The classic Greek lemon chicken is a must-try recipe if you love savory, citrusy and comforting flavors with your chicken having crispy skin and juicy meat!
If you are a blogger, irrespective of your domain, I am sure you would have also experienced blogger fatigue at times and I am not ashamed to confess that I am going through that exact same phase at the moment!
That’s the very reason behind the irregularities of my blog posts and I am fully aware that the frequency of my publishing must improve sooner than later!
However, while I fix & sort out my schedule, I must apologize to my loyal readers who still visit my page and have shown their immense love over the years!
End of year is always the best time to reflect on the time we have left behind and express gratitude for all the good things life has bestowed upon us!
With a heart full of nothing but thankfulness, I am here today to share a classic recipe from one of my favorite cuisines, the Mediterranean!
This classic Greek lemon chicken is absolutely gonna brighten up your days ahead once you give it a try in your kitchen! It is easy, quick with minimal prep and a perfect bang for the buck!
What is Greek lemon chicken?
Greek lemon chicken is a traditional baked chicken recipe made with bone-in and skin-on portions of chicken like chicken thighs or chicken drumsticks.
The unique USP of this Greek lemon chicken is its marinade which is a flavor-bomb thanks to all the fresh ingredients used in it.
The typical marinade for this dish is a fresh, tangy and savory mixture of extra-virgin olive oil, a generous amount of lemon juice, garlic and dried herbs like oregano and/or thyme.
Then the chicken thighs or drumsticks are infused in the marinade, preferably overnight, to let them absorb all the goodness of the ingredients and finally baked to perfection in the oven!
Finally serve this addictive Greek lemon chicken in one of many tempting ways!
You can top it over a herby mashed potatoes or enjoy it with a side of fresh Greek salad! You can also pair the Greek lemon chicken with herb roasted potatoes which makes a killer combination!
Ingredients for Greek lemon chicken
Chicken thighs: The best cut for this Greek lemon chicken is, in my opinion, chicken thigh. And that too the skin-on & bone-in chicken thighs!
The nooks & crannies of chicken thighs suck up the flavorful herby marinate beautifully and become delightfully delicious once baked.
For best results, try to use a fresh batch of chicken thigh instead of the ones that are lying inside your freezer for too long!
The fresher the chicken is, the tender and succulent the Greek lemon chicken will turn out.
Extra-virgin olive oil: This dish is a little dense in oil and that’s why using a good quality extra-virgin olive oil is key to create the best ever Greek lemon chicken!
Olive oil not only keeps your chicken soft & tender but also works as a flavor carrier infusing the chicken beautifully with the flavors of herbs and lemon.
Lemon: This dish is also very much about lemony freshness! So you will need a good fourth of a cup lemon juice which you can adjust as per your preference for tartness.
Dried herb: Any Greek recipe or any Mediterranean recipe, for that matter, is generously loaded with herbs, fresh or dried and that makes these recipes so unique and mind-blowing!
The Greek lemon chicken is also no exception! The fresh & addictive herby flavor of this lemon chicken comes from dried oregano and dried thyme which pack a punch into the chicken.
Dijon mustard: The smooth and creamy Dijon mustard works as a thickener and binds together all the marinating ingredients making a thick & uniform liquid that can easily stick to the chicken thighs.
Garlic: If you are regular to my blog, you would already know how fond I am of garlic and I have hardly made any chicken recipe without this favorite aromatic of mine.
Adding minced garlic to the marinade will enhance the flavor profile of the marinating liquid for your Greek lemon chicken making it absolutely irresistible!
Seasoning: Since this dish is significantly high in lemon juice, you would need a good amount of salt to balance that tartness. However, do a taste test of the marinade before pouring them over the chicken.
Add freshly crushed black pepper according to your taste and for that subtle kick of warmth!
How to make Greek lemon chicken?
Step 1: First, we will make the marinade for our baked Greek lemon chicken. In a small bowl, add the extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, dried thyme & oregano and salt & pepper to taste.
