Grilled Chicken Thighs Zaatar (Printer-friendly)
Juicy chicken thighs infused with zaatar and sumac, grilled for a flavorful Middle Eastern-style main dish.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (approximately 2.65 pounds)
→ Marinade
02 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
04 - 2 tablespoons zaatar spice blend
05 - 1 tablespoon ground sumac
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 1 teaspoon salt
10 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Garnish (optional)
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
12 - Lemon wedges for serving
# How to Make It:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, zaatar, ground sumac, minced garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper to create a uniform marinade.
02 - Add the chicken thighs to the marinade and toss thoroughly to ensure even coating. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes, up to 8 hours for enhanced flavor infusion.
03 - Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, approximately 400°F. Lightly oil the grill grates to prevent sticking.
04 - Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Grill for 6 to 8 minutes per side until fully cooked and charred, ensuring an internal temperature of 165°F.
05 - Transfer grilled chicken to a serving platter and rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve alongside lemon wedges.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Chicken thighs stay impossibly juicy while those spices create this sun-dried, almost tangy crust that makes you forget store-bought marinades exist.
- The whole thing comes together in under an hour, but tastes like you've been planning it all week.
- Zaatar and sumac do the heavy lifting—minimal effort, maximum flavor.
02 -
- Don't rush the marinating—even 30 minutes helps, but 4 to 8 hours lets the spices actually penetrate the meat instead of just coating it. I learned this the hard way by grilling too-fresh chicken and wondering why it tasted flat.
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs work beautifully too if that's what you find; just add a couple minutes to each side and watch for the skin to go crispy and golden. It's worth the extra time.
03 -
- Don't flip your chicken more than once—the less you disturb it, the better the char and the more even the cooking.
- If you're worried about the outside burning before the inside cooks, grill over medium heat instead of medium-high, and just add a couple minutes to the total time.