Elise Jesse’s Chicken Tower

Name: Elise Jesse’s Chicken Tower
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 2 wooden skewers; 3 to 4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, pounded to 1/4-in.flat; 1 large white onion, halved; 1/2 cup chicken broth; Fresh mozzarella cheese; Romaine lettuce; 1 to 2 large tomatoes, sliced; Fresh basil leaves, sliced cucumber and sliced red onion, for garnish; MARINADE:; 3/4 cup olive oil; 2 medium lemons, zested and juiced; 6 garlic cloves, minced; 4 fresh rosemary sprigs, roughly chopped; 3 sprigs fresh oregano, roughly chopped or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano; 2 teaspoons fine sea salt; 1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper; GREEK YOGURT DRESSING:; 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt; 3 tablespoons lemon juice; 2 springs fresh oregano; 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves; 2 garlic cloves; 1 teaspoon paprika

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Total Time

Prep: 30 min. + marinating Cook: 1 hour. + standing

By Elise Jesse

Recipe by Elise Jesse, Cincinnati, Ohio

Tested by Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Taste of Home's Editorial Process

Published on Jul. 15, 2025

This Mediterranean chicken tower is simple to make but delivers bold, restaurant-worthy flavor. The marinade comes together in minutes using pantry staples and fresh herbs, and the yogurt dressing can be made ahead of time. The dish is stacked high like a centerpiece so it's perfect for dinner parties, allowing guests to carve as much or as little as they’d like. To fill out the meal, serve the chicken over rice, in wraps or with roasted veggies. —Elise Jesse, Cincinnati, Ohio

Elise Jesse’s Chicken Tower

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Prep Time 30 min

Cook Time 1 hour

Yield 6 servings

Ingredients

2 wooden skewers
3 to 4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, pounded to 1/4-in.flat
1 large white onion, halved
1/2 cup chicken broth
Fresh mozzarella cheese
Romaine lettuce
1 to 2 large tomatoes, sliced
Fresh basil leaves, sliced cucumber and sliced red onion, for garnish
MARINADE:
3/4 cup olive oil
2 medium lemons, zested and juiced
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 fresh rosemary sprigs, roughly chopped
3 sprigs fresh oregano, roughly chopped or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
GREEK YOGURT DRESSING:
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 springs fresh oregano
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon paprika

Text Ingredients

Directions

In a large bowl, combine all marinade ingredients. Add the chicken thighs; toss to coat. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375°. Remove or arrange oven racks to make room for the tower.
Place an onion half cut-side down on a foil-lined baking dish. Put the wooden skewers in it. Thread the chicken thighs onto the skewers, stacking vertically. Top with remaining onion half, cut-side towards the chicken. Add the chicken broth to the bottom of the baking dish.
Place the baking dish on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake until the chicken is no longer pink and a thermometer reads 165°, 60-70 minutes, turning halfway.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the Greek yogurt dressing ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes. Thinly slice the chicken vertically. Serve with mozzarella, romaine and tomatoes. Garnish with red onion, cucumber and basil.

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