Grilled Chicken Thigh & Quick Salad

Chicken. Almost everyone likes it. People love to say other things “taste like chicken.” During the past decade, the boneless/skinless (FLAVORLESS) chicken breast has taken the reins of the poultry world. It’s skyrocketed to the top, crushing everyone in its midst, pumping its chest and touting its lean protein nutrition facts.

What our paper champion, Sir Chicken Breast (Ya, that’s right, I knighted him. Deal with it.), doesn’t tell you is that unless you cook him just right or fry him you are going to have a pretty flavorless piece of meat.

That’s where our underdog comes in. Chicken Thigh, he’s been cast aside with people saying he’s too fatty and not healthy. But, slowly Mr. Chicken Thigh has made a comeback. Chefs around the country are using chicken thigh, not chicken breast to serve as the star of their meals. Mr. Chicken Thigh is backed with flavor, retains moisture well due to its higher fat content and takes on other flavors exceptionally well.

Growing up, chicken thighs were one of my favorite dishes my mom would make. She would just stick them in the oven and roast them with the skin & bones. What you would come away with was a juicy and filling meal that any little fat Iranian-American kid could love.

I decided to grill this chicken, because what doesn’t taste good grilled? And grilled chicken thigh is infinitely more satisfying to me than grilled chicken breast. I served it with a quick salad which is simply mixed greens tossed with olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, and parmesan cheese.

Recipe

4 Chicken Thighs

2 Tbsp. of Soy Sauce

2 Tbsp. of Lemon Juice

2 Tbsp. of Olive Oil

1 Tsp. of Thyme

1 Tsp. of Garlic Powder

1 Tbsp. of Mayo

First, marinate your chicken for 20/30 Minutes if you have time. Marinate the chicken with your soy sauce, 1 Tbsp. of the lemon juice, 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil, thyme, and garlic powder.

While the chicken marinates, make your grill sauce. Mix the mayo with the remaining lemon juice and olive oil. Set this aside for when you start to grill the chicken.

Fire up your grill and make sure your grill is nice and hot. Set up a hot side and a cool side on the grill.

Once you put your chicken thighs on the grill, allow each side to sear well. I’d say three to five minutes on each side (be careful not to burn the meat or dry it out). Also be mindful that since chicken thigh has a higher fat content its fat will drip and cause some flames to spark up, so watch out for burning your chicken.

Once the chicken has a nice brown coating on each side, apply your first coat of the grill sauce. Put the chicken on your cooler side of the grill. Close the lid and let it cook for another 10-15 minutes. Check for doneness by using an instant read meat thermometer.

Once the chicken is done, add one more light coat of the grill sauce and serve with your quick salad.

Enjoy!