Crispy edges. Juicy interior. A garlic butter sauce with caramelized sliced garlic and a hit of lemon that makes this the weeknight chicken nobody gets tired of. This is what a flat top griddle does to a chicken thigh when you let it run properly.
Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs
|HALO
Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs
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Category
Main
Cuisine
American
Author:
HALO
Servings
4 people
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl or zip-lock bag. Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat completely. Marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes at room temperature, up to 4 hours in the refrigerator. The lemon acid begins to tenderize the mea...
Ingredients
Chicken
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8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
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2 tablespoons neutral oil
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Flaky sea salt
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Coarse black pepper
Marinade
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Juice of 2 lemons
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Zest of 1 lemon
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4 cloves garlic, finely grated
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2 tablespoons olive oil
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1 teaspoon dried oregano
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1 teaspoon fine salt
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½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
Garlic Butter Sauce
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5 tablespoons unsalted butter
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5 cloves garlic, finely sliced (not grated, sliced garlic caramelizes differently)
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Juice of 1 lemon
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Small handful fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
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Pinch of chili flakes
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Flaky sea salt
To Serve
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Lemon wedges
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Garnishes of choice
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Crusty bread or steamed rice
Directions
Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl or zip-lock bag. Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat completely. Marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator. The lemon acid begins to tenderize the meat while the garlic and oregano penetrate the surface.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat each thigh dry with paper towels. The marinade has done its job and the surface moisture needs to go before the chicken hits the griddle. A dry surface sears. A wet surface steams.
Heat your Elite Griddle to medium-high. Add a thin film of neutral oil. Allow to come fully to temperature before the chicken goes on.
Season each thigh lightly with flaky salt and coarse black pepper on both sides. Place presentation side down on the griddle. Leave completely alone for 5–6 minutes. The thigh is ready to flip when it releases naturally from the surface.
Flip once. Cook for a further 4–5 minutes on the second side. Check internal temperature, it should be around 74°C (165°F). Remove and rest on a board for 3–4 minutes.
While the chicken rests make the garlic butter sauce on a low zone of the griddle. Melt the butter until foaming. Add the sliced garlic, sliced rather than grated so it caramelizes into golden, slightly crispy pieces rather than disappearing into the butter. Cook for 2 minutes until golden at the edges. Add lemon juice — the butter will bubble aggressively. Add chili flakes and parsley. Swirl to combine. Season with flaky salt.
Spoon the garlic butter sauce generously over the rested chicken. The sliced garlic pieces go over the top. Finish with a final squeeze of lemon and serve immediately with crusty bread to mop up the sauce.
Recipe Note
Boneless skinless thighs are the right cut for this recipe. They have enough fat to stay juicy through the full cook on a flat top, they cook evenly without butterflying, and they absorb the lemon garlic marinade more effectively than breasts.
Sliced garlic in the sauce rather than grated. Grated garlic melts into the butter and disappears. Sliced garlic caramelizes into golden pieces that add both flavor and texture to the finished dish.
The resting step is what keeps these thighs juicy. Cut into them straight off the griddle and the juices run straight out onto the board.
The sauce quantity looks generous. It is. This is not a light drizzle, it is a proper sauce that pools slightly around the chicken and demands your side of choice alongside it.
This recipe is part of the How to Cook Chicken on an Outdoor Griddle complete guide
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