Greek Chicken Marinade (So Easy and Flavorful!)

Juicy, flavorful Greek chicken is easy to achieve with this marinade! Greek chicken marinade comes together quickly with homemade Greek seasoning, yogurt, and a few more choice ingredients. 

Creating this Greek Chicken Marinade

If you’ve only used bottled chicken marinades in the past, you’re in for a treat! I love making homemade marinades like this one because they take all of 5 minutes to whisk together but impart so much flavor. 

I’ve used this Greek marinade for chicken breasts, thighs, kabobs, and even on a whole roast chicken. And although this is labeled as a Greek chicken marinade, it can also be used to flavor and tenderize pork and salmon. 

When using this Greek yogurt chicken marinade, I highly recommend letting the chicken sit in the marinade for at least 4 hours. However, if you’re short on time, even 30 minutes to 1 hour in the marinade will help flavor the chicken! 

Keep reading to learn my top tips for making Greek chicken marinade, how to marinate chicken, and how to cook Greek chicken three ways. 

What I Love About Making Homemade Chicken Marinades

Homemade marinades are far superior to their store-bought counterparts. In homemade marinades, you get to control the amount of salt in the dish. 

Plus, homemade marinades contain no unrecognizable thickeners or additives. And you can make the exact amount of marinade you need, so no more half-used bottles of marinade taking up space in the fridge! 

Most importantly, what many people don’t realize about marinades like this recipe is that they don’t just add flavor to chicken. The marinade also works to tenderize the meat before it’s cooked, resulting in ultra juicy chicken every time. 

That’s why it’s so important to let the chicken marinate for a few hours — the marinade needs time to do its work! 

Tools Needed to Make Greek Chicken Marinade 

You can just as easily make this marinade for Greek chicken using a mixing bowl and a whisk, but here’s what I recommend using to make your life easier: 

• Large measuring cup — For measuring out the liquid ingredients in the marinade. 
• Large mixing bowl — I like to combine the marinade in a bowl large enough to hold the chicken. That way, I don’t have to dirty a zip-top bag. 
• Gallon-sized zip-top bag — If you don’t have space to fit a bowl in your fridge, marinate the chicken in a large bag. Be sure to discard the bag after using. 
• Whisk — All you have to do is whisk together the marinade! 
• Blender — Not necessary, but I know some people prefer pureeing marinades in a blender to make them super smooth. 
• Citrus juicer — Makes juicing lemons a breeze. 
• Garlic press — I hate chopping garlic, so this is a must for me! 

Ingredients in Greek Chicken Marinade

This is a Greek yogurt marinade for chicken. The yogurt, lemon juice, and white wine vinegar work together to both flavor the meat and tenderize it. 

Here’s what else you’ll need to make this easy Greek chicken marinade: 

• Olive oil
• Plain Greek yogurt 
• White wine vinegar
• Garlic
• Greek seasoning 
• Lemon
• Salt and pepper 

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

How to Make Greek Marinade for Chicken

Making the marinade itself is as simple as combining everything together in a bowl! I’ve given detailed instructions on preparing the marinade and cooking the chicken in the recipe card below, but keep reading for an overview of the process: 

1. Make the marinade: In a mixing bowl or large glass measuring cup, add the olive oil, Greek yogurt, white wine vinegar, minced garlic, Greek seasoning, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
2. Whisk the ingredients together using a wire whisk. 
3. Marinate the chicken: Pour the Greek chicken marinade into a gallon sized zip-top bag or other container of your preferences. 
4. Add 1 pound of chicken to the marinade.
5. Seal the bag or container and transfer to the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or up to 2 days.

Tip: Instead of using a whisk, you can instead add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend on low to combine.

Tips for Making the Best Greek Chicken Marinade

• Pound the chicken to an even thickness — It will cook more evenly and this helps tenderize the chicken even more.
• Use fresh lemon juice — Bottled lemon juice will also work, but it’s not as flavorful or fresh tasting. 
• Wash your lemon before zesting it — If possible, but an organic lemon as well to ensure you’re not zesting anything nasty into your marinade. 
• Salt to taste — Everyone’s paletes are different, also check if your Greek seasoning contains salt. 
• Use a homemade Greek seasoning blend — I have a Greek seasoning recipe that I adore! You can make a big batch to keep on hand for making Greek chicken, pork kabobs, and more. 
• Don’t over-marinade the chicken — Don’t be tempted to leave the chicken in the marinade for too long, otherwise the chicken will become tough and rubbery rather than moist and juicy. 
• Do NOT poke holes in the chicken — The marinade will penetrate the chicken all on its own. Again, just give it enough time to work its magic. 

What Kind of Chicken Should I Use for this Greek Chicken Marinade?

I like breasts or tenderloins best, but you could also use thighs, chicken legs, or even a whole chicken! The marinating time will remain the same, but note that the cook time will of course differ depending on the size and cut of chicken you’re using. 

How Long Should You Marinate Chicken?

I like to marinate chicken overnight for maximum flavor, but you can get away with as little as 2 hours and still get flavorful chicken.

Note that smaller cuts of chicken will need less time in the Greek marinade (i.e. cubed chicken, chicken strips, chicken thighs, or chicken tenderloins) than chicken breast or whole chicken.

The USDA says to marinate chicken for NO MORE than 2 days. If your chicken has been sitting in the marinade for longer than that, you’ll have to toss it as the chicken could have gone bad by that point. 

Plus, letting chicken sit in the marinade for too long will make it tough and stringy rather than tender and juicy. 

