This spicy Mediterranean chicken recipe is a twist on the traditional standard which uses the “Holy Trinity” of olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic as a base. This variation adds warm Mediterranean spices to make a flavorful and easy marinade. Even though this may be best when it gets the char of an outdoor grill, it can also be cooked indoors in a hot grill pan on the stove, making it a year-round staple.
The bold flavor of the chicken needs something cool and creamy to go with, so I often serve it with tzatziki and zucchini fritters. This time around, however, I served the chicken with a simple tomato and cucumber salad. I usually wait for the summer months for tomatoes, but I came upon these incredibly sweet, Pearl tomatoes from California at my local Trader Joe’s and I knew I had to try them.
I was experimenting with this creamy Feta cheese and yogurt sauce for an upcoming class at the school. It immediately became a part of the dish and it went very well with some toasted wedges of the Greek Pita Bread I made earlier in the week. All in all, this dish was a winning combination of flavors. I hope that you will agree!
Spices and Aromatics for the marinade:
- 1.5 lbs. chicken boneless and skinless thighs (about 6 pieces)
- For the marinade:
- 1 tsp. dried Greek oregano
- 1 large garlic clove, finely minced
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- ¼ tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. ground coriander
- ¼ tsp. hot pepper
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 1 TBSP. lemon zest
- 2 TBSP. lemon juice
- 4 TBSP. extra virgin olive oil
- 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
- For the creamy Feta cheese spread:
- 2 sm. pepperoncini, stems removed
- 8 oz. Greek Feta cheese
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp. cider vinegar
- 2 TBSP. olive oil
- --- sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Place all ingredients of the marinade in a large zip-lock bag.
- Trim the chicken and add it to the marinade. Close the bag tightly and use your hands to massage the chicken in the bag to disperse the marinade all over the chicken pieces.
- Put it in the refrigerator and let the chicken marinate for at least six hours.
- To make the creamy Feta cheese spread, combine all ingredients in a small food processor and mix until fairly smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
- Heat your grill to medium high. Place chicken pieces on the grill and cook the first side for about 4 to 5 minutes, then turn over and cook on the other side for about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the chicken from the grill and cover loosely with foil. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice and the creamy Feta cheese spread, Pearl tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions and toasted Greek Pita bread triangles.
2. The chicken I use: I like to use Bell & Evans chicken, because they are raised on an all-vegetarian diet and without antibiotics and their size is slightly smaller than most, which is a good thing. They are also air-chilled instead of the most commonly used water-chilling method.
Hi Marilena!
We just enjoyed this recipe, Spicy Mediterranean Chicken, for a special Saturday night dinner, and it was just delicious! The marinade is very fragrant, and the flavors are magical! I used boneless, skinless thighs which we trimmed of any excess fat. I wasn’t able to let them marinate much more than an hour, but they were wonderful! My husband loved them, too. Thank you for another great recipe!!
xxxx Ratatouille
That is wonderful, Dianne! So happy you liked it, this recipe is one of our favorites – we make this chicken all the time!
Is it ok to marinate for an hour if running short on time?
The longer you can marinate it, the more flavorful it will be. However, if you only have an hour, go for it!
I first tried this amazing chicken dish over two years ago, and it quickly earned a spot on ‘regular rotation’ at our house. I prepared it again last evening, and my husband said, “Wonderful chicken! So flavorful!” I just had to write to thank you again, Marilena!
So happy to know you like this dish so much that it is now on your “regular rotation”! This means a lot, especially coming from such a talented cook, like you!!!!