When you’re in the mood for a fresh, Mediterranean-style meal, this Grilled Greek Chicken will definitely hit the spot. Lemony-herbed grilled chicken served with freshly made Tzatziki Sauce is the perfect choice for a warm summer evening.
This gorgeous Grilled Greek Chicken served with Tzatziki and Greek Salad is my idea of the perfect summer meal. It checks all the boxes.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- The chicken marinates while you work and is ready to cook when you’re ready to eat.
- The lemony, herby marinade infuses incredible flavor.
- It’s low-carb and healthy but 100% satisfying.
- It gives us all an excuse to eat copious amounts of Tzatziki Sauce.
- It is the base for a summery Greek-inspired meal that begs to be eaten outdoors.
We started our grilling season early this year, especially by Oregon standards, and have been firing up our old school Weber on and off since April. It’s the California in us. When the sun comes out, so does the grill and lucky for us, we had some unseasonably warm and sunny weather this year.
Now that it’s officially summer, it is definitely time to get our grill on and this Grilled Greek Chicken is a fabulous choice.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken – Any chicken pieces will work with this marinade but I prefer boneless, skinless breasts and thighs.
- Fresh herbs – I’m a huge proponent of using dried herbs in many recipes, but not this one. Fresh rosemary, oregano, and thyme add that classic Greek flavor. The herbs from the marinade cling to the chicken pieces and char as they grill adding such great flavor.
- Garlic – Fresh minced garlic.
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Lemon
How to Make Grilled Greek Chicken
- Combine the olive oil, fresh herbs, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Place the chicken pieces in a resealable plastic storage bag and pour the the marinade over the top.
- Seal the bag and refrigerate the chicken for at least one and up to 8 hours.
- Grill over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked. The internal temperature of the thickest portion of chicken should register 165 degrees F before removing it from the grill.
Those charred flecks of herbs on the surface of the grilled chicken are delicious!
Make it a Freezer Meal
For an easy future meal, prepare the marinade as directed and pour it over the chicken in a freezer-safe plastic storage bag. Press out as much air as possible, seal and label the bag, and lay it flat in your freezer. A freezer bag is the best choice to ensure that the chicken will be immersed in marinade.
Thaw the chicken safely in the refrigerator overnight before grilling as directed in the recipe. Raw chicken in marinade can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
This versatile Grilled Greek Chicken can be sliced to serve in a salad or wrapped in pitas. When serving as a main course, select one or more of these recipes to make it a meal.
- Tzatziki Sauce (a must!)
- Toasted Pitas (delicious with Tzatziki)
- Greek Salad
- Orzo, Grape, Feta Salad
- Creamy Orzo with Mushrooms and Parmesan
- Orzo Salad with Roasted Red Peppers, Spinach and Feta
- Greek Potatoes
Storage
Promptly refrigerate leftover chicken in a sealed plastic storage bag or airtight container. Cooked chicken should be used within 3 to 4 days.
Leftovers are delicious cold from the fridge for an easy lunch.
Light, flavorful, and so pretty on the plate. Summer eats!
Grilled Greek Chicken
Ingredients
For the Greek Chicken
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 pounds assorted skinless chicken pieces, I used boneless breasts and thighs
For Serving (Optional)
- 1 recipe Tzatziki Sauce
- 1 recipe Greek Salad
Instructions
Greek Marinade
- In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, oregano, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Place the chicken pieces in a gallon sized zippered plastic storage bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken, seal the bag. Turn the bag several times to distribute the marinade. Place the bag in the refrigerator for at least an hour or up to 8 hours. The chicken will be more tender and flavorful if it marinates for several hours or more.
Grilling Instructions
- Preheat an indoor our outdoor grill for MEDIUM-HIGH heat. Place the chicken on the grill and discard the marinade. Grill approximately 5 to 6 minutes per side or until the internal temperature of the thickest portion of chicken reads 165 degrees F. Cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of your pieces.
- Serve the chicken with Tzatziki Sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
Greek Inspired Recipes
This post was originally published on August 1, 2013. It has been updated with new text and images.
I have had this recipe at our local Greek owned restaurant…I have always loved both the chicken…( they also make it in the beef) and the sauce or dip. So glad to finally find a recipe for it!!!! My question is…Will it make a big difference if I use the dried herbs instead of the fresh herbs. I don’t always have the fresh, and if a spur hits me to make it right now..lol..can I use the dried with good results? Thanks, for sharing this recipe and am looking so forward to making it! <3
Hi Kathy! I really feel the fresh herbs are what make this recipe shine. If you do substitute dry herbs, be sure to use about a third of the amount of fresh herbs called for in the recipe. Dry herbs are far more concentrated than fresh so you’ll need to scale back. I hope you’ll try it with fresh herbs sometime. Enjoy!
Love all the fresh herbs you used here… you totally had me at warm toasted pitas!
Valerie, I cannot praise you enough for this recipe. I am told I am a good cook but after my family had this meal, they just couldn’t believe how delicious, fresh, aromatic yet light this dish was. Herbs and spices are not used enough in this country. I was born and raised in Europe, and I miss good Mediteranean cuisine restaurants.
You should open a restaurant Valerie 🙂
Looking forward to more delicious recipes on your website.
Thank you, Gabriela
Thank for the wonderful compliments, Gabriela. I’m so happy your family enjoyed this dish. I absolutely love it too. Thanks for the feedback and for making my day brighter 🙂
Yum! I wish I had a grill at home. I love it with the tzatziki sauce. 🙂
What a beautiful chicken! Just love the tzatziki sauce with it. Greek food is our favorite food and I will try this out soon at home. Thanks so much for sharing.
Absolutely delicious, and great photos too, Val! This is one of my favorite summer meals! I can’t slather tzatziki on enough meats in the summer. Thanks for sharing and enjoy your weekend!
That doesn’t surprise me. Based on the recipes you share, I can tell we have very similar tastes! Thank you Georgia and have a fantastic weekend 🙂
That Chicken looks fantastic!
Thanks Angie!
This looks spectacular! I absolutely love tzatziki sauce and put it on everything!
Thank you so much Kelly and thank you for stopping by! I’m a big fan of your site 🙂