Greek Lemon Chicken
361 Comments
Updated May 23, 2024
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This lemon chicken recipe is all about juicy, tender, and golden-baked chicken thighs coated with the best lemon-herb Greek marinade. It’s quick to prep, easy to cook, and the results are fantastic!
If there is one chicken recipe I could live off of, it’s this Greek lemon chicken. I’m a sucker for skin-on chicken thighs given how naturally juicy and flavorful they are. Plus, I love how it’s virtually impossible to overcook chicken thighs in the oven. But this bright and herby lemon chicken marinade is what makes this dish so satisfying.
If you’ve been making my recipes for a while, you may have come across different variations of this marinade on my website previously. And that’s because Mediterranean recipes are the heart and soul of how I cook! From my video on simple chicken marinades to this Greek sheet pan chicken and Greek chicken kabobs, lemon chicken recipes have become a Downshiftology staple.
If you watch the video below, you’ll see that I serve up these Greek lemon chicken thighs with a side of lemon herb rice (from my cookbook) and air fryer green beans to complete the best dinner ever. But keep scrolling for even more side dish ideas!
Lemon Chicken Ingredients
You’ll be glad to hear that this recipe is extremely pantry-friendly, including the chicken marinade! Here’s what you need.
- Chicken: Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs lend the juiciest meat and crispiest outer skin. If you’re using frozen chicken thighs, let them thaw in the fridge overnight before making this recipe.
- Liquids: A combination of extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and Dijon mustard make up the base of the marinade. And if you want to amp up the lemon flavor, add a bit of lemon zest to the mix or save some lemon slices to add on top before cooking.
- Seasonings: Dried oregano, dried thyme, fresh garlic, salt, and black pepper are the ultimate Mediterranean flavor combo. And for this recipe, do stick with dried herbs instead of fresh ones.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below
How To Make Greek Lemon Chicken
Make the marinade. The prep time for this is super minimal, just stir the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl. If you’d like to save extra time, make the marinade a day in advance and store it in the fridge. Then give it a whisk before using it the next day.
Marinate the chicken. Add the chicken thighs to a large bowl, pour the marinade on top, and give the chicken a quick toss. Then, let the chicken marinate for 1 to 2 hours in the fridge. See notes below on marinating time.
Bake the chicken. Assemble the chicken in a baking dish skin side up (I’ve linked my favorite one below). Pour the remaining marinade on top and bake for 40 to 45 minutes at 350°F (180°C). You can check to see if the chicken is done at 175°F (80°C) by using an instant-read thermometer. For extra crispy skin, turn on the top oven broiler in the last 2 to 3 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Acidic marinades shouldn’t be used for more than 3 hours. After this point, the chicken thighs will become far too tenderized and have a gamey-like texture. For me, the ideal time is about 1 to 2 hours.
Complete this Greek-inspired meal with a fresh Greek salad that is made with my famous Greek salad dressing. For a heartier meal, plate it with other side dishes like rice or cooked vegetables. My favorites to pair with this are garlic herb roasted potatoes, green beans with shallots, or garlic-sauteed spinach.
Yes, you can use this same marinade to cook with both types of chicken. For chicken breasts, follow my best-baked chicken breast recipe. For chicken thighs, you can reduce the time by half.
How To Store Leftover Chicken Thighs
- To store for the week: Enjoy portions throughout the week by storing them in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
- To freeze for later: Store leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Then thaw them in the fridge the day before you plan to reheat them. Trust me, finding a batch of this chicken in your freezer is a gold mine!
- Reheating chicken: Good news, chicken thighs are less likely to dry out when reheating. But you can always add a little moisture back in by adding a splash of water on top or layering a damp paper towel over the chicken piece before microwaving it.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
I’ve got plenty more chicken thigh recipes or chicken breast recipes for you to enjoy. But here are some of my favorites that I make most often:
- Creamy Tuscan Chicken: This creamy chicken dish with spinach and tomatoes hits every time.
- Chicken Piccata: Think of this as a tasty, briny Italian version of lemon chicken.
- Honey Mustard Chicken: A chicken dinner staple if you love honey mustard sauce.
- Lemon Garlic Spatchcock Chicken: If you’re cooking a whole chicken, this recipe uses a similar marinade giving amazing results!
I hope you love this Greek lemon chicken as much as I do! Once you make it, let me know your thoughts in the comment box below.
Greek Lemon Chicken
Description
Video
Equipment
- Casserole Dish This nesting set of casserole dishes is the best!
Ingredients
- 8 bone-in chicken thighs
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 4 garlic gloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make the marinade: In a small bowl, stir together the oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, thyme, mustard, salt, and pepper.
- Marinate the chicken: Add the chicken thighs to a large bowl and pour the marinade on top. Marinate for 1 to 2 hours (and up to 8 hours) in the fridge.
- Transfer to baking dish: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Place the chicken in a baking dish and pour the remaining marinade on top.
- Bake the chicken: Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and registers 175°F (80°C) on an instant-read thermometer. Optionally, you can baste the chicken a few times while it cooks. And for extra crispy skin, turn on the top oven broiler in the last 2 to 3 minutes. If you're serving this dish up for a dinner party, you can garnish it with lemon slices if you'd like.
Nutrition
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I made this last night. Super easy and absolutely delicious.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this Greek lemon chicken, Ingrid!
