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No boring chicken here! I can’t wait for you try this Mediterranean inspired Oven Roasted Greek Chicken Breast recipe. Meaty chicken pieces are marinated in an herb and garlic yogurt sauce then slow roasted to juicy perfection.
Do you love easy and flavorful dinner recipes? Me too! If you’re a little tired of the same old boring bird, jump on down and print this recipe my friends 🙂 Today I’m sharing this incredibly flavorful Oven Roasted Greek Chicken Breasts recipe that’s so versatile you can make it with any variety of chicken pieces and even a whole bird. I prefer to keep the chicken pieces the same size for even baking so I use all thighs, legs, breasts or even quarters. You can also use this marinade for grilling boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, and incredibly tender chicken skewers too. It’s all great!
I’ve always been a big fan of oven roasted chicken breasts for an easy family meal.
When I’m feeling really uninspired, I sprinkle a little seasoned salt blend or Mrs. Dash seasoning on the chicken and call it dinner. But when I manage to think about dinner early in the day, or even the day before, I whip up this easy marinade and let it work the magic on my favorite chicken breasts. Once marinated for at least 4 hours or up to 24, all you do is put it in a pan and pop it in the oven! While the chicken roasts, I steam some vegetables or make a quick salad. And even though this recipe is simple enough for a weeknight meal, it also makes an impressive dinner party main course. With all the prep work done well in advance, that leaves more time to finish the meal without feeling stressed. Toss in a few olives at the end for nice visual appeal and briny flavor. It works for me! The aroma of the fresh herbs and garlic is amazing, practically enticing everyone to the dinner table in record time.
Why do I use yogurt in the marinade?
Yogurt has always been revered as a healthy way to start the day. In addition to being high in protein and loaded with calcium, vitamins and probiotics, yogurt can also tenderize meats and chicken. In THIS article by Tommy Werner, he describes how the microbes and lactic acid in yogurt are responsible for breaking down the proteins in chicken, making it tender and moist. The active bacteria in Greek yogurt works slowly to tenderize the chicken without making the flesh mushy and soft. This mild form of lactic acid is a favorite with Middle Eastern and Indian inspired recipes too. You’ll find yogurt is used to marinate our luscious Indian Butter Chicken Recipe and this popular and flavorful Chicken Tikka Masala recipe too. Yogurt’s not just for breakfast bowls and smoothies!
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One of the best kitchen tools I have in my kitchen:
Without a doubt, Staub makes some pretty amazing products! In my opinion, the hype is well deserved. This Cast Iron 3.5-qt Braiser with Glass Lid (in Graphite Grey) cooks almost anything – amazingly well! The textured black matte enamel interior ensures exceptional browning and the durable cast iron construction boasts incredible heat retention and distribution. The enamel finish will not chip, crack or rust and the tight-fitting glass lid locks in moisture and allows easy monitoring of cooking. I love the big domed lid for large pieces of meat also allowing steam to circulate. I know it’s a bit pricey, but watch for a sale on Amazon or Williams Sonoma. This is a great investment and I bet you’ll find you use it all the time, like me! The size is perfect for so many recipes. Absolutely LOVE IT!
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Enjoy these Mediterranean inspired meaty chicken breasts marinated in an herb and garlic yogurt sauce then slow roasted to juicy perfection!
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 1 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoons dried
- 6 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
- Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag. Loosen the skin on top of the breasts by poking a finger under between the skin and breast making a small opening. Don’t detach it completely. Spoon a little marinade into the pocket and smash it around to distribute. Place the chicken breasts in the bag with the remaining marinade, turning to coat. Marinate for 4-24 hours. Turn the bag a few times while marinating.
When ready to roast, remove the bag of chicken from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place chicken breasts skin-side up in a roasting pan or large oven-proof skillet.
- Reserve marinade to baste chicken halfway through roasting if desired..
