Greek Roasted Chicken Thighs
on Apr 23, 2021, Updated Oct 05, 2023
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The simple flavors of lemon and oregano turn ordinary chicken thighs into a perfect weeknight dinner.
I am bonkers for Greek flavors. Seriously, whenever you combine some of the mainstay ingredients of Greek cuisine — which to me are oregano, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic or some other member of the onion family (there are many others, of course, but these are my platonic Greek ingredients) — only good things can happen.
And not just good things. Clean, bright-tasting good things. Healthful good things. Good things that adults AND kids like. Summery good things. Greek Roasted Chicken good things.
Would serving this with a Classic Greek Salad be too much? Or Greek Orzo Salad? Well, I don’t think so. Or try a Sugar Snap Pea Salad and also a bowl of Orange and Herb Orzo passed around the table. Simpler perfection would be hard to find.
Table of Contents
The Easiest, Most Delicious Greek Roasted Chicken Recipe: A simple marinade featuring lemon and oregano turns ordinary chicken thighs into a perfect weeknight dinner.
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Greek Chicken Marinade
I would use this Greek chicken marinade on anything, from slabs of zucchini to skewered shrimp or chicken to a piece of fish. And I would definitely think about grilling most of those things, but in this case, the chicken got roasted, and the crackling skin and the moist, dark meat were pretty much dinner bliss. And as we are crazy about Greek flavors, we are also crazy about roasted chicken thighs — probably the favorite roast chicken part in our house.
Ingredients
- Olive oil – Helps the chicken skin get crispy and browned in the oven.
- Minced garlic – The longer you marinate the chicken, the more garlicky the chicken will get.
- Lemon juice – The acid in the lemon juice adds a bright flavor and helps to tenderize the meat.
- Red wine vinegar – Another classic acidic ingredient used in Greek cooking.
- Dried oregano – Gives this baked chicken a unique Greek flavor. If you have fresh oregano, that will be delicious, too. Just substitute 4 teaspoons of fresh oregano for the 2 teaspoons of dried.
- Chicken thighs – Buy them with the skin still on and the bone in. Boneless and skinless may seem appealing, but you will lose out on flavor and that crispy, delicious skin at the end.
How to Make Greek Roasted Chicken Thighs
- Make the marinade: Mix together the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Marinate: Add in the chicken and coat entirely with the mixture. Seal the container and place it in the fridge for at least 12 hours.
- Roast: Take the chicken out and place it on a baking sheet that has been lined with foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Place the pan in a 425-degree oven and roast for 40 minutes or until cooked all the way through. You can check them by simply cutting into one of the pieces.
FAQs
I would say 10 hours is my recommended minimum time for marinating chicken. You still get a nice flavor, but it won’t be as deep, nor will the chicken have time to become tenderized from the acidic ingredients in the marinade. Between 12 and 24 hours is the sweet spot for the best flavor. And you don’t want to leave them marinating any more than 2 days.
Regular-sized chicken thighs should bake for 40 minutes at 425 degrees. Smaller ones could take 30 minutes, and extra-large ones could take 50 minutes. The best way to tell if your chicken is done is by taking the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. It should reach 165 degrees. If you don’t have a thermometer, it’s simple enough to tell if your chicken is done by cutting it open near the bone and observing the color. If all the pink is gone, it should be done.
Pro Cooking Tips
- I like to mix the marinade right in the container or zip-top bag that I am going to marinate the chicken in.
- The chicken should marinate for at least 12 hours, but I find the flavor is best if I leave it for at least 24 hours.
- Don’t marinate the chicken for more than 2 days, or the acids in the marinade may start to “cook” the chicken and make it mushy.
Storage and Leftovers
- The chicken can be served hot, warm, room temperature, or cold. Great on a picnic!
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can rewarm them in a preheated 300-degree oven for 20 minutes until hot, if desired.
What to Serve With Greek Roasted Chicken Thighs
More Baked Chicken Thigh Recipes
- Thai Chicken Thighs
- Creamed Spinach Stuffed Chicken Thighs
- Rosemary and Lemon Roasted Chicken Thighs
- Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken Thighs
Also, check out the recipe for Greek-Roasted Chicken Breasts!
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Greek Roasted Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 pounds bone-in, skin on chicken thighs
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 oven to 425 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 40 minutes until cooked through, depending on the size of the thighs. Serve the roasted chicken hot, warm, or cold.
Notes
- I like to mix the marinade right in the container or zip-top bag that I am going to marinate the chicken in.
- The chicken should marinate for at least 12 hours, but I find the flavor is best if I leave it for at least 24 hours.
- Don’t marinate the chicken for more than 2 days, or the acids in the marinade may start to “cook” the chicken and make it mushy.
This recipe is a keeper! Absolutely delicious!
so happy to hear!
Does it REALLY have to take that much space to give a short, simple recipe for those of us who might not be interested in your commentaries? This could be solved by putting the recipe first.
Hi, Lynne. Well, good news is coming your way – the site is being redesigned and come January 2020 there will be a “skip to recipe” button so you can fly past the commentary if you so choose.
My wife said it was the best chicken she ever had after my first time doing it. And she is a foodie ;)
I recently experimented by doubling or tripling the oregano and lemon. It creates a ton of marinade which I end up using it as a sauce once cooked.
Either way, this dish is fantastic.
so thrilled to hear! It’s a keeper in our house, too. and never too much lemon….
I rarely leave comments on blogs but this one’s worth commenting. I tried this today and it’s soooo good! I cooked mine at 375F for 45 mins and cooked so we’ll. It’s so full of flavor and so easy to do! Everyone in the house enjoyed it. This is one of my fave chicken thigh recipes ♥️ Shared this to my friends and family!
I’m so happy to hear this! . It’s one of our favorites, too. Thanks for writing!
This is amazing chicken! How could something so easy be so full of flavor and yummy?! I had to use chicken legs since my store was out of thighs. I also chose to take the skin off of my chicken and it still roasted up beautifully and was full of flavor. This is going into my Best of 2019 file. Thank you!
I’m so thrilled to hear that!
Excellent roasted chicken! Our store didn’t have chicken thighs, so I had to go with drumsticks. I skinned them to make this even healthier but was worried that I’d miss out on some flavor. No need to worry, it was still packed with flavor! It was absolutely delicious and it’s going into my Best of 2019 file. I can’t wait to try it with chicken thighs next time. Thank you!
so delighted to hear!
How many servings?
sorry, 6!
I think this sounds wonderful. I am going to fix it in my counter top convection oven and pass it on to a very picky friend who likes simple recipes with easy clean-up. I think he’ll love this..
How do you like your counter top convection oven? I know people who love them….haven’t ever worked with one….
ready to try this recipe
Where is the mushroom stuffed roasted chicken thighs recipe?
Here you go!! https://kidscooking.about.com/od/baked_chicken_recipes/r/Chicken-Thighs-Stuffed-With-Mushrooms.htm
Greek is good! I love the Greek flavors. Reminds me a lot of this https://themom100.com/recipe/an-achingly-simple-herbed-chicken-for-4th-of-july/ – but even better with the addition of lemon juice and red wine vinegar.