Picture a small Tuscan village on a warm summer evening. The sun is beginning to set, the aroma of garlic and herbs fills the air, and dinner is being cooked simply over a hot grill. There’s no complicated recipe, no bottled marinade, and no long list of ingredients—just good food made with what you have.
That’s my inspiration behind these Italian Grilled Chicken Thighs.
Forget the bottled marinades. You don’t need preservatives, artificial flavors, or ingredients you can’t pronounce to make incredible grilled chicken. All you need is great extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, basil, rosemary, oregano, parsley, black pepper, and a little patience.
The chicken marinates for a few hours, allowing all those fresh flavors to work their way into the meat. Then it hits the grill, where the herbs, olive oil, and natural juices create beautiful caramelized edges and that irresistible smoky char.
This is the kind of food I imagine being served at a long table in a Tuscan village—simple, rustic, generous, and meant to be shared. Put the platter in the middle of the table, add some crusty bread and a bottle of wine, and let everyone dig in.
4
servings20
minutes20
minutesIngredients
8 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup 1/2 extra virgin olive oil
6 6 garlic cloves, minced very fine
2 tsp. 2 kosher salt
1 tsp. 1 freshly cracked black pepper
2 tsp. 2 dried oregano
1/3 cup 1/3 chopped basil
1 tsp. 1 fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp. 1 paprika (optional)
1/4 cup 1/4 fresh parsely, chopped
1 1 lemon, cut into wedges for serving
juice of 1 lemon
Directions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, rosemary, paprika, and parsley.
- Add the chicken thighs and toss until evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, turning the chicken once or twice if possible.
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before grilling and add the juice of the lemon and toss.
- Grill over high heat for 5–7 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 175°F.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes.
- Just before serving, squeeze a little fresh lemon juice over the chicken, garnish with basil or parsley and drizzle on a little very good extra virgin olive oil.
Notes
- Simple food. Real ingredients. Just like Grandma would make it
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