Get your taste buds ready for the most tender and flavorful grilled chicken thighs you’ve ever tasted!
Choose skin on, bone in chicken thighs.
Why? The skin helps retain moisture in the meat and the bone will offer more flavor, especially when you grill. You can remove the skin after grilling and I know you will appreciate the moistness and flavor. Everyone in my family did!
What makes this chicken so tender?
The marinade contains 2 cups of whole-milk Greek-style yogurt that tenderizes the meat. Dairy products are the only marinades that truly tenderize. Calcium activates enzymes in the meat causing proteins to break down, making way for flavors to activate.
Do not marinate your meat for longer than 12 hours.
What makes this chicken so flavorful?
Aleppo Pepper! This pepper is great for people who like the flavor of chile but don’t want a ton of heat.
Aleppo Peppers are plump chile flakes made from Halaby pepper that is sun dried, ground, and mixed with salt and a neutral oil. It’s fruity tart and sweet-hot. But not super hot! It has a rich red color, soft, oiled texture that adds bright acidity and sweet heat to any dish.
You can find Aleppo Pepper in Mediterranean or Middle Eastern Markets.
Grilled Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- Aleppo Pepper I love the bright acidity and sweet heat this pepper brings to foods. You can use this in place of red pepper flakes.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons Aleppo Pepper
- 2 cups Whole-Milk Greek-style yogurt
- 4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
- 4 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon Fresh ground black pepper
- 10-12 cloves Garlic, flattened, skins removed
- 2 Lemons, sliced
- 4 pounds Chicken Thighs, skin on, bone in
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the Aleppo Pepper, 2 tablespoons warm water. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes
- Add the yogurt, oil, vinegar, tomato paste, salt and pepper to the bowl. Mix to combine
- Put the chicken, garlic and lemon slices in a gallon-size zip-top bag. Add the yogurt mixture. Seal and massage the chicken so the yogurt is well incorporated around the chicken.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 12.
- Preheat the grill on medium-high. Remove the chicken from the marinade and simply shake the excess yogurt from the chicken. Sprinkle with salt and let it sit at room temperature until the grill is ready.
- Grill about 6 minutes per side and temperature measures 165℉. Grill the lemon slices until they are slightly charred. Serve the chicken with the grilled lemons.
