Greek Chicken

This Greek chicken is a gloriously flavorful, deeply satisfying symphony of Greek flavors you will have to taste to believe. It’s bursting with lemon, garlic and oregano plus optional sun-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, roasted red bell peppers and artichokes all cooked together in one dish (AKA only one dish to clean)! The recipe comes together very quickly and is excellent when you’re short on time or for make ahead dinners - simply assemble and bake when ready! This Greek chicken can be served with a side of Greek Lemon Rice and a dollop of Greek yogurt or refreshing tzatziki or it can made into salads, grain bowls, sandwiches, pasta, wraps, etc. –instructions included for each! Moral of the story – you will love having this vibrant, succulent Greek chicken recipe up your sleeve and in your mouth!

Prep Time 2 15

Cook Time 45

Servings servings

Ingredients

Chicken and Optional Add-Ins

4 chicken fillets or small boneless skinless chicken breasts pounded to an even thickness
1 (12 oz.) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained, roughly chopped (optional)
1 (12 oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained, halved (optional)
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed, chopped (optional)
1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, drained (optional)

Chicken Wet Rub

3 tablespoons olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey (reduce to 1 tsp. if omitting sun-dried tomatoes)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tsp EACH dried basil, ground cumin, onion powder, salt
1/2 tsp EACH pepper, paprika

For serving:

½ cup feta cheese (optional)
freshly chopped parsley (optional)

Instructions

BAKED GREEK CHICKEN

Wet Rub: Whisk all of the Wet Rub ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the chicken and stir until evenly coated. Let rest while you prep the rest of the ingredients or cover and marinate in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours. If you refrigerate the chicken (more flavor!), let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
Lighty grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, bell peppers, artichokes and olives, and stir to combine. Line the chicken on top without overlapping.
Tightly cover the pan with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (an instant read thermometer should register 165 degrees). Cooking time may be more or less depending on thickness of chicken.
Garnish chicken with feta and fresh parsley if desired. Serve with rice, cauliflower rice, mashed potatoes, etc. along with a big dollop of Greek yogurt or tzatziki. Season with salt and pepper to taste. See the post for lots of ways to serve this recipe!

Crockpot Greek chicken

Add the chicken to a lightly greased 6-quart slow cooker (or larger).
Whisk all of the Wet Rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Drizzled it over the chicken, then turn the chicken until it’s evenly coated; line chicken in a single layer. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, bell peppers, artichokes and olives, around the chicken.
Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 ½ to 2 hours or 3 to 4 hours on LOW or until chicken is cooked through (an instant read thermometer should register 165 degrees). Cooking time may be more or less depending on thickness of chicken.
Garnish chicken with feta and fresh parsley if desired. Serve with rice, cauliflower rice, mashed potatoes, etc. along with a big dollop of Greek yogurt or tzatziki. Season with salt and pepper to taste. See the post for lots of ways to serve this recipe!

Video

Notes

Tips for Success

Chicken: use any cut of chicken you like for this recipe (skin removed) and adjust the baking time as needed.
Marinate the chicken: if baking chicken instead of using the crockpot, I highly recommend marinating the chicken. The longer you marinate the chicken, the more tender it will become. If you don't have time, however, don't stress it.
Customize the add-ins: the add-ins are simply suggestions-you can add/swap any ingredients for your favs. You can even add vegetables like potatoes or green beans.
Don’t skip the yogurt! The tzatziki or Greek yogurt is a key component in this Greek chicken. Its creamy consistency is needed to marry all of the ingredients together and its refreshing tanginess cuts through the robust chicken.
Make chicken and rice bowls: You can create a serving bowl bar and let everyone build their own Greek chicken bowls – see the post for how I add roasted cauliflower and sweet potatoes.

HOW to store and reheat

To Store: the cooked Greek chicken should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
To freeze: transfer the Greek chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, artichokes and bell peppers to a freezer-safe, airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw chicken overnight in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, let the casserole dish sit on the counter for 30 minutes, then bake as directed.
To reheat in a skillet: heat a tablespoon of olive oil in skillet and heat over medium low heat. Add chicken and bell peppers, etc. and heat until warmed through.
To reheat in the microwave: chop up the chicken so it reheats evenly then cook at for 60 seconds, then at 15 second intervals as needed until warmed through.

make ahead

Add the sun-dried tomatoes, bell peppers, artichokes and olives to a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. Line the seasoned Greek chicken on top and tightly cover with foil. Refrigerate for up to 8 hours. The chicken will marinate and become more tender and flavorful as it rests. When ready to bake, let the casserole dish sit on the counter for 30 minutes, then bake as directed.