Roast the breasts (uncovered) until they register 160 degrees F, about 50-60 minutes depending on the size of the pieces. Baste with additional marinade halfway through roasting if desired. Remove the pan from the oven and spoon the pan juices over the top of the chicken. Serve and enjoy!
Marinade works great for grilled boneless, skinless chicken and skewers too! If you use bone-in thighs or legs, adjust roasting time to allow for smaller pieces.
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Thanks so much for stopping by! Â Tricia
I prepared this dish and strictly followed the recipe. The stated cooking time was too long and the chicken was dry and did not have much flavor. I was a little disappointed. I don’t think it was the chicken itself as I used a high quality brand, Bell and Evans.
Thanks for the feedback Lori. I am very surprised because I’ve never had this issue with this recipe. There is so much flavor in the chicken and it’s juicy and tender every time. Thanks for trying it – sorry it didn’t work out for you. Perhaps your chicken breasts were smaller than mine.
Wow! I almost didn’t make this because of your comment. I’m so glad that I decided to go ahead and make it. It was an explosion of flavor and super moist. I will be making it again.
So glad you tried it Renee! This is a favorite of mine – so much flavor and the chicken is very juicy. Not sure what went wrong for Lori – but this recipe is a keeper 🙂
possibly your oven runs too hot – I always use an oven thermometer
We usually cook our chicken on the grill but due to -10 temperature I was browsing ways to cook it indoors. This recipe caught my eye immediately because we love Mediterranean flavors. I only had time to let it marinate for 3 hrs, but it was still delicious! I’ll definitely put this recipe in our rotation, but I’ll be better prepared to let it marinate longer. Maybe once the temperature rises we’ll give it a try on the grill 😋
Thanks for sharing
Thanks so much Rhonda – I LOVE this chicken and putting it on the grill is something I’m looking forward to as well. We were down to 9 degrees last night – so cold! Stay warm and thank you for trying our recipe, and for taking the time to let us know how it turned out for you. Outstanding!
This does sound so good. And thanks for reminding me that I best start thinking about dinner. I do believe I have some chicken breasts I can marinate. Perhaps Greek style?!
This chicken is so delicious Abbe – hope you’ll give it a try!
This reminds me of a mayo-marinated chicken breast recipe that we grill that is so delicious too! I’d love to try your yogurt marinade in a recipe that’s indoor friendly (she says while looking out at 6 inches of snow on the ground) 🙂 Thank you, Tricia!
I bet you are getting some snow this weekend Susan. We enjoyed 8 inches last weekend but are so over it now – haha. Enjoy this chicken – it’s so good!
I collect loads and loads of dessert recipes, but what I really need are more dinner ideas! This Greek chicken is perfect! Love the crispy skin and all the flavorful herbs!!! YUM.
Thanks Liz – this is a recipe you’ll want to put on repeat! SO good 🙂
Love your chicken and also loooove that pan, I’m off to check it out :)))
Thanks Sue! The pan is a keeper and my favorite kitchen tool these days.
I love Greek flavours, so I can’t wait to try this one. It looks perfect. Always looking for new ways to cook up chicken 🙂
We were on the same page today Jennifer. Love chicken breasts for dinner and would love to try your one pan recipe 🙂
This is wonderful! Such a pretty dish. Don’t you just love white balsamic? Sometimes you don’t want the “brown.”
I love using white balsamic vinegar in my recipes Mimi – so much flavor in those tiny bottles 🙂 Thanks!
Could I make this with bone in thighs?
Yes you can Em – use any kind of chicken pieces you want. Enjoy!
This looks amazingly delicious with that yoghurt marinade, Tricia. Going to market later and I am going to get some chicken breasts to try this because it is too good to miss in life!
I’m so glad you are going to try this Angie. It’s got so much flavor and is so tender and juicy. Thanks so much!
These look fantastic, Tricia! I can’t wait to pick up some chicken breasts and try this recipe. Who needs rotisserie chicken? This looks so much better!
Thank you Chris! Bet you love it too 😉