This easy Greek Garlic Chicken is a great way to serve chicken to your family and friends. The lemon and oregano marinade/brine is simple to make and adds so much flavor to the chicken breasts, plus it keeps then tender and juicy.
If you are looking for hot buffet food ideas this holiday season then this low carb, naturally gluten free Greek chicken is perfect for serving a crowd!
How to Make Garlic Greek Chicken Breasts
The key to using chicken breasts is to brine them well so they stay juicy and tender even after cooking.
A simple brine is salt water, but here we are adding extra ingredients to really boost the flavors in the chicken. This brine is almost a greek chicken marinade as it is packed with greek flavors and keeps the meat tender, just like a marinade!
How to brine a chicken breast
To Brine Chicken you will need:
- water
- salt
- sugar
- lemon
- garlic
- oregano
- peppercorns
This flavor packed bath is used to soak the chicken for 3-5 hours. Don't brine them for any longer than that as they will get too salty and go mushy.
You will be amazed at the difference it makes to your chicken. The meat stays juicy and moist when it cooks, it is perfectly seasoned throughout and the subtle flavour of lemon and oregano is present even before you drizzle over the quick and easy pan sauce!
Can I make this Garlic Greek Chicken for a crowd?
This easy greek chicken dinner is great as part of a hot buffet! The brine has kept the chicken juicy, so even as your chicken cools it will still be a delicious addition to dinner.
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Plus the recipe calls for the chicken to be filleted....that is to say cut in half lengthways to produce two smaller chicken fillets. This makes your chicken breasts go further and also allows guest to try other food on the buffet table without getting too full!
What to serve with this Greek Garlic Chicken
If you are serving this as part of a greek inspired buffet or dinner then I would suggest:
- 10 Minute Greek Couscous
- Greek Lemon Potatoes
- Greek Rice
- Greek Green Bean Salad - The Mediterranean Dish
- Mini Greek Halloumi and Veg Kebabs
- Salted Watermelon with Olive Oil and Mint
Enjoy x
Serve with the Greek Lemon Oregano Potatoes...so good.
For more delicious chicken recipes check out these:
- Peri Peri Chicken
- Garlic Chicken Pasta
- Creamy Champagne Chicken
- Dill Pickle Stuffed Chicken Breasts
- Baked Tomato Chicken Breasts
- Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Schnitzel
- Cheesy Baked Fajita Chicken
- Easy Creamy Basil Chicken Breasts
- See all 80+ Chicken recipes
If you try this Greek Garlic Chicken, please leave a 🌟star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I really appreciate it, and it helps others to know that the recipe is trustworthy.
Any questions about the recipe? Use the comments section below.
Get the Recipe
Greek Garlic Chicken with Lemon and Oregano
Ingredients
For the brine
- ½ gallon water
- ½ cup salt
- 3 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 8 cloves garlic peeled
- 2 lemons
For the chicken
- 6 chicken breasts skinless and boneless
- 4 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 lemon
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
To finish
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
To fillet the chicken
- Lay your first chicken breast flat on a chopping board.
- Use a large sharp knife to cut sideways through the breast.
- Continue to cut through the chicken breast, keeping the knife flat and parallel to the chopping board, until you have two chicken fillets.
- Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.
To brine the chicken
- Pour about half of the water into a saucepan and add the salt, sugar, dried oregano, peppercorns and peeled garlic. Heat over a medium heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved.
- Remove from the heat, squeeze the juice from the lemons into the brine, then add in the used skins.
- Add the remaining water to the brine and allow the mixture to fully cool.
- Once the mixture is cold, add the filleted chicken breasts and brine them for 3-5 hours.
To cook the chicken
- Pre-heat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC
- Heat the 2 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet.
- Add in 6 of the chicken breast fillets and cook over a high heat for 1-2 minutes until golden. Turn and repeat on the other side. Remove them from the pan and transfer to a large baking dish.
- Add the remaining oil to the skillet and cook the remaining 6 fillets in the same way. Transfer them to the baking dish.
- Thinly slice the garlic and scatter it around the chicken.
- Cut the lemon into small chunks and arrange it around the chicken.
- Sprinkle over the dried oregano and then pour over the chicken broth.
- Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. (see note 1)
- Remove the chicken and lemon pieces to a serving platter and mix the extra virgin olive oil with any juices that are left in the bottom of the pan.
- Serve drizzled the extra virgin olive oil dressing and chopped fresh parsley.
- Can be served hot or at room temperature.
Notes
- Brined chicken tends to stay a much rosier colour when cooked. The best way to check your chicken is to use a instant read meat thermometer. Cooked chicken should be at 150ºF/65ºC.
Nutrition
Nutrition is per serving
Sheila Payne says
This will be my first time eating and making Greek food. I do have a question > can you brine a whole chicken if you split in half?
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
You could definitely brine a whole chicken that way.
Splitting it would make it easier to manage, but you can also brine them as a whole bird as well.
It leave the meat so juicy.
Just a quick note, that brined chicken doesn't cook quite as white, so sometimes you'll see some pinkness to the juices. I find it is best to use a thermometer to check it is fully cooked as the "juices run clear" test isn't as reliable with a brined bird.
Hope that makes sense and helps
Cx
Ingrid says
I'm confused, in your Greek chicken lemon dill recipe you say not to use lemon juice in the brine because it will start to cook the chicken and make it sour.
Claire McEwen says
Hi Ingrid,
Lemon juice can definitely make the chicken chewy and sour if it is left on too long. In this recipe we only marinade for 3-5 hours and the marinade contains sugar which helps to balance any sourness. Where as in the Greek Chicken with lemon and dill recipe, there is no sugar and I recommend 10 hours and up to 24 hours in the brine/marinade. With that length of time adding lemon juice to the brine would make the chicken chewy and sour.
So really the only difference is the length of time it is in the brine/marinade and the addition of sugar.
I hope that helps
Cx
Helene says
Flavorful chicken with the right ingredients combined. I am going to try it next with fresh oregano from the garden. Thank you for the recipe
Claire McEwen says
I hope you love it as much as we do Helene
Julie Evink says
I had chicken in the fridge and wanted to try something new with them and this was AMAZING! So much flavor! Going on my regular rotation.
Claire McEwen says
Oh YEAH 😀 😀
I am so happy you enjoyed it.
Tisha says
I have never heard of Greek Garlic Chicken! I'm so anxious to make this soon! Putting it on my do make list!!!!
Claire McEwen says
Thank you Tisha, I hope you enjoy it 😀