Greek Marinated Chicken

Greek marinated chicken is most delicious chicken you'll ever taste! The authentic Greek flavors of lemon, garlic and oregano, along with Greek yogurt, will transform any cut of chicken from bland and boring to tender and juicy!

We all need a good chicken marinade in our list of recipes because chicken is so economical and easy to make for healthy weeknight meals. 

This Greek Chicken marinade produces the most tender and juicy chicken every time. This chicken marinade will take your grilled or baked chicken to the next level! 

Ingredients

• Olive Oil is used in the marinade to help the flavors penetrate the meat faster. Adding oil to the marinade also helps the meat hold onto moisture and prevents it from sticking to the pan or grill while cooking.
• Greek Yogurt has active bacteria and lactic acid which slowly break down the protein, making the chicken moist and tender. Substitute with plain full-fat yogurt, buttermilk, or sour cream.
• Lemon is added for a classic Greek flavor and also adds more acid which helps to tenderize the meat. You'll be using the juice and the zest for maximum lemon flavor! You can use preserved lemons instead of fresh lemons if you have some on hand!
• Garlic is kind of a no-brainer! Freshly minced garlic is a must for any Greek chicken marinade! If you can't get your hands on fresh garlic, don't worry about it! Just use ⅛ teaspoon of garlic powder for every clove. For this recipe, I would use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. Hey, I love garlic!
• Ground Spices and Dried Herbs are really what take this easy chicken marinade to the next level. The ones used in this recipe are onion powder, dried oregano, coriander, sea salt, and cracked black pepper. If using fresh oregano, you'll need to triple the amount because dried herbs are more potent than fresh herbs.
• Chicken Breasts are included in the recipe cooking instructions, but you can use ANY cut of chicken that you prefer. This marinade can be used for boneless or bone-in cuts of chicken. Bone-in chicken does require more cooking time. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness (an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees).

Instructions

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, stir the olive oil, yogurt, oregano, garlic, coriander, salt, pepper, onion powder, lemon juice and zest.

(Reserve a ½ cup in a separate bowl if you wish to baste the chicken while it's cooking.)

Step 2: Add the chicken breasts to the bowl of marinade and toss to coat them evenly. Cover and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. Remove chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to allow the meat to come to room temperature.

Step 3: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a grill pan and place it on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 5 minutes on one side. Turn the chicken over and transfer the grill pan to the oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

(Discard the marinade that raw chicken was in to prevent cross-contamination.)

3 ways to cook Greek marinated chicken

I've shown you how to use a cast iron grill pan (affiliate link) to cook the Greek marinated chicken on the stove and finish it off in the oven in the steps above. Here are 3 more ways you can cook this delicious chicken!

• Bake: Place the marinated chicken breasts on a baking sheet or in a baking dish and bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes depending on thickness.
• Grill: It's always a good idea to pound the chicken breasts into an even thickness before grilling, about one inch. This will help to cook the meat evenly and prevent overcooking and drying out. Cook the chicken over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes on each side. 
• Pan-fry: Pound the chicken to an inch thickness between two pieces of plastic wrap. Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Oil the pan and cook the chicken for about 5 minutes on each side.

How to tell if the chicken is cooked

The best way to know if the chicken is safely cooked is to insert a meat thermometer (affiliate link) into the thickest part of the meat to check for the internal temperature. 

The internal temperature of cooked chicken should be at least 165°F. The juices should run clear if the chicken breasts are pierced with a fork.

How to store

Refrigerate the uncooked marinated chicken, covered, for up to 24 hours. Freeze for up to 9 months. Cooked chicken can be stored and covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Use freezer bags or air-tight containers to store food in the fridge and/or freezer.

More Greek recipes to try

• Greek Pasta Salad
• Greek Cauliflower Rice
• Greek Chicken Kabobs
• Tzatziki Sauce