Find a Recipe!

Just a Little Bit of Bacon

where comfort food meets the farm stand

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • beverages
    • desserts
    • grilling and bbq
    • main courses
    • quick dinners
    • side dishes
    • soups and stews
  • mediterranean recipes
    • italian recipes
      • italian comfort food
      • italian antipasti
      • fundamentals of italian cooking
    • spanish recipes
      • spanish tapas
    • french recipes
      • french comfort food
    • greek recipes
  • holiday favorites
    • christmas
    • easter dinner
    • thanksgiving feast
  • resources
    • dinner and party menus
    • farmers’ market
      • ingredient spotlight
    • roundup post
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Grilled Mediterranean Chicken Thighs with Olives and Tomatoes

July 16, 2018 by justalittlebitofbacon Leave a Comment

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. Click here for details.

Crispy skin, juicy chicken, and tons of flavor! Start with a soak in a briny herb marinade and finish with a salsa full of olives and tomatoes. This recipe for grilled Mediterranean chicken may be your new summer favorite.

A table set with a glass of white wine, a bowl of salsa, a platter of chicken and a plate of a crispy, grilled chicken thigh with olive salsa spooned over.

I don’t know about you, but the heat and the humidity this summer has had me turning on my grill as often as possible! Luckily I have a pile of great grilling recipes which have kept my kitchen cool as I whip up dinner in the evening.

From Sicilian swordfish to pincho morunos (pork kebabs 🙂 ), to Mediterranean grilled chicken thighs and beyond. My grill has been getting workout, not only keeping me cooler, but also giving me all sorts of summer recipes to share. Bonus!

While I’m pretty much up to grilling anything, bone-in chicken thighs are one of our family favorites, week in and week out. The crispy skin, forgiving dark meat, and wide range of flavor possibilities make them an easy meal which doesn’t taste like the same thing over and over. While my daughter is off with her grandparents this week (having a grand time!), chicken thighs will be back in the rotation again when she gets back.

This version of grilled chicken thighs was inspired by Grilled Oregano Chicken from Epicurious. I loved the idea of using the olive brine as the brine in the marinade (though I switched up the rest) and the smashed olive sauce (which I made even saucier with tomatoes and capers). It said Mediterranean flavors. It said summer. And it said no heating up the kitchen. All things I like and I hope you like them too!

Close up of a grilled Mediterranean chicken thigh with olive tomato salsa spooned over the top and a focus on the crispy skin.

How to Make Grilled Mediterranean Chicken Thighs

One thing I love about chicken thighs is how easy it is to put together a weeknight family meal. You just need a marinade, a sauce, and a couple of tips to make the best grilled chicken thighs you can.

Marinated and Grilled Chicken Thighs

First up – the marinade. This recipe uses a briny marinade, taking advantage of the olive brine left behind when you use the olives. Also, I like to use fresh herbs, heavy on the oregano, for a great Mediterranean flavor.

Mix together all the marinade ingredients – olive oil, brine, herbs, garlic, and anchovy. Toss the chicken with the marinade and let it all sit in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. I like to do this in the morning and let it marinate all day for the juiciest chicken.

Once you’re ready to cook, wipe off the chicken (to reduce oil drip flare ups) and put it on a medium hot grill skin side up. Starting skin side up gives you more control over how brown the skin gets and help keep you from burning the chicken.

After the bottom of the chicken has browned, turn it over and let the chicken gently cook on medium until it is about 20 degrees away from done. Then close the grill and let it heat up until you are happy with how brown the skin has gotten. This will take 4-5 minutes.

Let the chicken rest and serve with the salsa.

Step by step photos on how to make grilled Mediterranean chicken.

Olive and Tomato Salsa

While the chicken is cooking, it’s time to chop shallots and herbs and smash olives!

Get out your serving bowl for the salsa and prep all the ingredients. Chop the herbs, mince the garlic, slice the shallots and tomatoes. Then smash the olives flat with your knife or hand and mix everything together with some olive oil, olive brine, capers, and anchovy paste.

