Greek Salad With Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast skinless boneless, about 2 large breasts
- 1/3 cup Greek yogurt plain
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 lemons
- 4 to 5 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbs oregano dried
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper frshly ground
Instructions
- This simple chicken marinade infuses the classic Greek flavors of lemon, garlic, and oregano plus marinating chicken in yogurt for a more tender bite.
- Place the chicken pieces in a freezer bag or a bowl and set aside.
- Add the Greek yogurt and olive oil to a medium-size bowl. Zest one of the lemons and add to the bowl. The juice that lemon into the bowl with the zest. Slice the other three lemons and set aside. Add the minced garlic, oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper to the lemon juice and zest and stir. Pour half of the marinade into the freezer bag or the bowl with the chicken pieces and reserve the other half of the marinade for basting. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes or up to 3 hours in the refrigerator.
- When ready to grill, prepare the grill by lightly oiling the grate with vegetable oil or cooking spray and set to medium-high heat.
- Grill the chicken, basting with the reserved marinade and turning often so each side browns and has light grill marks until cooked through, about 15-20 minutes or until the chicken juices run clear. During the last 5 minutes of cooking add the 3 sliced lemons to the grill, turning once or twice. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serve with the grilled lemons. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
Notes
This garlic, lemon, and oregano Greek marinade can be used for chicken that's grilled, baked or pan-fried and is great any which way you choose.
How to Make Chicken Marinade Greek Style
Flavoring and tenderizing chicken in a marinade is a no-brainer, but there are a few tricks to doing it right. This chicken marinade works equally well with skin-on or skinless chicken. Trim the chicken breasts of any extra tendrils or pieces of fat and pat dry before adding to the marinade. Mix the marinade ingredients together, then immerse the chicken in a shallow bowl with the marinade, or in a zippered freezer bag. This chicken doesn’t take long at all to marinade! The chicken is adequately flavored in just 15 minutes. Or, let it soak in all that Greek flavor for up to three hours. I don’t marinate the chicken longer than the 3-hour mark so the chicken doesn’t become mealy. Make this for grilled chicken breasts, or use half of this marinade for the breasts and reserve the other half for Greek chicken kebab skewers if that fits your fancy too. Doubling up duty as a dressing for salads too, this greek marinade is my favorite go-to recipe for anything and everything chicken. 1. Never, ever, ever reuse marinade used on raw poultry or meat unless you boil it first. It might sound like a good idea to baste your chicken or meat with the same marinade, but there’s a trick to keeping it healthy if you do. Boil any used marinade first to destroy any harmful bacteria. Or set aside a portion of the marinade to use later before putting raw meat and poultry into it. 2. Use acid in your marinade to tenderize the meat. Whether it’s vinegar, wine, or a citrus juice like lemon or lime juice, acid helps break down the connective tissue in meats and creates a more tender bite. 3. Choose a complimentary oil for more flavor in your marinade. Depending on the flavor profile of your marinade, choose an oil that compliments it and boosts the flavor even more, like:
Flavoring and tenderizing chicken in a marinade is a no-brainer, but there are a few tricks to doing it right. This chicken marinade works equally well with skin-on or skinless chicken. Trim the chicken breasts of any extra tendrils or pieces of fat and pat dry before adding to the marinade. Mix the marinade ingredients together, then immerse the chicken in a shallow bowl with the marinade, or in a zippered freezer bag. This chicken doesn’t take long at all to marinade! The chicken is adequately flavored in just 15 minutes. Or, let it soak in all that Greek flavor for up to three hours. I don’t marinate the chicken longer than the 3-hour mark so the chicken doesn’t become mealy. Make this for grilled chicken breasts, or use half of this marinade for the breasts and reserve the other half for Greek chicken kebab skewers if that fits your fancy too. Doubling up duty as a dressing for salads too, this greek marinade is my favorite go-to recipe for anything and everything chicken. 1. Never, ever, ever reuse marinade used on raw poultry or meat unless you boil it first. It might sound like a good idea to baste your chicken or meat with the same marinade, but there’s a trick to keeping it healthy if you do. Boil any used marinade first to destroy any harmful bacteria. Or set aside a portion of the marinade to use later before putting raw meat and poultry into it. 2. Use acid in your marinade to tenderize the meat. Whether it’s vinegar, wine, or a citrus juice like lemon or lime juice, acid helps break down the connective tissue in meats and creates a more tender bite. 3. Choose a complimentary oil for more flavor in your marinade. Depending on the flavor profile of your marinade, choose an oil that compliments it and boosts the flavor even more, like:
- Olive oil for Greek, Italian, or Mediterranean-style dishes
- Sesame oil for Asian-style dishes
- Canola or vegetable oil for Mexican or American-style dishes to keep things neutral
- Bake skinless, boneless chicken breasts at 400°F for 18-22 minutes
- Grill over medium heat for 15-20 minutes.
- Pan fry (depending on thickness) over medium heat for 18-22 minutes.
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