Spice up your summertime meals with this Greek-Rubbed Grilled Chicken Thighs Recipe! This dead-simple greek spice rub makes amazing Whole30 and paleo grilled chicken thighs.
It's no secret that I favor spice rubs over marinades.
The bias started with Next Level Wings. Once I made those and realized that chicken wings (and ribs) don't necessarily need a sauce if they've got a dang good spice rub, I ran with the idea.
See, here's the thing. I think too many people use sauces to mask overcooked or bland meat. But if you rub that meat with flavorful, aromatic spices and cook it right, you can kiss that sauce goodbye.
I use that same approach with my Dry-Rubbed Crockpot Pulled Pork. Let the flavor come from the pork itself and the spices you use, not because it's swimming in a pool of barbecue sauce.
Of course, I still enjoy some marinades and sauces. It's not "go spice rub or go home". I just think too many people use sauces as a crutch without letting the underlying flavors come through.
So, with all that said...
A Greek spice rub and chicken thighs are all you need for this recipe.
Frankly, the trickiest part is grilling the chicken thighs. See, I struggle hard with grilling chicken. I always seem to burn the outside. Even in these pictures, you can see I was just riding the line of cooking them and charring them.
Grilling at medium heat and flipping the thighs every few minutes is the way to go to prevent burning. Trust me, you do not want to walk away while grilling chicken. Because we're grilling it with the skin on, flare-ups are a concern (when oil/fat drips down from what you're cooking and causes flames to rise).
And that's where the flip comes in. You'll want to flip every 3-5 minutes, for a total of 20 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thigh reads 165 degrees F, to prevent charring or burning. So keep that in mind when you make this recipe.
Otherwise, you could always roast in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes. Your choice.
But few things are as relaxing as cracking open a La Croix and grilling out on the balcony. Plus, grilling doesn't heat up the apartment.
More Paleo Grilling Recipes
- Grilled BBQ-Rubbed Chicken Drumsticks
- Grilled Walleye with Mango Salsa
- Grilled Pork Chops with Shallot Ghee
- Brats with Grilled Peppers & Onions
Greek-Rubbed Grilled Chicken Thighs Recipe
📖 Recipe

Greek-Rubbed Grilled Chicken Thighs
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: grilled
- Cuisine: Greek
Description
Spice up your summer with Greek-Rubbed Grilled Chicken Thighs! This dead-simple greek spice rub makes amazing Whole30 and paleo chicken.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 ½ tablespoons dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons dehydrated garlic flakes
- 2 teaspoons dehydrated onion
- 1 teaspoon dried orange peel
- ½ teaspoon chili pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 6 bone in, skin on chicken thighs (about 2.5 pounds)
Instructions
- Turn on gas grill and heat to medium heat (around 450 degrees).
- In a small jar, combine oregano, thyme, sea salt, garlic, onion, orange peel, chili pepper flakes, parsley, and black pepper. Stir or cap and shake until well-mixed.
- Add olive oil to the spices to form a thick paste. Rub the chicken thighs all over with the spice paste, including under the skin.
- Using tongs, place chicken directly on the grill grates, skin side down. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes, then flip. Cook for an additional 15 minutes, flipping every 3-5 minutes, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Transfer to a plate and let rest for a few minutes before serving.
Keywords: Greek-Rubbed Grilled Chicken Thighs
Laurie says
I haven’t tried this yet. But try cooking it on indirect heat. You put your coals on one side and the chicken on the other
Chelsea says
Great suggestion for those grilling with coals, Laurie! At the time I created this recipe, I was using a gas grill that was unfortunately prone to flare-ups. Might be a little different now that I have a pellet grill!