Don’t worry too much about the shallots. They will mellow in the dressing and lose some of their bite.

You can also make the salsa ahead. If you make it that morning or the night before, the onions will mellow even more and become quite mild. If you want a little more bite, add a few more slices of shallots just before serving.

Step by step photos on how to make olive tomato salsa.

Other Grilled Chicken Recipes

While this is my first grilled chicken thigh recipe here on the site, I do have some other yummy grilled chicken recipes – from breasts, to wings, to a whole chicken.

  • Tender and Juicy Grilled Breaded Chicken Breast
  • Homemade Grilled Chicken Shawarma
  • Grilled Greek Yogurt Marinated Chicken Wings
  • Grilled Chicken and Farro Caesar Salad Bowl
  • Butterflied Grilled Whole Chicken with French Herbs and Shallot Butter

A fork speared into a slice of grilled chicken with some of the olive tomato salsa on top of the slice.

So pull up a chair, get a nice glass of wine (a bold white or a fruity red Zin would be great), maybe make a salad and have dinner without heating up your house at all. It’s summer and the grilling is easy.

If you try my recipe for Grilled Mediterranean Chicken Thighs, I would love to hear from you in the comments with your experience and rating! You can connect with me by subscribing to my emails (see the form in the sidebar or below the recipe card), liking my FACEBOOK page, or by following me on PINTEREST.

– Happy Grilling, Annemarie

For a healthy summer dinner, try grilled Mediterranean chicken thighs, which are herb marinated then grilled and topped with a olive and tomato salsa.
Print
Grilled Mediterranean Chicken Thighs with Olives and Tomatoes
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Marinating Time
4 hrs
Total Time
4 hrs 45 mins
 

For a healthy summer dinner, try grilled Mediterranean chicken thighs, which are herb marinated then grilled and topped with a olive and tomato salsa.

Course: Main
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: grilled chicken, olive salsa
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 550 kcal
Author: Just a Little Bit of Bacon
Ingredients
Chicken Thighs
  • 4 medium chicken thighs
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup olive brine
  • 2 tsp anchovy paste
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 4-6 tbsp fresh chopped herbs, mix of oregano, parsley, and thyme
Olive Tomato Salsa
  • 1 1/4 cups mixed pitted olives
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1-2 tbsp olive brine
  • 12 cherry tomatoes, halved and sliced
  • 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp capers
  • 2 tsp anchovy paste
  • 2 tbsp fresh chopped herbs, mix of oregano, parsley, and thyme
Instructions
Chicken Thighs
  1. Put the chicken thighs into a 9x9 baking dish or a resealable bag. Mix together all of the marinade ingredients. Pour the marinade over the chicken, turning to coat. Let the chicken marinate for at 4-12 hours.

  2. Preheat the grill.

  3. Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Add the the thighs to the grill, skin side up. Lower the heat to medium and grill the thighs, uncovered, for 5-7 minutes.

  4. Turn the chicken thighs over and grill on medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Check the temperature of the thighs. Once they are about 140F, close the grill to finish them off and crisp the skin.

Olive and Tomato Salsa
  1. While the chicken is cooking, make the salsa.

  2. Either carefully using the flat of a knife or the heel of your hand, smash the olives flat.

  3. Add the smashed olives and all the other salsa ingredients to a medium bowl, and mix to combine. Taste and see if it needs a little more of the olive brine and add if needed.

  4. When the chicken is done grilling, let it rest for about 5 minutes, then serve the chicken with the salsa.

Recipe Notes
  • Grilling the Chicken: Starting the chicken thighs skin side up reduces flare ups and allows the chicken to cook more evenly. However, since the grill is cooler when you turn them skin side down, the skin doesn't get crispy. To crisp the skin, cover the grill to raise the heat, once the chicken is close to done.
  • Menu: A mixed green salad and some crusty bread make great accompaniments to the chicken. If you're bored with salad, a cold soup, such as my Cucumber Buttermilk Soup or my Tomato Gazpacho, needs no cooking and is a great spin on a summer vegetable option.
For a healthy summer dinner, try grilled Mediterranean chicken thighs, which are herb marinated then grilled and topped with a olive and tomato salsa. | justalittlebitofbacon.com #chickenrecipes #grilling #summerrecipes #mediterraneandiet #easydinners

