Juicy chicken thighs are seared in a cast-iron skillet for an easy, flavorful, and healthy 30-minute meal. They are cooked in a wonderful lemon sauce with Greek ingredients like olives, capers, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts. It's a bright and flavorful quick chicken thigh recipe that anyone on a paleo, gluten-free, keto, low-carb, diabetic, or Whole30 diet. There is no easier or better way to cook Greek-style boneless chicken thighs.
This paleo & keto lemon chicken thigh recipe with artichokes is the ultimate one-pan dinner. You can also use boneless skinless chicken breasts but using thighs results in poultry that is more moist and flavorful. I also find that thighs sear quickly and easily in the cast-iron pan and the fat that is rendered off is key to the richness in this dish. Those drippings are what make the pan sauce along with fresh lemon and capers so heavenly.
Ingredients for Paleo Greek Chicken Thighs
The beauty of this savory recipe is that you get a lot of flavor out of just a few wonderful ingredients. Other than the fresh tomatoes and the boneless chicken thighs, most of the other ingredients are shelf-stable and could already be in your pantry. You could even use canned tomatoes but it would be quite the same. A few dry spices like dill, parsley, salt, and pepper are all you need to season the chicken. For a simple pan sauce, the lemon and garlic bring all the flavor that is needed. Then the tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts, capers, and olives finish off the dish.
How to Cook Chicken Thighs in a Cast-Iron Pan
If you have never used a cast-iron pan before, this easy recipe is the perfect first to try as an introduction to cooking with one. The one I recommend is listed below. It is high-quality, a great size, and inexpensive. I love all Lodge products including their pots that I use in the oven, especially for homemade sourdough.
Turn the pan up to medium-high and add the chicken to the pan. DO NOT move them around, let them cook and brown. Cook for 5-7 minutes on the first side. You will know they are ready to flip as they will separate from the pan easily when using tongs.
Cook on the second side for an additional 5-7 minutes. The temperature should read about 160° on a meat thermometer. Remove the chicken from the pan onto a plate and set aside.
Make the Greek Lemon Pan Sauce
Add the chicken back in and continue to cook on medium-low until the tomatoes start to break down and all ingredients are hot.
It should take about 5 minutes. At this time the chicken should now read at 165° and be fully cooked. Drizzle the artichoke heart marinade over the chicken pieces for a final punch of flavor.
Serve immediately. You can garnish with fresh minced parsley too. Some great ideas for what to serve with Paleo Greek Chicken Thighs check out these great side dish recipes -
Storing & Reheating Leftover Chicken Thighs
This Greek chicken thigh recipe stores and reheats wonderfully. In all honesty, I will double this recipe from now on as the leftovers are that good. The chicken reheats and does not dry out and since there is no dairy or breading, the sauce and vegetables are perfect too. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freezer for up to a month. Reheat in the microwave as needed.
PIN FOR SAFEKEEPING & SHARING!
Product Recommendations for this Recipe:
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Paleo Greek Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- cast iron pan
Ingredients
- 2 TB olive oil
- 1 Pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ teaspoon dried dill weed
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 TB lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 C Roma tomatoes diced
- ½ C marinated artichoke hearts
- ½ C large green olives cut in half
- ½ TB capers
- 1 TB artichoke heart marinade
Instructions
- Preheat cast iron with olive oil over medium heat for 2 minutes.
- Blot dry, using a paper towel, both sides of the chicken thighs. Season with dill, parsley, salt, & pepper.
- Turn the pan up to medium-high and add the chicken to the pan. DO NOT move them around, let them cook and brown. Cook for 5-7 minutes on the first side. You will know they are ready to flip as they will separate from the pan easily.Cook on the second side for an additional 5-7 minutes. The temperature should read about 160° on a meat thermometer. Remove the chicken from the pan onto a plate and set aside.
- Turn the pan down to medium-low and deglaze the pan with the lemon juice and garlic- using a wooden spoon scrape up the bits in the pan and mix together. Cook for one minute.
- Next, add the diced tomatoes, sliced olives, and artichoke hearts, and capers to the skillet and stir to combine. Add the chicken back in and continue to cook on medium-low until the tomatoes start to break down and all ingredients are hot. It should take about 5 minutes. At this time the chicken should now read at 165° and be fully cooked.
- Drizzle the artichoke heart marinade over the chicken and serve!
Notes
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 4 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 266 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 20g | 26% |
| Saturated Fat 3.1g | 16% |
| Cholesterol 81mg | 27% |
| Sodium 695mg | 30% |
| Total Carbohydrate 4.3g | 2% |
| Dietary Fiber 2.2g | 8% |
| Total Sugars 1.4g | |
| Protein 19.9g | |
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% |
| Calcium 72mg | 6% |
| Iron 2mg | 14% |
| Potassium 134mg | 3% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
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Alyssa says
This looks delish! I’ll have to make this for my hubby!
Amanda says
Your recipes are always fabulous and this one looks like another keeper! Yum!
Angela says
You are so kind, Amanda, thanks so much.
April says
These look delicious and easy enough to make, thanks for the simple to follow instructions!
Angela says
You are welcome, April.
Cecile Leger says
This looks delicious. We love olives, capers and tomatoes. Sound like a very good combo.
Marianne says
Those look great. I would have to leave the olives out so that the kids would eat it. They LOVE artichokes though, so this would be a win!
Angela says
Yes adjust to what works for your family - for me I would love if my kids didn't eat olives and then I would get more - haha
Amber says
This looks like a great keto / low carb recipe too! And all in one pan, win, win.
Angela says
Yes, easy to make and clean up!
Barbara says
Looks so wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
Alicia says
Thanks for the recipe! I'm always looking for Paleo dishes, as my diet is strict and most similar to Paleo. And cast iron pans are wonderful!!
Angela says
You are welcome and yes, love the cast iron pans.
Sabrina DeWalt says
My mouth watered as I read this. Yum!
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
These look so juicy! Stopping by from the Blogger's Pitstop party - I'd love you to stop by our party, What's for Dinner, and share this beauty!!
Cindy Moore says
I’m vegan so I’ll pass on the chicken BUT your post makes me want to invest in a good cast iron skillet!!
Jacqueline Debono says
I love cooking with cast iron. The results are always so good! This Greek chicken thighs looks like a great weeknight meal. Love the addition of olives and capers which is also very Southern Italian so I'm sure my Sicilian hubby will love this!
Angela says
Great, I hope you both love the capers and olives in this chicken recipe.
Nisha says
Cooking in the cast iron skillet must give this chicken dish a nice flavor . Love the spices and veggies used in this dish.
Angela says
thanks so much
LaRena Fry says
The perfect pairing of chicken and olives. Yum. Looking forward to trying this.
Shikha says
This recipe is so easy to make an£ heathy too. 🙂
Sonila says
I love one pan chicken dinners, this paleo chicken with artichokes sounds amazing!! My family would love it too!! Love all the flavors!
Lathiya says
I love chicken cooked in Cast iron. I'm sure it adds the flavor up and those olives too.