Description
This Greek Chicken Marinade recipe features a bright, herby marinade perfect for tender and juicy chicken breasts or thighs. The marinade combines olive oil, lemon zest and juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper to infuse the chicken with classic Greek flavors. The chicken can be cooked by grilling, stovetop, baking, or air frying, making it a versatile and delicious main course for any meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Marinade Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Zest of one small lemon
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs
Instructions
- Prepare the Marinade: Combine olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and black pepper in a bowl or large zip-top plastic bag. Whisk or squeeze the bag to mix thoroughly.
- Pound the Chicken (If Using Breasts): Place chicken breasts between parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound with a rolling pin or meat mallet until they are an even thickness to ensure even cooking and tenderness.
- Marinate the Chicken: Add the chicken to the marinade, coating all pieces evenly. Seal the bag or cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours, ideally 1-4 hours for best flavor.
- Cook the Chicken - Choose Your Method: Discard the marinade and cook the chicken using your preferred method below until the internal temperature reaches 165° F.
- Grill: Preheat grill to medium-high heat (375-450°F). Oil grates. Grill chicken breasts for 5-8 minutes per side, or boneless thighs for 7-10 minutes per side, reducing heat to medium for thighs. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Stovetop: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken breasts 5-8 minutes per side or boneless thighs 8-10 minutes per side until cooked through. Let rest for 5 minutes.
- Oven: Preheat oven to 425° F. Place chicken in a baking dish. Bake chicken breasts according to size: 5-6 oz for 13-16 minutes, 8 oz for 16-19 minutes, 11-12 oz for 22-26 minutes. Bake boneless thighs 20-30 minutes. Rest for 5 minutes.
- Air Fryer: Arrange chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook breasts at 400° F for 8 minutes, flip, then cook 5-12 minutes more. Boneless thighs cook 11-15 minutes total without flipping. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- If using bone-in chicken thighs, add a few extra minutes to the cooking times given for boneless thighs to ensure doneness.
- To freeze, seal chicken and marinade in a zip-top bag, ensuring all chicken is coated. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before cooking.
- Nutrition estimates are based on using boneless chicken breasts and assume consumption of the entire marinade, though some will likely be discarded.
- Pounding chicken breasts to even thickness ensures uniform cooking and tender texture.
- Resting chicken after cooking allows juices to redistribute for moist results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
