Greek Chicken Marinade (Grilled Chicken Included)

ByLyuba Brooke

This post may contain affiliate links.

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.
5 from 7 votes
8
Comments
Jump to Recipe
Jump to Video
grilled marinated Greek chicken on wooden plate with lemon halves.

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.

Marinating chicken first always infuses it with so much flavor and it makes the meat more tender. This Greek marinade is probably my favorite but my family is town between my basic chicken marinade and the Jerk chicken marinade.

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.

labeled ingredients to make Green chicken marinade on wooden board.
Greek chicken marinate in a jar and pouring marinate into bag with chicken.

How to Make Greek Chicken Marinade

  • Combine all of the ingredients in a jar and close the lid tightly. Shake it like Ricky Martin just came on the radio!
  • Place the chicken in a large zip-lock bag and pour the marinade into the bag. (You can also use a glass food storage container, just make sure to wash it very well after.)
  • 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.
  • 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 but don’t exceed 18 hours. After about 18 hours, the tissue starts to break from the acid.
collage of two images of chicken marinating and cooking on the grill.

Grilling Marinated Greek Chicken

  • 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. Close the lid and cook for another 5-6 minutes. 
  • NOTE: 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).
Greek marinated cooking chicken thighs on the grill.
several stacked grilled marinated Greek chicken thighs on wooden plate.

Additional Cooking Options For The Chicken

  • Stove-Top: 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. 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.)
  • Bake In The Oven: Preheat the oven to 375°. Place the chicken thighs with some marinade on a greased baking dish and bake at 375°F until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
  • Roast In The Oven: Take the chicken out of 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°F.
  • Important reminder: Remember to discard remaining marinade 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!
grilled marinated Greek chicken thighs on wooden plate with lemon halves.

PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? PLEASE leave a 🌟 star rating! Let me know how you liked it by leaving the 📝 comment below or share and tag me on social media @willcookforsmiles. DON’T FORGET to subscribe to my newsletter!

grilled marinated Greek chicken thighs on wooden plate with lemon halves.

Greek Chicken Marinade Recipe

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.
5 from 7 votes
Print Pin Video Rate
Course: dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Greek
Diet: Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Low Lactose
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Marinade: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 19 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 553kcal
Author: Lyuba Brooke

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. Marinating 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, shake it!
  • 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°F in the thickest part of the meat.

Video

Notes

  • IMPORTANT note on 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°F.
  • Storing: Once cooled to room temperature, transfer the cooked chicken to an airtight food storage container. Properly stored in the fridge, Greek chicken will be good for 3-4 days. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 553kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 207mg | Potassium: 696mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 255IU | Vitamin C: 47.1mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 2.8mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @willcookforsmiles or tag #willcookforsmiles!

More Greek Inspired Recipes to Try

Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in March 2019.

Categories:

, , , , ,

All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.

I’m Lyuba Brooke, mother of 2, the cook, recipe developer, photographer, and author behind willcookforsmiles.com. I share many classic and original recipes, cooking tips, and tutorials. My passion is sharing delicious meals for everyone to try.

5 from 7 votes (3 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

8 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    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

    Reply

  2. 5 stars
    Delicious, moist grilled chicken. My family Absolutely love this recipe, thanks!

    Reply

    1. Thank you, Kim! So happy you like it so much! 🙂

      Reply
  3. janet ricketts says:

    This chicken looks so good. I’m making it tomorrow to take to a family reunion. Thanks so much!

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Janet! I hope you enjoy it!

      Reply

  4. 5 stars
    My family loves this chicken!!!

    Reply
  5. Jordan Hansen says:

    5 stars
    This sounds so yummy! I love grilled chicken and these flavors sound so good together 🙂

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Jordan! Let me know how you like it!

      Reply

More Recipes...