Greek Chicken Marinade always yields the most tender, juicy, and aromatic chicken! Tangy lemon juice, fresh garlic cloves and a bouquet of herbs create the very best flavor that really gets infused into the chicken thighs.
Enjoy the very best chicken every time when you marinate it in my classic Chicken Marinade or bold Jerk Chicken Marinade!
Table of Contents
Greek chicken is one of my favorite recipes to fire up the grill for! Just the smell of the marinade alone is pretty intoxicating, and it really makes your mouth water when the chicken hits the grill. Simple ingredients like lemon juice, garlic, and herbs create the very best flavor and aroma.
One of my favorite things about this recipe is the simplicity of the ingredients. Besides what I’ve already mentioned as the key components, all you need is oil, vinegar, and just a few pinches of salt and black pepper. If you’re like me, you likely have almost everything (if not everything) already in your kitchen now!
While I prefer using chicken thighs for the most unbelievably tender results, you can use chicken breasts if you’d prefer. With this method, the breasts do come out more tender and juicy than they normally are because the acidity from the fresh lemon juice and vinegar breaks down and softens the tissue.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken – Any cut of chicken can be used for this marinade, but dark meat is much more tender, juicy, and flavorful than breast meat. I also prefer boneless, skinless chicken thighs because it’s tender, juicy, and takes much less time to cook.
Lemon – Pick ripe, juicy lemons to get the most lemon juice out of it. You can also pop a lemon in a microwave for 5-8 seconds to warm it up and it will yield more juice.
Garlic – Fresh garlic is an important ingredient in a Greek marinade! Use fresh garlic and press it to release the most flavor and oil.
Oil – I usually pick a neutral tasting oil like canola oil or vegetable oil so the flavor doesn’t interfere with other ingredients.
Vinegar – Go for white wine vinegar because it pairs best with lemon juice and herbs.
Herbs – The most important herbs that I always add to Greek dressing and marinade are dill weed, parsley, and oregano.
See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Greek Chicken Marinade
Combine the ingredients. Combine all of the ingredients in a jar and close the lid tightly. Shake it like Ricky Martin just came on the radio (1)!
Cover the chicken. Place the chicken in a large zip-lock bag and pour the marinade into the bag (2).
Marinate the chicken. Close the bag and try to get all of the air out. Lay the bag down either in a large plate or a sheet pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator and let it marinate (3).
How to Cook Greek Chicken on the Grill
My favorite way to cook Greek chicken is on the grill. When the marinated chicken gets infused with the smoky grilled flavor, it’s out of this world!
Preheat, cook, flip, and cook again – Start the coals and make sure to preheat the grill first. Brush the grill grate with some oil to grease it and place chicken on the grill.
(Discard remaining marinate or simmer it for 5-7 minutes to use it as sauce. If you want to keep the marinade, make sure to cook it! Do not reuse!)
Close the lid and cook for about 5-6 minutes. Open the lid and use metal tongues to flip the chicken (4). Close the lid and cook for another 5-6 minutes.
PRO TIP: Chicken breasts will take a bit longer and chicken on the bone will take even longer than that. Keep your meat thermometer on hand to check for doneness. (Fully cooked chicken is 165°F).
How to Cook Greek Chicken on the Stovetop
Marinate the chicken as instructed in the recipe. Preheat a large cooking pan over medium heat. Use metal tongs to take the chicken out of the marinade and into the pan.
(Discard remaining marinate or simmer it for 5-7 minutes to use it as sauce. If you want to keep the marinade, make sure to cook it! Do not reuse!)
Cook chicken thighs over medium to medium-low heat for 6-8 minutes on each side, until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Use a digital instant read thermometer to test the internal temperature.
How to Bake Greek Chicken in the Oven
Marinate the chicken as instructed in the recipe. Preheat the oven to 375°.
Bake – Place the chicken thighs with some marinade on a greased baking dish and bake at 375°F until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. (Discard remaining marinate. Do not reuse it!)
Roast – In the oven, chicken can also be roasted on a baking sheet without the marinade. Grease the rimmed baking sheet or line it with aluminum foil fist. Bake at 425°F for about 15 minutes. Check the internal temperature of the chicken to make sure it reached 165°.
