Greek Chicken Marinade

marinated greek chicken on a white plate

This greek chicken marinade makes THE BEST Mediterranean chicken ever! Made with fresh lemon, herbs, and garlic it is simple but absolutely bursting with flavor.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Greek

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Marinade Time 4

Total Time 4 25

Servings

Calories 296kcal

Author Christy Gurin

Ingredients

2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts 3-4 breasts
Zest from one lemon
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 plain yogurt don’t use non-fat
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried oregano
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Remove any visible fat and use a fork to poke holes in about 5 places on each chicken breast to allow the marinade to soak into the chicken .
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, yogurt, garlic, salt, pepper, basil, and oregano
Add chicken to bowl and rub marinade over chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably 4-6 hours. Don’t marinade over 24 hours.
Preheat grill over medium-high heat (to about 425°F or 218°C) and oil grill grates with a grill brush and olive oil to prevent sticking.
Remove chicken and discard leftover marinade. Cook chicken breasts on the grill for 5-8 minutes per side or until the internal temperature of the chicken reads 160 – 165° F (71-74° C) in the thickest part with an instant read thermometer.
Remove from grill and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing to make sure it stays juicy. Slice, garnish with fresh parsley and serve right away.

Video

Notes

Cooking time can vary based on size and heat temperature so I recommend using a meat thermometer when cooking whole chicken breasts or thighs. Here are some general cook time ranges for different cooking methods (exact time depends on size and temperature):

Grilled Breasts - 5-8 minutes/side at about 425°F (218° C)
Grilled Thighs - 4-5 minutes per side at about 425°F (218° C)
Grilled Kabobs with 1" pieces - 4-6 minutes per side
Stovetop Skillet as 1" Chunks - 10-12 minutes on medium-high heat w 1 Tbsp. oil
Breasts in Oven - 18-22 minutes at 400°F (205° C)

Breasts and thighs should marinate 4-6 hours, with a minimum of 2 hours and a maximum of 24 hours. 1" chunks can be fully marinated in 1 hour or half hour at the absolute minimum.

Nutrition