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The Best Greek Chicken Marinade

Greek marinade for Mediterranean chicken with bright lemon, oregano, garlic, and olive oil. Marinate chicken for up to 24 hours, then grill until juicy with an internal temperature of 165°F.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
marinating 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Greek
Calories: 520
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb chicken Any cut; adjust grilling time by thickness.
  • 0.333 cup olive oil
  • 0.25 cup lemon juice
  • 1 lemon zest Zest of 1 lemon.
  • 4 clove garlic Minced.
  • 2 tbsp fresh oregano Use 1 tbsp dried oregano if needed.
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 salt To taste.
  • 1 pepper To taste.

Method
 

Make the marinade
  1. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, oregano, thyme, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until combined.
  2. Place chicken in a large zip-top bag and pour the marinade over the chicken, then seal and turn to coat evenly.
Marinate
  1. Refrigerate the bagged chicken for 4-24 hours so the flavors infuse.
Grill and finish
  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
  2. Grill the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, timing varies by cut and thickness.
  3. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
  4. Serve with lemon wedges.

Notes

For the best texture, remove chicken from the fridge 15 minutes before grilling and keep grill temperature steady so it reaches 165°F without drying out. Store marinated chicken covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours total; once cooked, refrigerate up to 3 days. Freeze cooked chicken up to 2 months (freezing the already-cooked chicken is best; the raw marinated chicken is not ideal for freezing). For a gluten-free swap, ensure any Dijon mustard you use is labeled gluten-free.