Description
A delightful recipe highlighting bold flavors of Greek cuisine with marinated chicken, zesty lemon, and creamy feta.
Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- Fresh lemons (for zest and juice)
- Authentic Greek feta cheese
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Dried Greek oregano
- Minced garlic
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Optional: cherry tomatoes
- Optional: Kalamata olives
- Optional: thinly sliced red onion
- Optional: bell peppers
- Optional: chicken broth or vegetable broth
Instructions
- Pat the boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts) dry with paper towels and trim off any excess fat.
- Place the chicken in a large bowl or a resealable bag.
- Season generously with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Whisk together the juice of two lemons, a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 3-4 cloves of minced garlic, and 2 teaspoons of dried Greek oregano.
- Add the zest of one lemon to the marinade.
- Pour this mixture over the chicken, ensuring each piece is well coated, and massage the chicken to work in the flavors.
- Cover the bowl or seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, ideally 2-4 hours, or overnight for best results.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and let any excess drip off.
- Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat with a tablespoon of olive oil.
- Sear the chicken pieces for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown.
- If using optional vegetables like cherry tomatoes or Kalamata olives, arrange them around the seared chicken in the skillet.
- If you didn’t sear the chicken, place the marinated chicken and vegetables directly into a large baking dish.
- Pour any remaining marinade or a splash of chicken broth over the chicken and vegetables.
- Transfer to the preheated oven.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes for chicken breasts, or 20-25 minutes for chicken thighs, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- About 5-7 minutes before the chicken is fully cooked, crumble the feta cheese over the chicken and vegetables.
- Once cooked, remove the dish from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh parsley or dill and an extra squeeze of lemon juice.
- Serve warm with pan juices spooned over.
Notes
Let the chicken marinate overnight for enhanced flavor. Searing adds important texture and moisture. Use fresh herbs for added aroma.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: main course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 80mg