Baked Greek Lemon Chicken
This Baked Greek Lemon Chicken is proof that you don’t need a long list of complicated ingredients to create incredibly succulent, flavour-packed chicken.
The easiest marinade using fresh lemon, garlic, oregano, smoked paprika, and extra virgin olive oil does all the hard work: mix, coat the chicken, and marinate (preferably overnight) before baking until golden and delicious.
These classic Mediterranean ingredients pack a nutritional punch too: chicken provides high-quality protein, while extra virgin olive oil supplies heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and protective polyphenols, and garlic, oregano and paprika bring an array of beneficial plant compounds. Lemon adds a wonderfully fresh acidity that brings all those flavours together.
Serve with rice or warm flatbreads, tzatziki and a colourful Greek salad for a simple, nourishing Mediterranean-style feast that’s perfect for feeding a crowd — and don’t forget to spoon over those incredible lemony pan juices.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 6-8
3 large lemons, zest & juice
1 red onion, finely chopped
8 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp sea salt
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ cup of olive oil
6 chicken breasts & 6 chicken thighs (bone in)
METHOD
Add the lemon zest and juice, red onion, garlic, oregano, sea salt, smoked paprika, black pepper and olive oil to a large bowl and whisk until well combined.
Add the chicken breasts and thighs and toss thoroughly, making sure every piece is well coated in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least a few hours, but preferably overnight, to allow the flavours to develop.
When you are ready to cook, remove the chicken from the fridge and preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan.
Depending on the size of your baking trays, you may need to use two. Arrange the chicken on the trays skin-side up, leaving a little space between each piece so that it roasts rather than steams. Spoon any remaining marinade over the chicken.
Season with a little extra sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, then bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the skin is crisp and golden and the chicken is completely cooked through. As the pieces may vary in size, check them individually; the thickest part of the chicken should reach an internal temperature of 75°C.
Remove from the oven and leave the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Spoon all those delicious lemony, garlicky pan juices over the chicken before serving — they are far too good to waste!
Serve with cooked rice or warm flatbreads, tzatziki and a generous Greek salad.
