Merken I discovered this recipe quite by accident one summer evening when my neighbor brought over a container of marinated chicken that somehow ended up in my fridge. The moment I opened it, the aroma of lemon and oregano hit me so strongly that I knew I had to figure out how she'd made it. Now, years later, this Greek lemon herb chicken has become my go-to dish whenever I want something that feels both effortless and impressive, like I've actually spent hours planning dinner when really it just took minutes to prepare.
The first time I made this for a weeknight dinner, my partner walked into the kitchen halfway through baking and just stood there breathing in, then asked if we were having company. We weren't, but somehow that moment made the whole meal feel celebratory, like we were treating ourselves for no reason at all.
Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4 breasts, about 700g / 1.5 lbs): The canvas for everything else; make sure they're roughly the same thickness so they cook evenly, or gently pound any thicker ones flat with the side of your knife.
- Extra-virgin olive oil (60 ml / 1/4 cup): This carries all the flavor directly into the chicken, so don't skimp on quality here since you can really taste it.
- Fresh lemon juice (2 tablespoons from about 1 lemon): Bottled works in a pinch, but fresh juice gives the whole dish a brightness that you'll notice immediately.
- Lemon zest (1 tablespoon): This little bit does more work than you'd expect, adding concentrated citrus punch that soaks into every fiber.
- Garlic, minced (3 cloves): Use a microplane or zester to crush it as you mince if you have one, which releases more of those fragrant oils.
- Fresh oregano, chopped (1 tablespoon, or 1 teaspoon dried): If you can get fresh, it makes a real difference in how alive the marinade tastes, but dried absolutely works and honestly I've made this both ways without apology.
- Fresh parsley, chopped (1 tablespoon): This adds a subtle freshness at the end that balances all the intensity from the lemon and garlic.
- Dried thyme (1 teaspoon): A quiet background note that rounds everything out, like the bass line in a song you love.
- Salt (1 teaspoon): This brings everything into focus; taste as you go if you're using kosher salt since it's larger-grained.
- Freshly ground black pepper (1/2 teaspoon): Always grind it fresh right before you mix the marinade, which honestly takes thirty seconds and changes everything.
- Lemon wedges and extra chopped parsley (for garnish, optional): These aren't decoration, they're your last chance to add brightness and make the plate look like someone who knows what they're doing made it.
Instructions
- Build your marinade:
- In a large bowl or resealable bag, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, oregano, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper until everything is combined and the zest is scattered throughout. This is your flavor foundation, so take a moment to smell it and adjust if something feels off.
- Coat the chicken:
- Add your chicken breasts to the marinade and toss them around until every surface is slick and glistening. If you're using a bag, press out the air, seal it, and you can even massage the marinade in through the plastic, which honestly feels satisfying.
- Let time do the work:
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, though 4 hours is genuinely better if you can plan ahead; the chicken will absorb more flavor and the herbs will infuse more deeply. I've marinated this overnight before and woken up to an even better version of dinner.
- Prepare your oven:
- When you're ready to cook, preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) and let it get fully hot. This ensures the chicken will start cooking immediately instead of sitting around getting pale.
- Transfer and bake:
- Arrange your marinated chicken breasts in a single layer in a baking dish and pour every drop of remaining marinade over the top. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F) when you check it with a thermometer at the thickest part, or until the chicken is golden and cooked through.
- Rest and serve:
- Let the chicken rest in the pan for 5 minutes before you slice or serve it; this keeps all those juices where they belong, inside the meat and not on your plate. Garnish with lemon wedges and fresh parsley if you have them, and suddenly dinner looks like you went to cooking school.
Merken One afternoon my mother-in-law asked for this recipe after tasting it, which meant everything to me since she's an incredible cook herself. Now it's become this little thread between us where we'll text photos of our versions, and somehow that transformed a simple dinner into something that connects us across the distance.
Why This Tastes Like Summer
There's something about lemon and oregano together that just tastes like Mediterranean sunshine, even if you're making it in the middle of winter in your kitchen under fluorescent lights. The combination hits your palate like a memory of warmth and salt air, which is why this chicken works year-round but feels especially right when the seasons shift and you're craving something bright and alive.
Making It Your Own
I've added red pepper flakes for heat, swapped in rosemary when oregano seemed boring, and once used lime juice instead of lemon just because that's what I had. The beauty of this marinade is that it's flexible enough to bend with what's in your kitchen without completely breaking, so don't treat it like a law carved in stone.
What to Serve Alongside
This chicken is the kind of dish that makes everything around it taste better, so you can build your meal however feels right in the moment. A simple Greek salad with red onions and feta feels natural, roasted potatoes soak up the pan juices beautifully, and warm pita bread is perfect for wrapping any leftovers the next day at lunch.
- Leftovers transform into incredible grain bowls or chopped into salads, so cook extra if you can get away with it.
- If you use bone-in thighs instead of breasts, add 10 to 15 minutes to the cooking time and watch them come out even more tender and forgiving.
- This freezes beautifully both marinated and cooked, so you can make it on a Sunday and thank yourself all week long.
Merken This recipe has become my answer to the question "what's for dinner?" when I have no inspiration, which is saying something. It's turned into the kind of dish I reach for when I want to feed people something that feels generous and intentional without actually requiring all that much from me.
Fragen & Antworten zum Rezept
- → Wie lange sollte das Huhn mariniert werden?
Mindestens eine Stunde, idealerweise bis zu vier Stunden, um die Aromen vollständig einziehen zu lassen.
- → Kann man das Huhn auch mit anderen Kräutern zubereiten?
Ja, frische mediterrane Kräuter wie Rosmarin oder Basilikum passen ebenfalls sehr gut zu dem Gericht.
- → Wie erkennt man, dass das Huhn durchgegart ist?
Das Huhn ist fertig, wenn die Kerntemperatur 74 °C erreicht hat und der Fleischsaft klar ist.
- → Kann man das Gericht auch mit Hähnchenschenkeln zubereiten?
Ja, Hähnchenschenkel sorgen für mehr Saftigkeit, die Garzeit sollte auf 35–40 Minuten angepasst werden.
- → Welche Beilagen passen am besten dazu?
Griechischer Salat, geröstete Kartoffeln oder frisches Fladenbrot ergänzen das Gericht perfekt.