I find that the best way to grill chicken breast is to pound the chicken to an even thickness before putting it in the marinade. This will help it grill evenly and quickly so that it doesn’t dry out.

Can this be made in a grill pan or in the oven?

Yes to both! Follow instructions in the recipe card to grill with the grill pan, using high heat, but make sure to coat the pan with a little cooking spray before adding the thighs. Note that the cooking time will vary on an indoor grill pan, and will take about 2 additional minutes per side. This recipe can also be made in the oven under the broiler in the upper third of the oven. Place the thighs on a broiler pan and broil until browned on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip them and broil them until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Check the thickest part of the meat with a digital meat thermometer to see if they are cooked through. Keep an eye on them, and rotate the pan to ensure that they cook evenly. Timing will vary depending on how thick the thighs are and how close the pan is to the broiler.

Can this marinated chicken be made into kabobs?

Yes! To do so, cut the chicken into cubes before adding it to the marinade. Stir it really well to make sure that all the pieces are coated. After marinating, thread the chicken onto metal skewers and grill them, rotating occasionally until browned on all sides and the chicken is cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes.

a close-up of the boneless chicken thigh on a plate with orzo salad

More like this Greek Grilled Chicken Thigh Recipe:

At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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Grilling Chicken Thighs (with Greek Chicken Marinade)

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5 from 11 reviews

  • Author: Katie Webster
  • Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
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Description

These juicy Grilled Greek Chicken Thighs are summertime grilling perfection! The boneless thighs are marinated in easy garlic, lemon and herb marinade which gives them an utterly irresistible Meditteranean flavor. Then all that’s left to do is fire up the grill for a simple summertime dinner recipe.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 lemon, juiced plus lemon wedges for serving
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs (1 1/2 to 2 pounds)
  • Freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Whisk garlic, lemon, olive oil, oregano, salt, thyme and pepper in a shallow baking dish.
  2. Add the chicken and turn to coat in the marinade. Marinate for 2 to 8 hours.
  3. Preheat grill to high heat. Drain the chicken and discard the marinade. Pat dry with paper towels.
  4. Grill, turning occasionally until the chicken registers 165 degrees F when tested with an instant-read thermometer, 10 to 13 minutes.
  5. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, loosely tented with foil. Serve with parsley and lemon wedges and drizzle with additional olive oil if desired.

Notes

Make-Ahead:

Do not marinate longer than 8 hours or the outer surface of the chicken will be dried out and tough. If you need to make it in further in advance, you can marinate it for eight hours, drain it and pat it dry. Cover and refrigerate until ready to grill.

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Grilling
  • Cuisine: Greek

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 thigh
  • Calories: 259
  • Sugar: 1 g
  • Fat: 13 g
  • Carbohydrates: 5 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Protein: 31 g

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