By Real estate waits for no one. I showed 9 houses this week in neighborhoods where the asking prices climb like the temperature. Every showing is a conversation about what home means. Every key I hand over is a story beginning.
Sunday dinner at Mama's was the usual controlled chaos. Mama made keftedes and it was, as always, extraordinary. The table held fourteen people. The arguments held more opinions than the chairs held bodies. This is how Greek families communicate: loudly, with food, over each other.
I am 45 years old and I have learned that life is not a straight line from A to B. It is a moussaka — layers of different things, some planned, some accidental, all held together by heat and time and the stubborn refusal to fall apart.
I made chicken souvlaki wraps tonight — marinated, grilled, wrapped in warm pita with tzatziki. Thirty minutes from fridge to table. Greek fast food. We ate at the kitchen table, just the three of us, and for a moment the house was not quiet or loud — it was exactly right. Full. Fed. The sound of forks on plates is the sound I love most in this world.
The olive oil in my kitchen is from a Greek import shop in Tampa that sources from Kalamata. It is expensive. It is worth it. I use it on everything — salads, fish, bread, vegetables, the edge of a pot of soup — because olive oil is not a condiment in this family, it is a philosophy. Use it generously. Use it without apology. Use it the way you use love: poured freely, never measured, always more than you think you need.
The chicken souvlaki wraps I made that night reminded me that the best meals don’t ask much of you — they just ask you to show up. When I want that same satisfying, off-the-grill feeling but with a little smoky sweetness instead of lemon and oregano, I reach for this grilled BBQ chicken: simple marinade, high heat, the smell of something good coming off the grill. It’s the kind of recipe that turns a Tuesday into something worth remembering — the kind that fills a kitchen with the right sounds, forks on plates, people asking for more.
Grilled BBQ Chicken
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 45 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (or breasts)
- 3/4 cup BBQ sauce, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Make the marinade. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup of the BBQ sauce until combined.
- Marinate the chicken. Place chicken pieces in a zip-top bag or shallow dish. Pour marinade over chicken, turning to coat. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours for deeper flavor.
- Preheat the grill. Heat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high heat (about 400°F). Oil the grates lightly to prevent sticking.
- Grill the chicken. Remove chicken from marinade and place on the grill skin-side down. Grill for 6–8 minutes per side, turning once, until grill marks form and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Glaze and finish. In the last 3–4 minutes of cooking, brush both sides generously with the remaining 1/2 cup BBQ sauce. Allow the glaze to caramelize slightly, watching carefully to avoid burning.
- Rest and serve. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with extra BBQ sauce on the side if desired.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 340 | Protein: 31g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 18g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 620mg