Tip: NEVER reuse marinade after it has been used. If you want to use some as a finishing sauce, you’ll need to either boil it after it’s come in contact with raw chicken or set aside a portion of the marinade that you don’t add to raw chicken. 

How to Cook Greek Marinated Chicken

After marinating the chicken in this homemade Greek marinade, you can cook it on the grill, in the oven, or on the stovetop. 

We typically use this Greek marinade for grilled chicken, but use whichever cooking method is best for you. 

Just note that if you end up marinating a whole chicken, I think making roasted chicken in the oven is ideal.

Grilled Greek Chicken 

The key to amazing Greek grilled chicken is to let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes after taking it off the grill. This gives the juices within the chicken time to redistribute and makes for a more tender grilled chicken. 

Also, the carry-over heat will bring the chicken the rest of the way up to the final temperature. This way, you won’t accidentally overcook the chicken and make it tough and dry. 

Here’s how to cook Greek chicken on the grill after it’s sat in the marinade: 

1. Preheat the grill to 450ºF.
2. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade.
3. Pat the chicken dry on both sides using a paper towel.
4. After the grill has preheated, place the chicken directly on the grill grates and close the lid.
5. Cook for 5 minutes, then flip the chicken and cook for 5 more minutes.
6. Check the internal temperature using a meat thermometer. Once it has reached 165ºF at the thickest portion the chicken will be done. 
7. If after 10 minutes of cooking the chicken has not reached 165 degrees F internally, flip the chicken again and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Flip and repeat.
8. Remove cooked chicken from the grill and place on a plate or cutting board. 
9. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving or slicing.

Tip: To create those lovely grill marks, pat the chicken dry before grilling. You will not get grill marks using wet chicken

Baked Greek Chicken 

The general method outlined below is for baked chicken breasts or thighs. Use this method when baking boneless cuts of chicken.

I’ve gone into more detail in the recipe card below on how to roast bone-in cuts of chicken as well as how to roast a whole Greek chicken.

Here’s how to make baked Greek chicken using this marinade:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Remove the chicken from the marinade
3. Place the chicken in an oven-safe baking dish with 1/2 cup of the marinade (discard the rest), then cover the pan with foil.
4. Bake the chicken covered for 15 minutes. 
5. Remove the foil and continue baking until the chicken registers 165ºF when a meat thermometer is inserted in the thickest portion of the breast.
6. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Stovetop Greek Chicken 

The quickest way to make Greek chicken is on the stovetop. I highly recommend using a cast iron skillet to cook the chicken. Cast iron distributes heat the most evenly and won’t burn the chicken like thinner, lower quality skillets tend to do.

Here’s an overview of how to make stovetop Greek chicken:

1. Place a well seasoned cast iron skillet over the stove and heat it over medium-high heat.
2. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade.
3. Pat the chicken dry on both sides.
4. Add a little olive oil to the pan and swirl so it is coated. 
5. When the pan is hot and the oil is sizzling, add the chicken to the pan. 
6. Cook the chicken for approximately 6 minutes. Then, flip and cook for an additional 6 minutes on the other side.
7. Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest on a plate for 5 minutes before serving.

The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

What’s the Safe Internal Temperature for Cooked Chicken? 

You’ll know that chicken (any cut) is safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF. 

If desired, you can pull the chicken off the grill or out of the oven a little before it reaches the “safe” temperature. As you let it rest on your counter, the chicken finishes coming up to temperature thanks to the carry-over heat from the grill or oven. 

You can also tell when chicken is done by piercing it with a fork and checking to see whether the juice runs clear. 

However, the safest way to test the doneness of cooked chicken is to use a food thermometer! That way there’s no guesswork and you can take the temperature of different parts of the chicken. 

Can You Freeze This Marinade?

Yes! I like to place chicken in a freezer bag with this Greek yogurt chicken marinade and then freeze the raw chicken and marinade together. Then, take the chicken out of the freezer 2 days before you plan to cook the chicken and allow it to thaw in the fridge. 

Do NOT marinate the chicken for a few hours and then freeze it. Prepare the marinade, coat the chicken in it, and then freeze immediately. The chicken will mariante as it thaws later in the fridge. 

What to Serve with Greek Marinated Chicken

There are so many ways to enjoy Greek marinated chicken! Serve the chicken with one or more of the following sides:  

• Greek Pico
• Sun-Dried Tomato Spinach Rice Pilaf
• Pitas or Homemade Naan
• Mediterranean Grilled Vegetables
• Tzatziki
• Marinated Feta
• Mediterranean Pasta Salad
• Asparagus Risotto
• Grilled Baby Artichokes

Don’t see what you’re looking for here? You can always head over to check out the recipe index to look for more recipes.

Other Ways to Use this Greek Marinade

The Greek marinade is good on so much more than chicken! It’s a multipurpose marinade that also doubles as a salad dressing or sauce. Or, use it to marinate different cuts of meat. 

Here are some yummy ways to repurpose the Greek marinade recipe: 

• Use it as a marinade for pork when making Greek Pork Kebabs.
• Drizzle a little bit over Grilled Vegetables.
• Make these Chicken Pita Pockets.
• Try this marinade on bone-in or thick cut pork chops before grilling.
• Marinate Roasted Portobello Mushrooms before roasting.
• Use as a veggie marinade when making Veggie Kebabs. Mushrooms, bell pepper, onion, and tomato work great!
• Add a small amount to a bowl of chopped tomato and cucumber for a simple Greek Salad.

Try this Greek Chicken Marinade at Home!

Next time you’re looking for a delicious chicken marinade recipe, give this Greek Chicken Marinade a try! 

Did you love this Greek marinade for chicken? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this Greek Marinade recipe.

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