Best Greek Marinated Chicken
Best Greek Marinated Chicken is juicy and full of amazing flavor! The perfect blend of herbs and seasonings with the #1 best marinade ingredient make the chicken tender and delicious. Finish this off on the grill and you have the best marinated chicken you ever had!
The Secret Marinating Ingredient for Chicken
Marinating meat is an easy way to make meat tender and flavorful. It takes a little forethought, though, since often times it’s best to marinate the meat overnight. Beef and pork are great meats to marinate overnight. However, things are a little different with Chicken
Marinating typically requires a base and an acid, like oil and wine for instance. The acid helps to break down the tough fibers. However, with chicken, the acid actually makes the fibers tougher the longer it marinates. Therefore, I almost always marinate my chicken in a bag on the counter for 1 hour. Unless . . . I use this secret ingredient.
Yogurt! In this case, Greek yogurt. I suppose it’s not really a secret ingredient, but more of a less known ingredient to use. Now, with yogurt, I can marinate the chicken for 1-2 hour OR overnight and it will always turn out to be nice and tender and juicy.
Yogurt has a lower acidity than vinegar or citrus, which are common acids to use in marinades. So the yogurt slowly and gently tenderizes the chicken more effectively, helping to loosen up those tough fibers in the protein. You end up with chicken that pulls apart with ease.
Best Greek Marinated Chicken
Here are some useful tips to go along with this recipe.
Soaking Skewers. To make sure the skewers don’t burn, they need to soak in water 30-60 minutes. I use a small sheet pan or 9×13 glass baking pan. I then place a bowl full of water on top of the skewers to keep them submerged.
How Many Skewers. One tip is determine how many pieces each person will eat, usually about 5-6. This makes it nice and easy since each person can grab a skewer and know it’s one serving. Or, you can add as many pieces as you want to reduce the number of skewers you use.
Grilling Skewers. Don’t you hate it when you go to turn food on the grill and it sticks to the grates? I hate that too. You need to oil the grates just like you would using a skillet or even a roasting pan in the oven.
Take a napkin and fold it up. Pour some olive oil in a small bowl and dip the paper towel in the oil. Use your grill tongs to grasp the paper towel and rub it on the grates to oil them, dipping it back in the oil as needed.
Serving Suggestions
This recipe is shown served with these other awesome recipes. You can also find more Greek and Mediterranean recipes below.
Simple Greek Tomato and Cucumber Salad
What Ingredients Are in Best Greek Marinated Chicken?
- Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breast
- Greek Yogurt
- Olive Oil
- Dried Oregano
- Kosher Salt
- Dried Parsley
- Dried Basil
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Black Pepper
How Is Best Greek Marinated Chicken Made?
- Mix the marinade ingredients in a medium mixing bowl – Greek yogurt, olive oil, oregano, parsley, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Place the cut chicken pieces in a gallon sized ziptop bag. Add the marinade. Squeeze out most of the air and seal the bag.
- Massage the chicken and marinade to make sure all the chicken is completely coated. Place the bag in the refrigerator overnight.
- Soak bamboo skewers for 1 hour, or use metal skewers if you have them. Slide several pieces of chicken on each skewer.
- Heat the grill to medium-high heat, about 400°F. Oil the grilling grates just like you would using a skillet.
- Place the skewers on the grill. You will cook the chicken on 4 sides, turing them 1/4 turn each time. Cook each side for 2 minutes. Find the thickest piece and test with an instant read thermometer. It should be 160°F.
What Can I Do with the Leftovers?
The leftovers will keep nicely in fridge for us to 3-4 days in an airtight container. You can reheat the chicken on the stove for best results. Just add a little olive oil to a skillet and warm through. This is the best way to make sure you don’t overcook them and make them turn rubbery.
Can I Freeze Best Greek Marinated Chicken?
Yes, absolutely! These will be good in the freezer for up to 6 months, 12 using a vacuum sealer. Use the reheating instructions above.
Useful Kitchen Tools
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Other Amazing Recipes That You’ll Love!
Simple Chicken Gyro and Souvlaki
Spanakopita – Greek Spinach Pies
Greek Stuffed Chicken Breast with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Best Greek Marinated Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pound Chicken Breast, Boneless/Skinless, cubed in 1 inch pieces
- 1 cup Plain Greek Yogurt
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Dried Oregano
- 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 2 teaspoons Dried Parsley
- 1 teaspoon Dried Basil
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
-
Mix the marinade ingredients in a medium mixing bowl - Greek yogurt, olive oil, oregano, parsley, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
-
Place the cut chicken pieces in a gallon sized ziptop bag. Add the marinade. Squeeze out most of the air and seal the bag.
-
Massage the chicken and marinade to make sure all the chicken is completely coated. Place the bag in the refrigerator overnight.
-
Soak bamboo skewers for 1 hour, or use metal skewers if you have them. Slide several pieces of chicken on each skewer.*
-
Heat the grill to medium-high heat, about 400°F. Oil the grilling grates just like you would using a skillet. **
-
Place the skewers on the grill. You will cook the chicken on 4 sides, turing them 1/4 turn each time. Cook each side for 2 minutes. Find the thickest piece and test with an instant read thermometer. It should be 160°F.
Recipe Notes
* To make sure the skewers don't burn, they need to soak in water 30-60 minutes. I use a small sheet pan or 9x13 glass baking pan. I then place a bowl full of water on top of the skewers to keep them submerged.
** One tip is determine how many pieces each person will eat, usually about 5-6. This makes it nice and easy since each person can grab a skewer and know it's one serving. Or, you can add as many pieces as you want to reduce the number of skewers you use.