Related Posts:

  • Mediterranean Pan Roasted Chicken and ArtichokesMediterranean Pan Roasted Chicken and Artichokes
  • Homemade Grilled Chicken ShawarmaHomemade Grilled Chicken Shawarma
  • Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs with Olives and Pine NutsPan Roasted Chicken Thighs with Olives and Pine Nuts
  • Herb Marinated Grilled Chicken WingsHerb Marinated Grilled Chicken Wings
  • Grilled Greek Yogurt Marinated Chicken WingsGrilled Greek Yogurt Marinated Chicken Wings
  • Greek Chicken Stifado (Stew)Greek Chicken Stifado (Stew)

Filed Under: chicken for dinner, gluten free, grilling and bbq, main courses, recipe, summer Tagged With: anchovies, capers, chicken, garlic, olives, oregano, parsley, shallots, thyme, tomatoes

« A Guide to the Summer Farmers’ Market
Blueberry Skillet Cobbler with Mint and Cinnamon »

Follow me on:

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter

Sign Up for Email Updates

Don’t miss a post!
Sign up and a weekly digest will be mailed to your inbox every Thursday afternoon.

Disclosure:

Justalittlebitofbacon is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hello, I’m Annemarie

Welcome to my kitchen! I’m a Italian-American girl who loves fresh foods, local ingredients, and all sorts of comfort foods. Here you will find Mediterranean flavors and recipes from a New England perspective.

Stay Connected

Sign up and a weekly digest will be mailed to your inbox every Thursday afternoon.

Follow me on:

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter

Romantic Dinner Ideas

Best Ever Easy Chocolate Lava Cakes - What do you get when you make a bittersweet chocolate torte and leave the center molten? You get the BEST Chocolate Lava Cake I've ever had! So good! So rich! So intense! | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Best Ever Easy Chocolate Lava Cakes

Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes - Spicy, smoky chipotle in adobo sauce provides just the right amount smoky heat to balance out these creamy and buttery sweet potatoes. Excellent when paired with roasted or grilled meats! | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Sparkling rose sangria is made from rose still and sparkling wines, fortified with brandy and orange liqueur, then mixed with raspberries and winter citrus, like blood oranges and pink grapefruit. Great for romantic dinners, winter and spring parties, and valentine's day!

Romantic Sparkling Rose Sangria

Blood oranges are layered with cara cara oranges and navel oranges over mixed greens in this vibrant and healthy winter citrus salad. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Winter Citrus Salad with Mixed Greens

Pan seared duck breast cooked until the skin is golden brown and crispy and then topped with a sweet and spicy make ahead sauce of red wine, port, raspberries, and a little bit of honey. Great for date night, dinner parties, or a romantic Valentine's day meal.

Crispy Pan Seared Duck Breast with Zinfandel Raspberry Sauce

Crab Cakes with Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce - Crab cakes take on Spanish flavors with these paprika spiced cakes which are served alongside a tangy roasted red pepper and cream sauce. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Spanish Crab Cakes with a Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Recent Posts

  • Classic Potato Leek Soup in the Pressure Cooker
  • Easy Cinnamon Cocoa Palmiers
  • Herb and Cheese Stuffed Pork Chops with Pasta
  • Perfectly Pink Romantic Cocktails for Valentine’s Day
  • Fresh Raspberry Orange Margarita
  • Simple Vegetarian Black Bean Soup
  • Amazing Fudgy Brownies with Peppermint Ganache
  • Simple Homemade Green Olive Pesto
  • Pan Seared Cod with Tomatoes and Olives
  • Pasta with Browned Cabbage and Breadcrumbs

Copyright © 2019 — Just a Little Bit of Bacon • All rights reserved. • Disclaimer

Genesis Framework • Foodie Pro Theme • by Shay Bocks