Made this recipe exactly as shown and it was wonderfully perfect! The zestiness of the lemon mixes so well with the spices. Definitely making this again. Even my kids enjoyed it!
Wonderful! I’m glad this Greek lemon chicken was a hit, Mandy.
Loved this easy and flavorful recipe! A definite keeper! Thank you!
Happy to hear you enjoyed this Greek lemon chicken, Kathy!
This was really tasty but the temperature seems way off. I did the 175 that you said and it was very raw still. Pumped it up to 375 and cooked it another 25 minutes before broiling and it came out perfect.
Hi Penny – the 175F is the internal temperature of the chicken. The oven temperature is 350F.
I’ve made this twice and love it as did the family. Even though I use bone in and skin on, I make an extra recipe of marinade to make sure there’s plenty for leftovers and sauce for rice. The timing is right on though I did turn the heat up to 370deg to rush it along for the last 10 minutes. Easy and delicious!
Hi Genie – Happy to hear the whole family loves this Greek lemon chicken! Also, great idea on making a bit extra for leftovers and rice.
I made this for my family – they loved it! It stayed moist and was delicious served with a side of rice and grilled veggies.
Wonderful! I’m happy to hear everyone loved it!
This Chicken Thigh recipe really elevated our dinner time! I have been running out of ideas how to cook thighs and this recipe is a new one in our rotation. It is the perfect amount of lemony, without being too sour and the mustard really adds flavor! It comes our perfect every time and is so versatile, we have used this on bone in and boneless thighs!
So happy you loved this lemon chicken, Rithika! It really is a great balance of flavors. Enjoy!
Can I freeze this pre- cooked Greek chicken recipe?
Hi Denise – yes, you can! Then you can just thaw it and cook when you’re ready. It’s very similar to my 6 chicken marinades post, where I talk about that a bit more. Enjoy!
Hi, Lisa.
Made your recipe for my wife’s birthday dinner and it was a huge hit. I added 6 pearl onions to the dish as well. They turned out slightly al dente but very sweet.
Thankyou very much.
Wonderful! Glad this recipe was a hit for your wife’s birthday dinner.
Fool proof! Arguably better the next day as left overs (if any made it that far).
I’m right there with you on the delicious leftovers, Lauren!
Easy and tasty, I grilled the top for a bit at the end.
So happy you loved the recipe, Beth!
So good, quick to make & easy to clean up. I didn’t have time to marinade them so I can imagine how much better they are if you do. I took them out, basted with the surrounding sauce, topped mine with crumbled feta and my husband’s with a sprinkle of shredded, broiled until the Parmesan was browned, and then basted them again. I’ll make this again and again
Hi Samantha – Happy to hear this lemon chicken still turned out great even though you didn’t fully marinate them enough!
This recipe is so good.
This is delicious. My husband declared it a “flavor bomb” and said we could eat this every week! Thank you for the recipe.
I’ll happily take that positive review, haha. Thanks so much!
Made this several times and my family loves it! Thank you so much :) I’m curious what modifications, if any, should be made if I tried this with boneless/skinless thighs too, such as adjustment to cooking time/temp?
Hi Kim – I’m happy to hear the whole family loves it! When using boneless/skinless thighs, just note that they do cook faster, so you’ll need to remove it from the oven sooner. Just keep an eye on the internal temp of the thighs. Enjoy!
This recipe is an absolute keeper. I have made it so many times and it consistently receives rave reviews. The best thing is that it’s so easy to make. Even on nights where I don’t have time to let the chicken marinate for more than an hour, it still comes out great. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Hi Vanessa – I’m so glad you’re loving this Greek lemon chicken!
I’m pretty sure I already rated this recipe – I’ve shared it with so many people! We like to make it with mashed potatoes and a veggie, then we use the leftovers for a Greek bowl (Cava style)
Hi Miranda – Happy to hear this lemon chicken has been such a hit! I love the idea of making a chicken bowl out of it as well.
This was so delicious. I marinated my chicken overnight and put several cut potatoes in the bottom of a crock with the chicken on top. Added some extra Greek seasoning on top and baked and eventually roasted for a bit of color in the oven. Served with a Greek salad. Made me happy happy happy and will be making again!
Hi Jamie – Happy to hear this Greek lemon chicken is a hit every time!
Excellent recipe, we are saucy people so we double the marinade and used 5 large lemons but kept the same amount of chicken. We definitely make this again!
Hi there – Happy to hear you love this lemon chicken recipe!
Outstanding, one of the best recipes I’ve found in a long time.
Hi Pete – Happy to hear you love this Greek lemon chicken!
I only had boneless, skinless thighs but still WOW!! This will now be in my regular chicken rotation. Thank you 😊
Yay, so happy you loved the recipe, Michele!
I made this it’s sooo good! Do you think I could use butter instead of oil next time?
So happy you loved it, Cammie! And yes, you can use butter instead of oil. Enjoy!
It was so delicious! Thank you for the recipe! 💐🫂
Thrilled to hear you enjoyed this Greek lemon chicken!
I made this marinade this afternoon. Put it in a baggie with chicken breasts and let it sit for 2 hrs. Cooked it in an air fryer for approx 8 min (flipped after 4 min). Absolutely delicious- so simple. This is a keeper!
Wonderful! Happy to hear you love this Greek lemon chicken. I’m sure it turned out great in the air fryer.
8 minutes?? Totally raw … 😏