Boneless, skinless thighs or breasts grilled to perfection and plunged into a bright sauce made with parsley, olives, chile, lemon juice and small bits of lemon rind for added juiciness.
Grilled Chicken With Parsley-Olive Sauce
Serve with plenty of sauce, and perhaps a salad, grilled bread or vegetables. Boneless, skinless thighs are a boon to grilling because they’re almost impossible to overcook. Breasts are a bit trickier because they are low in fat and can dry out quickly. But this technique works beautifully for both. If you have the time, dry brine in advance (see Tips). When ready to eat, grill the chicken longer on the first side to get a little color (if the breasts are uneven in thickness, pound them until they’re even first), finish cooking on the other side, then plunge it into a bright sauce for up to 30 minutes for added juiciness.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup finely chopped parsley leaves and stems (about 1 1/2 ounces or half a bunch)
- 1 cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted and torn into various-size pieces
- ¼ cup Castelvetrano olive brine
- 1 fresh chile, such as Fresno or jalapeño, thinly sliced
- 1 lemon
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Directions
- Prepare a charcoal grill for two-zone cooking over medium-high heat by pouring the coals onto one half of the grill. For a gas grill, heat all of the burners to high, then turn off one of the end burners before cooking. (See Tips.)
- While the grill’s heating, pat the chicken dry. If the breasts are uneven in their thickness, pound until even with a heavy skillet or meat mallet. Set aside to air-dry. In a rimmed dish or wide, shallow bowl, stir together 1/2 cup olive oil, parsley, olives, olive brine and chile. Using the small holes on a box grater, grate 2 teaspoons zest from the lemon. Add to the bowl, squeeze in half the lemon (about 1 1/2 tablespoons juice), and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cut the remaining lemon half into wedges for serving.
- When you’re ready to grill, season the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt, then lightly coat with olive oil. Take the chicken, sauce, tongs and a tightly folded paper towel soaked in olive oil to the grill. Clean the grates with a grill brush, then oil the grates with the paper towel. Grill the chicken until well browned on one side and it easily releases from the grates, 4 to 6 minutes. (If flare-ups occur, move the chicken to an area of the grill where there are no flames underneath. For a gas grill, close the lid between flips, listening and keeping an eye out for flare-ups.) Flip and cook until the breasts register 155 degrees in the thickest part and the thighs register 165 degrees, 2 to 3 minutes for breasts and 4 to 5 minutes for thighs.
- Transfer the chicken to the sauce and turn to coat. Let rest for at least 5 minutes and up to 30. Season to taste with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon.
- You can dry-brine the chicken in advance, which seasons the meat and locks in its juices. Pat the chicken dry, season with 1 teaspoon salt, and refrigerate uncovered overnight. (No need to season with salt again before grilling.) Let come to room temperature before cooking.
- Medium-high is 375 to 450 degrees. You should be able to hold your hand 4 to 5 inches above the grates for 4 to 5 seconds. High is above 450 degrees. You should be able to hold your hand 4 to 5 inches above the grates for 2 to 3 seconds.