Greek lemon herb chicken (Printable)

Juicy chicken infused with bright lemon, garlic, and herbs, baked perfectly for a flavorful meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1.5 lbs)

→ Marinade

02 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
04 - 1 tablespoon lemon zest
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried oregano)
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
09 - 1 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Garnish

11 - Lemon wedges
12 - Extra chopped parsley

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large bowl or resealable bag, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, oregano, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper until thoroughly mixed.
02 - Add chicken breasts to the marinade and turn to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, up to 4 hours for optimal flavor.
03 - Set oven temperature to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking.
04 - Place marinated chicken in a single layer within a baking dish. Pour remaining marinade over the chicken.
05 - Cook in oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until internal temperature registers 165°F (74°C) and juices run clear.
06 - Remove chicken from oven, let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Garnish with lemon wedges and chopped parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The chicken stays impossibly tender because the acid in the lemon juice does the heavy lifting for you.
  • Your kitchen smells like a Mediterranean vacation within ten minutes of it baking.
  • It works for weeknight dinners and impresses people at the table without any fuss.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time or you'll end up with a plate that looks like your chicken just sweated out its insides.
  • If you're using thighs instead of breasts, give yourself another ten minutes in the oven and don't panic if they take closer to forty, they're just fattier and need the time to get tender.
  • The marinade keeps in the fridge for about three days, so you can actually make it ahead and do the chicken the night before you want to cook it.
03 -
  • Use a microplane for the lemon zest so you get just the bright yellow and none of the bitter white pith underneath.
  • If you forget to marinate and only have thirty minutes, do it anyway, the difference between no marinade and a quick one is still enormous.
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