Greek Chicken Marinade Recipe
This Greek Chicken Marinade is a simple, fast recipe that results in juicy, succulent chicken every single time!
You will love this Greek Chicken Marinade
Hey there, happy September! It still feels like summer in my neck of the woods, even as everybody’s thoughts are turning to fall.
Our menu still has grilled recipes in heavy rotation, with a sprinkling of comfort fair like instant pot lentil soup and Greek yogurt pasta on cooler days.
Sometimes there’s nothing so simple and satisfying for dinner as a piece of chicken and some veggies. When we grill chicken, we almost always marinate it, and buttermilk chicken marinade and this Greek Chicken Marinade are our favorites.
Greek Lemon Chicken Marinade ingredients
You should be able to find all of the ingredients for this marinade at any grocery store, if they’re not already in your kitchen:
- olive oil – the base of the marinade, and what will help the chicken not stick to the grill or pan when it is cooked.
- lemon – we’ll be using both lemon zest and lemon juice to add a bright and zesty flavor to the marinade.
- parsley – this adds some herbal freshness to the marinade.
- garlic – an indispensable ingredient in Greek cuisine, so of course have to add it here!
- oregano – I use dried oregano because I don’t normally have fresh oregano on hand, but either one would work here.
- paprika – this adds a a vibrant red color and depth of flavor to the marinade.
- salt and pepper – essentials in any great marinade.
How to make Greek Marinated Chicken
Here’s my secret for making THE FASTEST MARINADES EVER – I don’t measure anything. Ever. Life’s too short, and it’s just a marinade (I feel pretty much the same way about my dry rub for ribs).
When I follow other marinade recipes, I look at the recipe to get a general sense of the amount of each ingredient, and then I just eyeball it.
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I’ve given you ingredient amounts below, but honestly, don’t get all your measuring cups and spoons dirty. It won’t matter if you have a little “too much” lemon juice or a little less oregano.
Just eyeball everything into a ziploc bag, throw the chicken in, and move on with your day. It’ll taste great, I promise. Same story with my flat iron steak marinade.
How to serve Greek Marinated Chicken
You can serve this Greek lemon chicken with a couple of sides like acini de pepe recipe and a green beans side dish.
You can also serve it sliced up and stuffed into a pita, similar to a grilled chicken shawarma.
Or, serve it as part of a Mediterranean bowl, with other ingredients like quinoa or couscous, olives, artichoke hearts, tzatziki and crumbled feta cheese.
How to store this Greek Chicken Marinade
Only store unused marinade that has NOT touched raw chicken. Once it’s been used for chicken once, it should be discarded.
To make a batch of marinade in advance and then store it for later, keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Greek Lemon Chicken Marinade FAQs
Many people think that a marinade simply adds flavor to meat (which it does!), but it’s also an important tool for tenderizing meat.
Personally, I think that chicken breast can sometimes get dry and somewhat tough (which is why I really prefer thighs for my honey orange chicken and almond crusted chicken). But the acid (lemon juice) in this marinade will help tenderize the chicken, making it, well, tender.
The herbs and spices add lots of flavor. And the olive oil will coat the meat and keep it moist as it cooks.
This marinade is SO versatile. While I’ve shown it here used for grilled chicken breast, it can be used for any cut of chicken and any cooking method.
Have some chicken thighs you want to sauté? Do it. Chicken drumsticks you want to roast and serve with Dr. Pepper baked beans? Also great. Kabobs? Yes!
This versatile marinade is also lovely with steak or shrimp.
Ideally, I think chicken is best when it is marinated overnight, so anywhere from 8 to 16 hours or so. Avoid marinating longer than 24 hours, as the texture of the chicken can break down and become mushy.
Lemon acts as a natural tenderizer, as the citric acid in lemon helps break down the proteins in meat. It also adds a bright and tangy flavor to the chicken!
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Greek Chicken Marinade Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Zest of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- In medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients.
- Makes about 1 cup marinade, which is enough for 1 pound of chicken.
Notes
- Nutrition information is for the entire amount of marinade.
Ok, thank you. Looks delicious!
Do you pierce the chicken (meat) that you are going to marinate?
Nope, no need to pierce it!