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

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
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Marinating Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 45 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 550kcal
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

  • 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.
  • Preheat the grill.
  • 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.
  • 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

  • While the chicken is cooking, make the salsa.
  • Either carefully using the flat of a knife or the heel of your hand, smash the olives flat.
  • 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.
  • When the chicken is done grilling, let it rest for about 5 minutes, then serve the chicken with the salsa.

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 550kcal