The Spicy Yememi Herb Sauce That Goes With Everything
I’m calling it now: these zhoug-marinated grilled chicken thighs are the dish of summer!
If you’ve never cooked with zhoug (pronounced “zoog” or “skhug” depending on who you ask), consider this your sign. This Yemeni herb sauce is a cousin to chimichurri and salsa verde, but louder—cilantro and parsley blitzed with green chiles, garlic, and warm spices, then loosened with olive oil into something between a marinade and a condiment. It’s punchy, herbaceous, and just spicy enough to keep you reaching for another bite.
Here, it does double duty: half goes under and over the chicken skin as a marinade, and a reserved spoonful gets drizzled on right before serving, so you get both the deep, smoky flavor it develops on the grill and a bright, fresh hit at the end. 🙌🏻
Make Homemade Zhoug (In A Food Processor!)
I am obsessed with this spicy fresh herb sauce. If you like a slow-building heat, you’re gonna love it.
Loosening the skin and packing zhoug directly against the meat is the move that separates this from an average marinated chicken thigh. 😉 The sauce bastes the chicken from the inside as it cooks, while the skin gets to do what it does best: crisp up and char without steaming in a pool of marinade.
Direct vs Indirect Heat (AKA: The Secret To Juicy Chicken!)
Two-zone grilling is what makes bone-in chicken thighs foolproof, and here’s why:
No Grill? No Problem.
A grill pan or cast-iron skillet gets you most of the way there. Sear the chicken skin-side down until charred, then finish in a 400°F/205°C oven.
How To Serve It
Place the chicken thighs alongside the charred scallions, spoon over that reserved zhoug, garnish with lemon wedges, and serve the cucumber-mint yogurt on the side for dipping or drizzling. Warm pita is a natural addition if you want to build little wraps.
For a more complete spread, I love this alongside a crisp Israeli salad, a scoop of hummus, or a bowl of creamy white bean dip to round things out. Turn it into a rice bowl if you like!
An easy, yet sophisticated weeknight dinner you can truly be proud of. A little pinch of flaky sea salt at the end (always!) really takes it over the top.
Guys, I’m seriously so excited for you to try this juicy grilled chicken and homemade zhoug recipe. Don’t forget to leave your feedback below!
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Zhoug-Marinated Chicken Thighs with Charred Scallions
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 cups fresh cilantro, packed
- ½ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, packed
- 3 serrano or jalapeño chiles, stems removed (remove seeds for less heat!) – I strongly recommend trying a bite of one raw before committing to three peppers in case you get a really spicy one!
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 Tbsp (30ml) fresh lemon juice, from half a medium lemon
- 1½ tsp kosher salt
- ⅓ cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
For the Yogurt Sauce
- 1 cup (240g) whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1 Tbsp (15ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp (15ml) fresh lemon juice, from the remaining lemon half above
- ½ English cucumber, grated, then squeezed of excess moisture
- 2 Tbsp fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- ¼ tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the Scallions
- 3 bunches of scallions, roots trimmed
- 2 Tbsp (30ml) olive oil
- Pinch of kosher salt
For Serving
- Pita bread
- Lemon wedges
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Make the zhoug. In a food processor, combine 2 cups fresh cilantro, ½ cup parsley, 4 serranos (or jalapeños), 4 cloves of garlic, 1 tsp cardamom, ½ tsp cumin, ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, and 1½ tsp kosher salt. Pulse until finely chopped. With the motor running, stream in ⅓ cup olive oil until you have a loose, spoonable paste. Taste and adjust salt, lemon, or chiles.
- Marinate the chicken. Before beginning, reserve about ¼ cup of zhoug for finishing and set aside. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Loosen the skin from the flesh of each thigh and push a generous spoonful of zhoug directly underneath. Coat the outside with more zhoug. Transfer to a baking dish (or ziplock bag), cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour, though overnight is great too.
- Make the yogurt sauce. Combine 1 cup Greek yogurt, 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, grated cucumber, 2 Tbsp chopped mint, grated garlic, ¼ tsp kosher salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper in a mixing bowl, then stir well. Taste, adjust seasoning, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Preheat grill. Pull the chicken from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before cooking, then set up your grill for two-zone cooking: one side high direct heat, one side off (or no coals). Clean and oil the grates well.
- Grill the chicken. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down on the direct-heat side. Grill uncovered without moving until the skin is deeply charred and releases from the grate cleanly, about 5 minutes. Flip and move to the indirect side, cover the grill, and cook until the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C), about 15-20 minutes more. The zhoug will char in spots and turn nearly black. Trust the process. Transfer chicken to a platter and rest for 5-10 minutes.
- While the chicken rests, grill the scallions. Toss the whole scallions with 2 Tbsp olive oil and a pinch of kosher salt, then lay them directly over high heat, perpendicular to the grates so they don’t fall through. Grill without moving for 3-5 minutes, until the undersides are completely blackened. Flip and char the other side for 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a platter, squeeze with lemon wedges, then finish with flaky sea salt.
- Serve. I like to plate the charred scallions alongside the chicken thighs, directly on the platter. Spoon a little reserved zhoug over the top of the chicken if you like, sprinkle with flaky salt, then serve with the cucumber-mint yogurt alongside. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you want some spice, but not overwhelming, you can omit the seeds from one or two of the peppers, then leave in the others. Serranos give the most authentic punch. Jalapeños are much milder.
- Make-ahead and storage:
- Zhoug and yogurt sauce: make up to 3 days ahead, store airtight in the fridge (zhoug gets better overnight)
- Chicken: marinate up to 24 hours ahead for best flavor
- Leftovers: refrigerate up to 4 days
- Reheat: covered skillet or 300°F oven (microwave works, but softens the skin)
- Freeze: up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating
Nutrition
Photography by Meg McKeehan.
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