Low FODMAP Italian-Marinated Grilled Chicken Thighs (Keto, Paleo, Whole30)

Bring Italian-inspired flavors to your grill this summer with these Low FODMAP Italian-Marinated Grilled Chicken Thighs! Incredibly easy to make using homemade Low FODMAP Italian Dressing as a marinade, the amazing aroma of these low FODMAP chicken thighs wafting from your barbecue will have your neighbors running to your door. In addition to being low FODMAP, these grilled chicken thighs are also Keto, low carb, Paleo, Whole30, gluten-free, and dairy-free.

Why Italian Dressing as a Low FODMAP Chicken Marinade?

When I was little, I remember my uncle using bottled Italian dressing to marinate grilled fish. I found this delicious and decided to use my Low FODMAP Italian Dressing to marinate grilled chicken instead. It could actually work as a marinade for a variety of things: pork, chicken, fish, and possibly grilled vegetables. I have yet to try it on anything else, but I'm pretty happy with how these Low FODMAP grilled chicken thighs turn out. They have the perfect balance of brightness and earthiness with a bit of a kick.

What's particularly nice about using Italian dressing as a marinade is that it's super easy and requires very little work when you can buy it at the store. Unfortunately, I am unable to find any store-bought low FODMAP Italian Dressing. That's why I created my own recipe and made it as easy to put together as possible by using all dried herbs from my Low FODMAP Italian Seasoning recipe. I typically already have the seasoning mix prepared as I use it in several recipes on this blog, which makes things even easier. While not as easy as a bottled version, it's still pretty darn easy.

A number of salad dressings, mostly vinaigrette style dressings, can actually double as meat marinades. My Low FODMAP Honey Lime Salad Dressing also makes a great low FODMAP chicken marinade but is not compliant with Keto, low carb, or Whole30 diets.

Necessary Equipment

The equipment I use to make these Low FODMAP Italian-Marinated Grilled Chicken Thighs includes:

• Outdoor grill (I use a natural gas grill) or a grill pan
• Grill tongs
• Gallon-sized zip top bag
• Instant read thermometer
• Citrus zester (for optional lemon zest)

Low FODMAP Italian-Marinated Grilled Chicken Thighs: Ingredients & Success Tips

Chicken

For this low FODMAP marinated chicken recipe, I use 1.75 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Other cuts of chicken and other meats may potentially work; cooking times and temperatures may vary by cut and meat type.

Low FODMAP Chicken Marinade

For the low FODMAP chicken marinade, I make a full batch of my low FODMAP Italian Dressing and add some lemon zest to it, but that's optional. The lemon zest adds some great notes of brightness and acidity but is not entirely necessary to make these grilled chicken thighs absolutely delicious.

The low FODMAP Italian Dressing can be made in advance to make things easier the day you'd like to marinate these. Kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator, the dressing will keep for 3-4 weeks. However, the olive oil may solidify in the fridge. If that happens, I simply bring the dressing back to room temp and stir to recombine.

You could make a double batch of the Low FODMAP Italian Dressing and use half of it on a side salad to go with the chicken thighs. The flavors would tie in really well together.

I marinate the chicken a minimum of 2 hours prior to cooking. To do this, I add the chicken thighs to a gallon-sized zip top bag. Then, I pour the marinade over the chicken and seal the bag:

I place the bag of marinating chicken thighs in the refrigerator (on a plate in the event of leakage) for a minimum of 2 hours or up to overnight.

Grill

Once ready to grill, I preheat my outdoor grill (I use a natural gas grill) or grill pan to medium heat and allow the outdoor grill to reach 400°F. Once heated, using grill tongs, I lift each marinated chicken thigh out of the bag individually, shaking off the excess marinade, and place it onto the grill. Shaking off the marinade will reduce flareups, but some flareups still may occur. Reduce the grill heat if needed.

I grill the chicken thighs for 5-6 minutes per side or until the thighs reach an internal temperature of 165°F per an instant read thermometer. My grill has an iGrill thermometer attachment, but I typically do not use this for chicken thighs as they are typically too thin for the thermometer to stay put and take an accurate reading.

Once cooked, I remove the chicken thighs from the grill to a platter. I allow the thighs to rest for 5 minutes prior to serving.

What can I serve these low FODMAP grilled chicken thighs with?

As I am currently eating low FODMAP and Keto, I typically serve these low FODMAP chicken thighs over shirataki rice or hearts of palm rice, with a salad (typically topped with more low FODMAP Italian Dressing or Low FODMAP Ranch Dressing) and a side of steamed broccoli topped with some shredded parmesan. You can also just serve them on their own with other sides. Other serving options include:

• Slicing the chicken thighs and serving over greens or a dinner salad
• Serving over other types of rice depending on your dietary requirements
• Serving over Low FODMAP Instant Pot Quinoa (low FODMAP but not Keto, low carb, Paleo or Whole30)

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