Summertime calls for firing up the grill and this is my go to marinade. This marinated chicken is perfect on a Greek salad, wrapped up with warm pita in a gyro, or you can simply throw some summer vegetables on the grill and you’ve got a great meal.
Greek Chicken Marinade
Chicken I have used this marinade on whole chicken breast, diced chicken, chicken thighs, and chicken tenders, and it turns out great regardless of which cut I’m using. If you use diced chicken, you can cook it a large sauté pan or put them on a skewer and throw them on the grill. If you use a sauté pan, you may need to cook the chicken in two batches to not overcrowd the pan.
Greek Yogurt This may surprise some of you, but yogurt is a great base for a marinade. It gives the meat great flavor and texture. The level of acidity in the yogurt tenderizes the meat without leaving the meat mushy. We almost aways have Chobani Greek Yogurt in our house, which means this recipe is always on stand-by at our house.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Gives this marinade even more richness and flavor, while thinning out the yogurt enough to evenly coat the meat.
Oregano Dried Oregano gives this recipe a wonderful greek flavor.
Paprika is optional in this marinade, but it adds a nice warm and smokey flavor.
Onion and Garlic are the aromatics in this recipe. Using onion and garlic powder makes this recipe easy to put together. You can substitute four cloves of minced fresh garlic if you have it on hand.
Salt and Pepper I love this recipe because once it is marinated, you don’t need to season the chicken before cooking it. It has a good amount of salt and pepper in the marinade, so just oil your grill and throw the chicken on. You can finish the chicken with a little salt and pepper if you like things on the saltier side.
Marinade the chicken for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours beforehand. Don’t worry, the chicken will not come out mushy if you marinade it overnight.
Grill or Sear To cook this chicken you can grill it or sear it in a pan. To be honest, during the summer, I use my Le Creuset grill pan inside because it’s just too dang hot outside. Plus you have the door opening and closing and opening….you get the point. If you grill the chicken, make sure the grates have been brushed clean and oil the grates before putting the chicken on. If you are cooking in a pan, turn it on medium high heat with olive oil and sear it on both sides until cooked through.
Wine Pairings Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay are a great pairing with this delicious chicken.
What should you serve with the chicken? A classic greek salad or our Farro Greek Salad will go perfectly with this recipe.
Recipe
Greek Marinated Chicken
This Greek Marinated Chicken is so flavorful and tender. It is perfect with a Greek salad, gyros and served with grilled summer vegetables.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Plain Greek Yogurt
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Smokey Paprika
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 2 lbs Chicken (Either Breast, Tenders or Thighs)
Directions
- Step 1 Combine all of the marinade ingredients together then add in the chicken. Make sure the chicken is evenly coated. Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes to up to 24 hours.
- Step 2 On a hot grill or pan with a drizzle of olive oil, cook your chicken until cooked throughout.
About the Author
Lauren is a classically trained, professional chef. A culinary school graduate, she has spent time working organic farms in the Italian countryside and was the pastry/sous chef at a high profile restaurant in Dallas prior to becoming a full-time personal chef. Her cooking style is often referred to as “rustic.” Being a personal chef, she is not bound by a single type of cuisine and has had the opportunity to experiment with hundreds of regional recipes from all over the world.
