Greek Chicken Marinade

Let’s be real for a second, barbecue season is still a long way away.
This winter feels like it's lasting forever and spring is nowhere near.
To help beat the winter blues why don’t we pretend it’s grilling time already and make ourselves some delicious Greek Chicken?
Let’s act like the sun has come out to stay, temperatures are in the mid 70s, we’re sitting out on the back patio, we’re firing up the grill, and making some mouth-watering chicken. Okay?

This Greek marinade takes chicken from ho-hum to delicious and juicy.
It only takes a few simple ingredients to make and will flavor your chicken perfectly every single time.
It uses ingredients that you’ll most likely have on hand. If not, I urge you to buy them the next time you are at the grocery store, along with your favorite cuts of chicken and make it.

The herbs and spices meld nicely with garlic and the lemon juice and the meat comes out tender and moist.
This Greek Chicken is perfect for salads, wraps, in pitas with tzatziki sauce, or on its own.
I made it last weekend for a group of friends and it was a huge hit; everyone kept going back for seconds.
Trust me, this is a slam dunk!

Greek Chicken Marinade                                                                                                                       Print this recipe!

Ingredients
Serves 4

1 chicken breast, about 1 lb
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon sweet paprika

Directions

In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, oregano, salt, onion powder, basil, black pepper, and paprika.
Arrange chicken in a shallow container (or in a Ziploc bag) and pour marinade over it.
Cover (or seal) and let marinate for at least 1 hour (marinate overnight for fullest flavor.)
Remove chicken from the marinade and allow to come at room temperature.
If grilling, preheat outdoor grill over medium-high heat and lightly oil the grill grates. Grill chicken for about 20 minutes (flipping at the 10 minute mark) or until cooked through, no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear (an instant thermometer should read 165°F when inserted in the center.)
If baking, preheat oven to 450°F (230°C) and place a rack in the middle.
Place chicken breasts in a large baking dish or on foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.
Bake uncovered for 15 minutes, then flip on the other side and bake for further 15 minutes, or until cooked through, no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear (an instant thermometer should read 165°F when inserted in the center.)
Once cooked, let the breasts rest for five minutes before serving to allow the juices to evenly distribute throughout the meat.
Sprinkle with a bit of chopped fresh parsley and serve!

Nutrition facts

One serving yields 221 calories, 13 grams of fat, 2 grams of carbs, and 26 grams of protein.