Greek Chicken Thighs

Change up your weeknight dinner with these rich lemon-garlic Greek Chicken Thighs. The flavor is out of this world, but it’s so easy to make!

I’ve been in a chicken rut lately. Don’t get me wrong–I have a lot of favorites. Tuscan Garlic Chicken is just perfection, and you all have been making it go viral in Instagram! Fried Chicken Sandwiches have been a constant on our weekly menus for a while now.

I guess the problem is that I’m just getting sick of chicken breasts. If you’re like me, you gravitate towards them because they are lower in points and calories/fat. But I’ve recently put chicken thighs back into my rotation, and oh boy.

I forgot how much inherent flavor is in that dark meat. It’s also more tender and absorbs marinade much better than breast meat does. Not to mention that the meat browns much deeper than white meat, even without the skin. Browning that meat means even more flavor.

Of course, a nicely seasoned cast iron skillet like this one will go a long way to help you with that browning process. But any nonstick skillet will do.

HOW TO MARINATE GREEK CHICKEN THIGHS

The process couldn’t be simpler, and the ingredients are easy to always have on hand. A combination of tons of garlic, lemon juice/zest, oregano, S&P, and a little bit of olive oil is all you need to make the most flavorful and tender chicken!

I think this comes out best if you can marinate overnight, but it’s quite good if you only have an hour to two.

What really takes this over the top, though, is the feta sprinkled on top. The pungent yet creamy cheese counters the acidity of the lemon and the sharpness of the garlic for the perfect medley. Adding that fresh parsley really makes this taste like something you’d get at a Greek restaurant!

WHAT To serve with GREEK CHICKEN THIGHS

We love this best with Simple Rice Pilaf and a side salad. You could continue the theme by making a Greek Salad with chopped tomatoes, olive, cucumbers, and some extra feta sprinkled on top. Drizzle with some balsamic vinegar and you’re good to go! Or just add the chicken on top of your salad for a complete meal.

You could also make incredible Greek pitas, using store-bought hummus as your spread. Add the chopped chicken along with whatever veggie toppings you want and that extra feta. Yum!

Honestly, that pilaf/chicken/salad combo is our favorite, though. We’ve made it three times in the past two weeks.

If I haven’t convinced you that chicken thighs are the way to go, don’t abandon that marinade/feta/parsley combo!

This would be great with shrimp or salmon. But I would only marinate for about an hour so that the lemon doesn’t toughen the fish too much.

We’ve also tried this to marinate steak, and it is PHENOMENAL. Of course, you could go back to those chicken breasts, too. I won’t judge you. 😉

I’d love to hear from you if you make this recipe! It makes my day when you share your pics on Instagram and tag me (@litecravings). Don’t forget to use #litecravingsrecipes to make sure I see it. If I don’t get a chance to scroll through my tags quickly enough, I won’t see your post. I always make a point to look through the hashtags, though, so I’ll see it there.