This easy Greek Chicken Marinade is made with Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, and spices for a zesty, herby marinade that creates a ton of flavor. It only takes 5 minutes to make, so you can prep it in advance and use it to marinate chicken on busy days. 

Aren’t marinades the best? They make creating flavor-packed chicken a breeze, and this Greek Chicken Marinade is no exception. Plus, adding a simple marinade turns otherwise boring chicken breasts into a delicious dinner in no time. 

I typically opt for my mango chicken or grilled chicken thighs, but this greek marinade is becoming a quick favorite after my husband couldn’t stop raving about it. 

Recipe features

• A 5-ingredient marinade that boasts a ton of greek flavor.
• Made with Greek yogurt, which helps to ensure the chicken will be juicy when it cooks. 
• Use it with your favorite cut of chicken for a quick and easy dinner recipe.

Marinade ingredients

Greek yogurt – If you don’t have Greek yogurt, plain yogurt will work, but you’ll need to decrease the amount of oil you use. Greek yogurt is thicker in texture, while plain yogurt is thinner. 

Oil – Opt for olive oil; I don’t recommend using any other oil as many have either a distinct flavor that we don’t want (like coconut oil), or they’re too neutral-tasting (like canola or avocado oil). 

Lemon juice & zest – Fresh lemon juice is best and will yield a better flavor than bottled juice.

Oregano – Dried oregano is fine and typically easier to find than fresh oregano. 

Garlic – Opt for fresh garlic! I like to buy pre-peeled garlic in the refrigerated section at the store to make mincing faster. 

Chicken – I used skinless chicken breast, but skinless chicken thighs would work as well. 

Instructions

Step 1: Add ingredients. Place the yogurt, oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, oregano, salt, black pepper, and minced garlic into a medium bowl. 

Step 2: Whisk together. Use a hand whisk to whisk the marinade ingredients together until the mixture is smooth. 

Step 3: Marinate chicken. Place chicken in a shallow dish, or in a plastic bag. Then pour HALF of the marinade overtop, making sure the chicken is coated. Cover the dish with foil (or seal the bag shut), then place it in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours. Reserve the remaining marinade in a small sealed container. 

Tips and FAQS

• You may not need the reserved marinade if you’re cooking the chicken in a skillet or in the oven; however, if you’re grilling the chicken, make sure to brush the reserved marinade over the chicken either while it’s grilling, or afterward to preserve the greek flavor.
• Make sure to throw away the excess marinade that was covering the chicken. That marinade came in contact with raw chicken, so please don’t use it!
• Use Greek chicken on salads, on a sandwich, on a lettuce wrap, over rice, in pasta — the possibilities are endless! 

Cooking methods

Stovetop: Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Heat a skillet with a little oil over medium heat, then add the chicken and cook it until it’s cooked through. 

Oven: Heat your oven to 425°. Use kitchen tongs to remove chicken from the marinade, shaking off any excess, then place it into a baking dish. Cook small/medium breasts for 15-17 minutes, and larger breasts for 17-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. 

Grill: Clean and oil your grill grates, then heat it over medium-high heat. Use tongs to remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off any excess, then place it directly onto the hot grill. Grill the chicken for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to medium and grill for 2 more minutes. Flip the chicken over and cook for 5 more minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

How do you know when chicken is cooked? 

Chicken is cooked through when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (always use a meat thermometer to check this). I like to remove chicken from the heat once it’s at 160°, because the chicken will continue cooking as it rests on the cutting board. You’ll also know it’s done once the juices run clear when it’s sliced.

What should I serve alongside Greek chicken? 

• Mediterranean Pasta Salad
• Air Fryer Potato Wedges
• Sun-Dried Tomato Salad
• Feta Harissa Roasted Carrots
• Grilled Zucchini
• Bone Broth Rice
• Buttery Turkish Hummus
• Lemon Orzo Salad 

Storage

Refrigerator: Store marinade in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 7 days. 

Freezer: Spoon the marinade into a freezer bag, seal it shut then store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just remember to thaw it in the refrigerator overnight the day before you want to use it.  

More chicken recipes

• ​Creamy Garlic Chicken
• Baked Parmesan Chicken
• Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!