Julie Clark
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Greek Chicken Marinade
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Make this easy Greek Chicken Marinade and get grilled chicken that is tender and flavorful. Marinade features Greek yogurt, lemon and fresh herbs.
During grilling and picnic season, I’m always looking for new ways of marinating chicken. Barbecue chicken and bacon wrapped chicken are two of my favorites, but this new Greek Chicken Marinade with fresh lemons, Greek yogurt and fresh herbs.
This recipe is light, healthy and fresh. It fits Mediterranean diets and is low in sugar and gluten free.
About Greek Chicken Marinade
- Flavor: This grilled chicken recipe has a very simple flavor. It is slightly tangy, with hints of citrus, lemon and dill. Because it has a mild flavor, it goes with just about any side dishes and is also perfect on salads.
- Texture: The Greek yogurt and lemon juice help to tenderize the chicken. The olive oil keeps it extra moist. The texture of this chicken is great! So easy to slice.
Marinade Ingredients
For a simple Greek marinade, use these ingredients:
- Greek yogurt. I keep 2% on hand, but whole milk yogurt works too.
- Olive oil. Other oils will work as well, but extra virgin olive oil is a heart healthy choice.
- Lemons. Fresh lemon juice gives flavor and tenderizes the chicken. You can use lemon zest as well if you’d like.
- Minced garlic. Buy a jar of minced garlic or press your own. Fresh garlic is best over garlic powder, but use that in a pinch if you have to.
- Fresh oregano, basil and dill. If all you have is dried herbs, use about 1 teaspoon of each.
- Salt and pepper.
I love red onions and sometimes add about ¼ cup sliced red onions to the marinade as well.
How to Make Greek Grilled Chicken Marinade
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, basil, dill, salt and pepper. Mix well.
- Add the filleted chicken breasts and turn them so that the marinade coats them.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate, allowing the chicken breasts to marinate for at least 2 hours, but up to 8 hours. You can also use a freezer bag for this if you need to.
- Preheat the grill to 400ºF.
- Once the grill is heated, place the chicken on the hot grill grates. Allow the chicken to cook for about 5 minutes, then use tongs to flip and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (165ºF). The exact timing will depend on how thick the chicken breasts are, so be sure to check the internal temperature.
- Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes, then serve.
We LOVE our Thermoworks ThermaPen meat thermometer to quickly test chicken temperatures. This probe thermometer is AMAZING. Get it here.
Make it a meal.
Looking for serving ideas? Here’s what we like this chicken with:
Pita Sandwiches
This chicken makes great pita sandwiches or chicken gyros. Slice the chicken, add your favorite veggies and hummus, then stuff those pitas full. Drizzle with tzatziki sauce.
You may also love our Mexican chicken marinade or Key West Chicken!
Greek Chicken Marinade Recipe
Make this easy Greek Chicken Marinade and get grilled chicken that is tender and flavorful. Marinade features Greek yogurt, lemon and fresh herbs.
Servings 4
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Marinate Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt 127 grams
- 1/3 cup olive oil 2.5 ounces
- Juice of 2 lemons 2.5 ounces
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons fresh oregano
- 3 tablespoons fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill
- dash salt & pepper
- 1.3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts two fileted breasts (or thin sliced)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, basil, dill, salt and pepper. Mix well.
- Add the filleted chicken breasts and turn them so that the marinade coats them.
- Cover and refrigerate, allowing the chicken breasts to marinate for at least 2 hours, but up to 8 hours.
- Preheat the grill to 400ºF.
- Once the grill is heated, place the chicken on the hot grill grates. Allow the chicken to cook for about 5 minutes, then turn to cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (165ºF). The exact timing will depend on how thick the chicken breasts are, so be sure to check the internal temperature.
- Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes, then serve.
- Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Video
Notes
Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 4, with 1 serving being ¼ of the chicken. Please note that the calorie count shows higher than it will actually be since most of the marinade stays in the bowl.
Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**
Nutrition
Calories: 345kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 181mg | Potassium: 592mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 132IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you bake this chicken?
Yes. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a shallow baking pan with parchment paper or foil. Place the chicken in a single layer. Bake for 10-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF.
Can you cook Greek chicken in a skillet?
Yes. Heat olive oil in a skillet and once it is hot, add the chicken. Cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF.
Can I use other cuts of chicken?
Yes. I’ve used this on chicken thighs and it is great.
Can I make Greek chicken kabobs with this marinade?
Yes. Simply marinate the chicken in the same way, just cut it in bite size pieces.
Is this marinate good with pork chops?
Yes. So good!
Other Chicken Dinner Recipes
Try one of these chicken dinner ideas.
Outstanding! I’ve missed the Zoe’s Kitchen Chicken Kabobs so so much since they are now CAVA & this is the closest I’ve found in taste! I subbed fresh chopped rosemary for the dill, because that’s what I had on hand. I also had dry rubbed the chicken with Cavender’s Greek seasoning before finding this recipe so I just cut back on the amount of S&P. This is a keeper recipe for sure!