Greek Chicken Marinade
From grilling the juiciest chicken thighs to weeknight baked chicken breasts, this simple but boldly flavored marinade will amp up the flavor with a delicious Greek twist! Feel free to use whatever cut of chicken you have on hand. A couple hours in your fridge will infuse the meat with the most vibrant flavor, but if you're short on time even 30 minutes on your counter will make a big difference.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley leaves and tender stems
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 1 1/2 to 2 pounds chicken (thighs, legs, breast, or any cut you’d like)
Instructions
- Make the marinade. In a large mixing bowl, combine the garlic, oregano, paprika, thyme, parsley, olive oil, lemon zest, juice, and a big pinch of salt and pepper (about 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon each). Whisk until well combined. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper to your liking (Remember: if you don’t plan to add salt and pepper directly to the chicken, then you want to make sure the marinade has enough flavor.)
- Add the chicken or chicken cutlets to the marinade. Use a pair of tongs to toss the chicken so it is well coated, then cover and refrigerate for 2 to 8 hours (or if you’re using chicken thighs, overnight is fine.) Cook the chicken as you’d like–see below for grilled or baked Greek chicken.
For Grilled Chicken:
- Prep your grill. Lightly oil the grates and preheat your gas grill or an indoor griddle to medium.
- Grill the chicken. When the grill is nice and hot, arrange the chicken in one single layer over the heated surface. Grill for about 5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Remove from the grill and tent with foil for 5 yo 10 minutes before serving (this will bring up the meat to 165°F as recommended.)
For Baked Chicken:
- Get ready. Preheat the oven to 400°F. If you’re working with chicken breasts, I like to make them into cutlets first so they cook faster and more evenly. To do so, slice them in half along the equator, starting at the thicker side. You can keep the pieces and breasts whole, you’ll just need to add an additional 10 to 15 minutes of cooking time to bring them up to 160°F.
- Bake the chicken. Place the chicken in a single layer in a 9x13 baking dish and pour the marinade over top. Cover the baking dish with a large piece of foil and place in the hot oven for 10 minutes.
- Finish. Remove the foil (save for later) and bake for until the chicken is fully cooked and is no longer pink in the middle (or it’s reached 160°F), another 10 to 15 minutes (or longer for whole chicken breasts).
- Rest and serve. Remove from the oven, cover and let rest for another 5 minutes. The chicken will come up to 165°F as it rests.
Video
Notes
- If you’re short on time allow the chicken to marinate on your counter for 30 minutes. It won’t be as vibrant as a longer soak in your fridge, but even 30 minutes will add a lot of flavor.
- Lemon juice can make the meat chewy over time, so 8 hours is the max I recommend marinating a leaner cut like chicken breasts. Chicken thighs, however, can handle an overnight marinade here.
- Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils, honey, jams, and spices.
Nutrition
Calories: 247.1kcal | Carbohydrates: 3.1g | Protein: 24.6g | Fat: 15.1g | Saturated Fat: 2.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9.6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 72.6mg | Sodium: 133.7mg | Potassium: 478mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 341.8IU | Vitamin C: 13.8mg | Calcium: 28.7mg | Iron: 1.1mg
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