Greek Roasted Chicken Breasts
on Jan 08, 2018, Updated Jan 28, 2025
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When in doubt, olive oil, garlic, oregano, and lemon will never steer you wrong.
Oregano, lemon, garlic, glugs of olive oil…these are just a few of the ingredients that make Greek food so appealing. They match up really well with all sorts of other hero ingredients, from potatoes to chicken to seafood.
Boneless chicken breasts with the skin left on have a few really good things going for them. One, the skin keeps the chicken moist as it cooks. Two, the skin crisps up in the hot oven, and I know of a few chicken-liking people who don’t covet the crispy skin. Three, the absence of the bone allows the chicken to cook more quickly than bone-in chicken.
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The chicken gets marinated in this lovely combination of classic Greek ingredients and then roasted all by itself in the oven while you putter around making a salad and trying to get someone else to set the table. I served them up one night with some simply cooked millet and a lovely arugula salad. If you’re feeling theme-y, you’ll be very happy to pair these Greek chicken breasts with a Greek salad.
Table of Contents
Oregano, lemon, garlic, olive oil…these are just a few of the ingredients that make this Greek Roasted Chicken Breasts recipe so appealing. 5 minutes to make this marinade!
Ingredients
- Olive oil – Olive oil will balance out the flavor and acidity and keep the meat moist.
- Garlic – For depth of flavor.
- Lemon juice and red wine vinegar– These acids will tenderize the meat and offer a brightness and pop of acidity to the marinade.
- Dried oregano – For Greek flavors.
- Salt and pepper – To taste.
- Chicken – Boneless skin-on chicken breasts; read the note below for more.
- Lemon wedges – You could serve these with lemon wedges in case people want one last hit of fresh, tart citrus.
Where to Find Boneless Skin-on Chicken
Boneless skin-on chicken breasts are not so easy to find pre-packaged in the supermarket, but you can ask the butcher to cut the bones out for you. You can, of course, do it yourself with a steady hand and a very sharp knife, but feel no shame if this isn’t within your comfort zone. And if you want to use bone-in chicken breasts, just add another 15 to 20 minutes of cooking time.
How to Make Greek Roasted Chicken Breasts
- Make the marinade: Combine the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine thoroughly, add the chicken, turn to coat well, then cover or seal and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
- Bake the chicken: Spray an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet with nonstick spray and place the chicken skin side up. Roast for 20 minutes at 450 degrees.
Tips
- Double or triple the recipe as you like; you can put a whole bunch on a rimmed baking sheet. Just make sure the chicken breasts aren’t touching. If you have a lot of chicken, you will probably want to add 5 to 10 extra minutes of cooking time.
- Make sure you aren’t cooking anything else, like maybe roasting vegetables, on a rack above the chicken — this might interfere with that fabulous crisping of the skin.
Make Ahead and Storage
Feel free to marinate the chicken for up to 2 days ahead of time for maximum flavor and tenderness.
Store the cooked chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
What to Serve with Greek Roasted Chicken Breasts
More Greek-Inspired Recipes
Greek Roasted Chicken Breasts
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 boneless skin-on chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each)
- Lemon wedges (to serve)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, container, or sturdy zipper-top bag, combine the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine thoroughly, add the chicken, turn to coat well, then cover or seal and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours (or even up to 2 days!).
- Preheat the oven to 450 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the baking sheet skin side up. Roast for about 20 minutes until cooked through. Serve hot, warm, or cold.