Step 2: Give everything a good mix using a wire whisk to make a homogeneous marinating mixture for your chicken.
Step 3: Take the washed and pat dried chicken thighs in a large mixing bowl. Then pour the prepared marinade over the chicken.
Step 4: Massage the chicken with the marinade to ensure each chicken thigh is generously coated with the liquid mixture.
Step 5: Leave the chicken marinated for at least 2 hours or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
Step 6: When you are ready to bake your Greek lemon chicken, preheat your oven to 190 C / 375 F and place the wire rack at the middle of the oven.
Step 7: While your oven is preheating, transfer the marinated chicken to a baking dish arranging the pieces in a single layer. Then pour the leftover marinade over the chicken.
Step 8: Bake the Greek lemon chicken at 190 C / 375 F for 40 minutes, basting them with the marinating liquid halfway through cooking.
Step 9: After about 40 minutes, move the baking dish up one level in the oven and turn on the broiler (which is simply turning on the heating element on top) and reduce the temperature to 180 C / 350 F.
Step 10: Broil the chicken thighs for 10 more minutes until the top becomes crispy and golden brown and chicken is completely cooked through.
Pro tip: To check the doneness of the chicken, poke the meat with the edge of a knife. If the meat cuts easily and there is no trace of pink your chicken is fully cooked.
If you have a meat thermometer, check if the internal meat temperature registers at least 80 C / 175 F; then your chicken is cooked perfectly.
Step 11: Take the baked chicken out of the oven; garnish with fresh thyme leaves and lemon slices. Your dish is ready to serve!
Step 12: Serve the Greek lemon chicken with a generous serving of fresh Greek salad or herb roasted potatoes on the side. Enjoy!
More delicious Mediterranean recipe from Flavor Quotient
Baked Greek Lemon Chicken | Mediterranean Style Baked Chicken with Thyme & Oregano
Author: Priyanka
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Greek
Serves: 3-4 Servings
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs – 8, skinless & bone-in
- Garlic – 8 to 10 cloves, finely minced
- Lemon – 3, small to get about ¼ cup of lemon juice
- Extra-virgin olive oil – ⅓ cup
- Dijon mustard – 2 tsp
- Dried thyme – 1 tbsp
- Dried oregano – 1 tbsp
- Salt & black pepper to taste
Instructions
- First, we will make the marinade for our baked Greek lemon chicken. In a small bowl, add the extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, dried thyme & oregano and salt & pepper to taste.
- Give everything a good mix using a wire whisk to make a homogeneous marinating mixture for your chicken.
- Take the washed and pat dried chicken thighs in a large mixing bowl. Then pour the prepared marinade over the chicken.
- Massage the chicken with the marinade to ensure each chicken thigh is generously coated with the liquid mixture.
- Leave the chicken marinated for at least 2 hours or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
- When you are ready to bake your Greek lemon chicken, preheat your oven to 190 C / 375 F and place the wire rack at the middle of the oven.
- While your oven is preheating, transfer the marinated chicken to a baking dish arranging the pieces in a single layer. Then pour the leftover marinade over the chicken.
- Bake the Greek lemon chicken at 190 C / 375 F for 40 minutes, basting them with the marinating liquid halfway through cooking.
- After about 40 minutes, move the baking dish up one level in the oven and turn on the broiler (which is simply turning on the heating element on top) and reduce the temperature to 180 C / 350 F.
- Broil the chicken thighs for 10 more minutes until the top becomes crispy and golden brown and chicken is completely cooked through.**
- Take the baked chicken out of the oven; garnish with fresh thyme leaves and lemon slices. Your dish is ready to serve!
- Serve the Greek lemon chicken with a generous serving of fresh Greek salad or herb roasted potatoes on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
Pro tip: To check the doneness of the chicken, poke the meat with the edge of a knife. If the meat cuts easily and there is no trace of pink your chicken is fully cooked.
If you have a meat thermometer, check if the internal meat temperature registers at least 80 C / 175 F; then your chicken is cooked perfectly.
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