Recipe FAQs
Greek chicken needs at least 2 hours in the refrigerator to marinate. It can marinate for up to 12 hours. Remember that the longer you let it marinate, the more flavorful, tender, and juicy it will be.
The exact time for cooking the chicken will depend on the size of the thighs, so use a meat thermometer to take the internal temperature. Chicken is cooked when the thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest part of the meat.
Note that chicken breasts will take a bit longer and chicken on the bone will take even longer than that, so keep your meat thermometer on hand to check for doneness.
Like any true Greek cuisine, this chicken recipe calls for all-natural, simple ingredients. Olive oil and vinegar with an addition of fresh garlic, lemon juice, fresh herbs, salt, and black pepper. This marinade infuses the chicken with so much flavor!
Once cooled to room temperature, transfer the cooked chicken to an airtight container. Properly stored in the fridge, Greek chicken will be good for 3-4 days.
Tools For This Recipe
(Affiliate links)
Digital Instant Read Thermometer
Bottom Grip Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
Cutting Board – use plastic cutting board when working with raw meats! If breaking down a whole chicken, this large cutting board is great.
Knives that I use (not, an affiliate link)
More Greek Recipes to Try
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Greek Chicken Marinade Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (marinade will be enough for 2-3 lbs)
Marinade:
- 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 3 ripe lemons juice only
- 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 6 garlic cloves pressed
- 3 tbsp fresh minced dill weed
- 2 tbsp fresh minced parsley
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- salt
Instructions
- Set aide enough time for the chicken to marinade. Marinading chicken will take at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours.
- Combine all ingredients in a jar, close the lid tight, and shake it like Ricky Martin just came on the radio.
- Place chicken in a large zip-lock bag and pour the marinade all into the bag.
- Close the bag, letting all the air out, and lay the bag down either in a large plate or a sheet pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator and let it marinade.
Cooking the chicken on the grill:
- Start the coals about 20 minutes before ready to cook the chicken and make sure to pre-heat the grill first.
- Brush the grill grate with some oil to grease it and place chicken on the grill. Close the lid and cook for about 5-6 minutes. Open the lid and use metal tongues to flip the chicken. Close the lid and cook for another 5-6 minutes.
- Exact time for cooking the chicken will depend on the size of the thighs so use a meat thermometer to take internal temperature. Chicken is cooked when the thermometer reads 165° in the thickest part of the meat.
Notes
- Leftover Marinade: Discard remaining marinate or cook it. To cook it, bring to simmer and simmer it for 5-7 minutes to use it as sauce. If you want to keep the marinade, make sure to cook it! Do not reuse it!
- To Cook Greek Chicken in a pan: Preheat a large cooking pan over medium heat. Use metal tongs to take the chicken out of the marinade and into the pan. Cook chicken thighs over medium to medium-low heat for 6-8 minutes on each side, until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- To Bake Greek Chicken – Place the chicken thighs with some marinade on a greased baking dish and bake at 375°F until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. (Discard remaining marinate. Do not reuse it!)
- To Roast Green Chicken – In the oven, chicken can also be roasted on a baking sheet without the marinade. Grease the rimmed baking sheet or line it with aluminum foil fist. Bake at 425°F for about 15 minutes. Check the internal temperature of the chicken to make sure it reached 165°.
Andrés says
Awesome, and easy.
I usually do it, with a variation.
I use olive oil, and It gives a real mediterranean taste, and put on the side of a salad of fresh tomatoes, lettuce, sweet onion, black olives and feta cheese.
Healthy and tasty
Kim says
Delicious, moist grilled chicken. My family Absolutely love this recipe, thanks!
LyubaB says
Thank you, Kim! So happy you like it so much! 🙂
janet ricketts says
This chicken looks so good. I’m making it tomorrow to take to a family reunion. Thanks so much!
LyubaB says
Thanks, Janet! I hope you enjoy it!
Jim says
My family loves this chicken!!!
Jordan Hansen says
This sounds so yummy! I love grilled chicken and these flavors sound so good together 🙂
LyubaB says
Thanks, Jordan! Let me know how you like it!