Mediterranean Chicken with Tomatoes and Olives

Made in just one skillet, this Mediterranean chicken recipe comes together in less than 30-minutes. It’s packed with my favorite flavors from childhood: garlicky seared chicken, briny olives, creamy feta, tomatoes, and parsley. Fewer dishes, less time, and more flavor—that’s what I call weeknight dinner done right!

Weeknights can be busy so I tend to lean toward simple skillet meals like this Mediterranean chicken recipe. 

It’s loaded with bright, fresh flavors thanks to the tomatoes, olives, and lemon—plus, like my one-pan Chicken and Asparagus recipe, cleanup is a snap. One skillet, a knife and a cutting board and you’re done! 

I usually serve this recipe as it is, but it’s easy to stretch to serve a larger family or a crowd, by serving it over pasta or rice. There is plenty of sauce to sop up so pairing this skillet chicken recipe with a piece of crusty bread or Rosemary Focaccia would also work. 

The best part? This recipe is so versatile! If you have spinach to use up, toss it in there just before serving. Have chicken thighs on hand instead of chicken breast? They’ll taste great! Wanting a dairy free chicken recipe? This Mediterranean chicken is flavorful and delicious with or without the feta.  

Table of Contents

1. What You’ll Need to Make Mediterranean Chicken
2. How to Make Mediterranean Chicken
3. What To Serve With Mediterranean Chicken
4. More Amazing Skillet Dinners
5. Try our Private Reserve Extra Virgin Olive Oil!
6. Mediterranean Chicken Recipe Recipe

What You’ll Need to Make Mediterranean Chicken

You probably have everything you need to make this skillet chicken recipe in your fridge or pantry. 

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: I call for boneless, skinless chicken breasts because they’re so quick and easy to cook, but if you prefer the richness of bone in, skin on chicken breasts or even chicken thighs just give yourself some extra time. If you’re cooking with the skin on, make sure to start by rendering the skin in the hot pan until it’s crispy (about 7 minutes), then flip and brown the second side.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A smooth, peppery olive oil–like our Private Reserve EVOO from Kyparissia, Greece–really draws out and elevates the flavor of this garlicky chicken. It’s so good I sometimes drizzle a little on top just before serving!
• Flavor Makers: A combination of dried oregano and alliums like garlic and onion create the foundation of this dish. Salt just enhances the flavor of the other ingredients and pepper adds a little earthy warmth.  
• Lemon juice: Acids like lemon juice or vinegar brighten the recipe and cut through any fat from the olive oil.  
• Tomatoes: I used fresh tomatoes, but if tomatoes aren’t in season feel free to use 1 (15 oz) can of chopped tomatoes. 
• Green olives: I love the punchiness of green olives for this recipe, but kalamata olives will also work. I love Castelvetrano olive so much I even turn them into Olive Salad, but if you don’t like olives, leave them out and substitute them with capers, or paper thin slices of fresh or preserved lemon.
• White wine: Look for a dry white wine—it adds a nice acidity to balance the richness of the chicken. A good rule of thumb for cooking wine is to avoid wines aged in oak, like some chardonnays, as they tend to give a bitter flavor. If you don’t cook with alcohol you can use extra chicken stock instead.
• Chicken stock: If you have homemade chicken stock go ahead and use it in this recipe to amp up the chicken flavor, but store bought will also work. 
• Crumbled feta cheese: I love a creamy feta preserved in brine if you can get your hands on it (I just crumble the feta with my hands as I’m finishing the dish). 
• Fresh parsley: I sprinkle it on at the end to add a pop of color and a light, fresh, herbal taste to the recipe. 

How to Make Mediterranean Chicken

The best part about one-skillet dinners is how easy they are to make and how easy they are to clean up. Fewer dishes to do means more time with my family. 

• Prep the chicken: Pat the chicken breasts dry. This helps skillet chicken get that nice golden-brown sear. Make three shallow slits on each side of the chicken breast. 
• Season the chicken: Rub the garlic on both sides of the chicken, pushing some garlic into the slits you made. Season the chicken breasts all over with a heavy pinch of salt and pepper and 1/2 of the dried oregano.
• Sear the chicken: In a large cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil on medium-high until it shimmers. Add the chicken and sear on both sides, until you have a light golden color. 
• Braise the chicken: Add the white wine and let reduce by half. Add the lemon juice and chicken broth. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oregano on top and reduce the heat to medium. Cover with a lid or tightly with foil. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes on one side, then turn the chicken over and cook for another 6 minutes and cook until the thickest part of the chicken measures 165°F with an instant read thermometer. 
• Finish the chicken and serve: Uncover and top with the chopped onions, tomatoes and olives. Cover again and cook for 3 minutes to soften the vegetables and bring all the flavors together. Finish with the parsley and feta cheese (if using). Enjoy!

What To Serve With Mediterranean Chicken

While this Mediterranean chicken recipe is delicious on its own, I love to serve it with a simple starch for soaking up the flavorful sauce.

I’m always looking for ways to add more vegetables to meal time. If that’s the case for you too then try my Mediterranean Couscous Salad, Italian Oven Roasted Vegetables or a simple Greek Green Bean Salad. 

 And if you’ve saved room for dessert, finish the night off with our Italian hot chocolate. It’s so rich and luxurious that a little goes a long way. 

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*This post has recently been updated with new information for readers’ benefit.