Grilled Mediterranean Chicken starts with a simple rub made from rosemary, red pepper flakes, brown sugar and seasoning. This easy chicken entree maybe grilled over coals, on a gas grill or grilled in your oven using a cast iron griddle.
Beat the heat with this flavorful grilled chicken.
My recipe for Grilled Mediterranean Chicken is quick and easy to prepare. The rub is a simple blend of fresh rosemary, crushed red pepper flakes, brown sugar, salt and black pepper. Once the chicken is rubbed in these lovely aromatics and refrigerated the magic begins, and its all up to you and your timeline how long they marry into the chicken. I’ve let this chicken rest with this rub for as little as an hour and up to two days. The meat becomes more flavorful with time.
Grilled Mediterranean Chicken offers versatility…..
One of the advantages this dish offers is that it is easily adaptable. I often make extra chicken breast to have on hand during the week, allowing me to pull together a number of different meals with ease. For instance this dish is outstanding on hot summer days served with a cool salad. I especially like this chicken chopped or sliced in my Green Mediterranean Salad with a bright Lemon-Sumac Dressing.
For a quick and healthy lunch, try serving this chicken chopped and served with my Sicilian Bean and Tomato Salad. Or perhaps you might like to dip thick slices of chicken dipped into my zero point Hummus. And of course, I love having this chicken on hand grab for a quick snack. While my husband, enjoys it sliced up into a sandwich.
Additionally, leftover chicken is always nice to have on hand. It makes turning a hectic day into a relaxing evening an easy task. The options are numerous from a quick chili to a warming soup like Greek-Style Lemon Chicken Soup or even a quick pasta dish.
The Chicken
If you are following Weight Watchers Freestyle Program or Simply Filling you will want to prepare this dish with chicken breasts. But if your family is like mine, some prefer dark meat. This is an easy fix with this dish. I usually make 3 to 4 chicken breasts and 4 chicken thighs, bone-in or boneless; it is all up to you and your family’s preferences. The only difference will be the cooking time. I like to remove the breast from the grill when they reach an internal temperature of 130-135 degrees. The chicken thighs come off the grill when they reach an internal temperature of 145-150 degrees.
The Herbs
It is important to use fresh rosemary. Dried rosemary will not give you the flavor nor the aromatics that this dish deserves. The crushed red pepper flakes can be any type and strength of heat. It does not make this a spicy dish by any means. The red pepper serves more as a flavor enhancement to the rosemary and the slight sweetness of the brown sugar.
A 5-ounce serving of Chicken Breast is 1 WW Smart Point. While a 4 ounce serving of Chicken Thigh is 5 WW Smart Points.
A 5-ounce serving of Chicken Breast is 205 calories. A 5-ounce serving of chicken thigh is 540 calories.
Buon Appetito!
PrintGrilled Mediterranean Chicken
A flavorful rub of Fresh Rosemary, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, Brown Sugar and Salt. The aromatics from your grill will tell your taste buds that its in for treat.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes or overnight
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 –3 lbs. Chicken, any combination of breasts and thighs (bone-in or boneless)
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Fresh Rosemary, minced
- 3 Teaspoons Dark Brown Sugar
- 3 Teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 2 teaspoons Olive Oil
Instructions
- In a small bowl mix the rosemary with the brown sugar, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
- In a shallow pan, drizzle the oil over the chicken and toss to coat. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with the rosemary mixture and let marinate for 30 minutes and up to 2 days.
- Prepare a hot charcoal fire or heat a gas grill with all burners on medium high for 10 minutes. Clean the hot grate with a wire brush and then lubricate it with an oil-soaked paper towel. OR turn off the burners and spray with cooking spray. Then relight grill.
- Put the chicken on the grate and grill (covered on a gas grill or uncovered over a charcoal fire) until one side has dark grill marks, about 8-10 minutes for large thighs and bone-in breasts or 5 minutes for medium and small thighs and boneless chicken breasts.
- Turn and continue grilling for about 5 to 6 minutes longer for large thighs or 4 to 5 minutes for medium and small thighs. The internal temperature for chicken breasts should reach 130-135 degrees and chicken thighs should reach about 145-150 degrees. When the chicken is pierced with a fork the juices should run clear.
- Remove from grill and let rest for 8 minutes before serving.
Notes
Weight Watchers
- A 4-5 ounce serving of chicken breast is 1 WW Smart Point
- A 4 ounce serving of chicken thigh is 5 WW Smart Points
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4-5 ounces
