My Greek Chicken Thighs dish hosts juicy chicken with crisp skin cooked with kalamata olives, pearl onions, garlic cloves, and lots of bright lemon. An easy one skillet dish, that everyone will love!
Don’t you all just love one pot wonders? I know I do, because I really really hate washing dishes, especially pots. This recipe for Greek Chicken Thighs is all about the Greek flavors! Lots of garlic, fresh thyme, lemons, and of course, Kalamata olives. I could eat kalamata olives by the jar!
Why This Recipe Works
- One Pot Recipe
- Delicious Greek Flavor
- Foolproof Recipe
- Juicy, Tender Chicken
- Easy Dinner
The chicken came out perfectly! Juicy, tender, crisp skin, and so full of flavor. I served these with my skillet potatoes and what a meal this was. Made entirely in one pot, with simple ingredients, this dish is perfect for a special weekend dinner, but easy enough that you could make this any night of the week!
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Thighs – Skin on and bone-in. If you don’t want to use chicken thighs, you can make this with any part of the chicken you prefer, just keep in mind the cook time might be different. See “FAQs & Expert Tips” for more info.
- Olive Oil – You can use sunflower, safflower, canola, vegetable, or avocado oils instead.
- Garlic – Fresh cloves. Use more or less as you like, but in my opinion you can never have too much garlic.
- Pearl Onions – If you can’t find any, shallots or regular onions will work instead.
- Fresh Herbs – I used thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage, parsley, or a mixture of your favorites will be amazing. If you want to use dried herbs, you can use my Greek Seasoning recipe.
- Lemons – You’ll need sliced lemons and fresh juice.
- Olives – I used pitted Kalamata olives, as these are the best in my opinion.
- Wine – A dry white such as Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, or Pinot Blanc.
How To Make Greek Chicken Thighs
- Sear the Chicken: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides. Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange the chicken thighs in the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the skillet.
- Sauté: Add the garlic cloves, onions, thyme, and lemon halves. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the garlic and onion brown. Add the olives, wine, and lemon juice. Arrange the chicken back into the skillet, making sure the chicken is touching the bottom of the skillet without anything getting in the way.
- Bake: Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through.
FAQs & Expert Tips
FAQs
Everyone has their favorites when it comes to light or dark meat, skin on or off, with or without a bone. You can use any cut of chicken you like best for this recipe! Keep in mind that different cuts of chicken will call for different cooking times.
This fresh and bright main dish deserves equally simple and flavorful dishes on the side! Try pairing it with a salad, roasted veggies, or some freshly baked bread to soak up all that delicious sauce.
To make this part easier, get yourself an instant read thermometer. Insert the thermometer into the thickest piece of chicken. Once it reads 165°F, the chicken is all done!
Tips
- Don’t be afraid to get messy! Using your hands is the best way to ensure every crack and crevice of the chicken has been seasoned.
- If you’re not a fan of olives, feel free to leave them out! In my opinion, they definitely add to the flavor of the dish, so I always add extra. Substitute them with some cherry tomatoes, they’ll add a burst of freshness.
- If you can avoid using dry, I truly recommend using fresh herbs for this dish! It really boosts the overall flavor of the chicken.
Leftovers
Transfer leftover Greek chicken thighs to a shallow, airtight container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Reheating
You can reheat leftovers in the microwave. If you’re missing the crispy skin after microwaving the chicken, you can pop it under the broiler in the oven on high for a couple minutes.
You can fully reheat the chicken in the oven if you prefer. Preheat the oven to 400°F, and place the chicken in a baking dish with a splash of chicken broth. Bake for 5-10 minutes or until heated through.
Freezing
These Greek chicken thighs are also great for freezing! Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store in the freezer for 4 months.
If you store leftovers in the freezer, let the chicken thaw overnight in the fridge to make reheating easier.
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Greek Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs skin on and bone-in
- 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/4 tsp pepper or to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 8 cloves garlic peeled
- 8 oz pearl onions peeled
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 lemons cut in thirds
- 1 cup kalamata olives pitted
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides.
- In a large 12 inch skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Arrange the seasoned chicken thighs in the skillet, and cook on both sides for about 5 minutes per side or until the chicken is golden brown. The chicken will not be cooked through at this point. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside for a few minutes.
- Add the garlic cloves, pearl onions, fresh thyme sprigs, and the lemon halves to the skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes until the onions and garlic begin to soften and start to brown a bit.
- Add the olives, then the white wine and lemon juice to the skillet. Add the chicken back to the skillet, arranging the chicken so that it sits directly on the bottom of the skillet.
- Place the skillet in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
Recipe Notes
- You can use skinless and boneless thighs, or even chicken breasts or drumsticks for this recipe.
- Transfer leftover Greek chicken thighs to a shallow, airtight container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- These chicken thighs are also great for freezing! Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store in the freezer for 4 months.
