Greek Chicken is a simple and easy marinated chicken recipe that is moist, juicy, and infused with flavors of fresh lemon and aromatic Mediterranean spices. Make it in the Oven, Air Fryer, or on the Stove and use it in a variety of ways.
Enjoy this Mediterranean chicken on a Greek salad, or pair it with saffron rice or quinoa tabbouleh salad for a hearty dinner.
Chicken is a wonderful lean protein that takes on any flavor you use to season it. And my go-to Greek marinade made with pantry staples flavors the chicken in a quick 15-minute marination time.
I usually meal prep a double batch on Sundays and use it for multiple meals throughout the week. This Mediterranean chicken is great on pizza, sandwiches, and wraps, too!
And here's the bonus- this marinade can also be used for flavoring vegetables, lamb, beef, fish, and shrimp. Keep this one part of your cooking repertoire. 🙂 Let's get started!
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Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions
The ingredient list for this Greek chicken recipe requires nothing more than chicken and a handful of spices. The Mediterranean spices give it that special pizzazz.
Chicken: I prefer the richer chicken thighs for this recipe since they stay moist and juicy for meal prep, but lean chicken breasts work just as well. Simply slice each breast in half (in thickness), and follow the same cooking time.
Olive Oil: To ensure all the spices stick and adds a bit of richness.
Salt + Pepper: To enhance all the flavors and add a little spice.
Paprika: Use sweet or hot paprika, whichever spice level you prefer. Smoked paprika would give it another layer of smoky flavor, but reduce it to half.
Red Chili Flakes: For a nice kick of heat. Feel free to skip for a mild flavor.
Ground Cumin: Cumin powder adds an earthy-smoky flavor to the chicken.
Ground Cinnamon: Warming and slightly sweet to balance the spice.
Garlic Powder: For savory goodness. If using fresh garlic, you will need about 4 cloves.
Dried Oregano: Herbal, citrusy, and quintessentially Greek.
Lemon Juice: For acidity and pop of citrus.
Scroll to the recipe card for a detailed list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Greek Chicken
This Greek chicken recipe can be prepared in one of three ways - oven-baked, Air Fryer, or on the stove. Here's how to do each one:
Step 1. Marinate Chicken
Trim off the extra fat from the chicken thighs and cut each thigh into half width-wise. In a bowl or large ziplock bag, combine olive oil, salt, black pepper, spices, and lemon juice.
Add chicken and toss to coat with the marinade. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or up to 2 hours.
Step 2. Cook Chicken
Method 1: In the Oven
Place the chicken thighs on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Turn on the oven on BROIL mode.
Broil chicken for 8 minutes on the first side. Chicken should be golden brown by now. Flip the chicken and broil for 6 minutes on the other side, or until the chicken cooks through.
Method 2: Air Fryer
Preheat the air fryer to 360°F. Place chicken in the fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for 8 minutes.
Flip the chicken and cook for another 5-6 minutes, or until the chicken cooks through.
Method 3: Stovetop
Heat a grill pan or skillet on medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes on the first side. After that, flip and cook another 5-6.
How to tell if the chicken is cooked? The sure-shot way to tell if the chicken is cooked is by using a meat thermometer. It is done if it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F when inserted into the thickest part.
Serving Suggestions
Greek chicken recipes are so versatile, that you can serve the chicken in a number of ways. Some of my favorites include:
- Salad: Serve it on top of Greek salad, kale chickpea salad, or toss it with healthy pasta salad.
- Pizza: Top off bread pizza or flatbread pizza for an extra protein boost.
- Sandwiches/Wraps: Stuff it inside bread, pita, or tortillas with crisp, crunchy vegetables.
- Dinner: Serve it as the main meal alongside saffron rice, quinoa tabbouleh salad, spinach rice, and/or tzatziki.
How to Store
Meal Prep: Cool the chicken completely, then slice and keep in meal prep containers.
Leftover Greek chicken will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Store in a freezer-safe ziptop bag or airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Chicken Thighs: Trim off the excess fat to allow for an even crisp exterior.
- Chicken Breast: If using chicken breast, slice it in half in thickness and follow the same cooking time.
- Marinate: Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 15 minutes in the refrigerator. It comes out extra moist and juicy. You can marinate it for up to 2 hours if you have the time.
- Check temperature: Since cooking times vary, make sure to cook the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Rest: Allow the chicken to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing so that the juices can redistribute.
Frequently Asked Questions
Greek chicken is an easy recipe made with Mediterranean spices, lemon, garlic, and olive oil. After a quick marinade, it can be cooked in the oven, Air Fryer or on the stove.
Greek chicken thighs, and breasts, can be baked in the oven under the broiler in less than 15 minutes. Cooking times will vary based on the thickness of the chicken.
One serving of Greek chicken is only 176 calories! It's also healthy, low-carb and packed with plenty of lean protein.
More Greek-inspired Recipes
These are part of the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Recipes collection:
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📖 Recipe
Greek Chicken
Ingredients
- 1½ pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (Fat trimmed)
Spice Rub
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder (or 4 garlic cloves, grated)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (Juice of half a lemon)
Instructions
Marinate Chicken
- Trim off the extra fat from the chicken thighs and cut each thigh into half width-wise. In a bowl or large ziplock bag, combine olive oil, salt, black pepper, spices, and lemon juice. Add chicken and toss to coat with the marinade. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to 2 hours.
Cook One of Three Ways:
Oven Broiler
- Place the chicken thighs on an aluminum-lined baking sheet. Turn on the oven on BROIL mode. Broil chicken for 8 minutes on the first side. Flip the chicken and broil for 5-6 minutes on the other side, or until the chicken cooks through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
Air Fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 360°F. Place chicken in the fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for 8 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook for another 5-6 minutes, or until the chicken cooks through.
Stovetop
- Heat a grill pan or skillet on medium-high for about a minute. Place the chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes on the first side. Flip and cook for another 5-6 minutes.
Notes
- Chicken Thighs: Trim off the excess fat to allow for an even crisp exterior.
- Chicken Breast: If using chicken breast, slice it in half in thickness and follow the same cooking time.
- Marinate: Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 15 minutes in the refrigerator. It comes out extra moist and juicy. You can marinate it for up to 2 hours if you have the time.
- Check temperature: Since cooking times vary, make sure to cook the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Rest: Allow the chicken to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing so that the juices can redistribute.
Nutrition
This recipe has been updated with new photos, step-by-step instructions, and helpful tips.
Wendy Knutson says
i made it tonight and it was delicious! I prepared the chicken and my husband grilled it. Perfecto. Thank you
Aneesha says
Thank you, Wendy! I'm so glad you enjoyed it so much. Thanks for taking the time to rate this recipe 🙂
Lee says
This was delicious, unfortunately my brother thought it was a little spice heavy but I absolutely loved it, I served it with pickled lemon infused rice and it was amazing
Aneesha says
That sounds delicious! I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for taking the time to rate the recipe.
Kristina Herrejon says
Delicious! I didn’t have the oregano unfortunately but it still tasted great! Thank you so much for posting this spice recipe ❤️
Aneesha says
That's awesome! So glad you enjoyed it!
Michaela O'Melveny says
I use many online recipes, and never comment. But this marinade is just too good! Thanks you so much. It will be my go to this summer.
Aneesha says
Thank you so much, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
SHEELA says
HI
Can you please suggest some oven baked chicken breast Mediterranean recipes ?
Thanks
Aneesha says
Hi Sheela, you can marinate the chicken using this recipe and bake it in a pre-heated oven at 350F for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through, depending on the thickness of the chicken pieces. Hope this helps!