The Best Greek Chicken Marinade

Name: THE BEST Greek Chicken Marinade
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 pound boneless (, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large breasts)); ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt; ¼ cup olive oil; 4 lemons; 4-5 cloves garlic (, pressed or minced); 2 tablespoons dried oregano; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

by Heidi Larsen Updated: Jun 23, 2025

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This simple Greek marinade infuses chicken with the classic flavors of lemon, garlic, and oregano, while the Greek yogurt creates a tender and juicy bite. Perfect for baked, pan-fried, or grilled chicken.

Hey, ho, whaddya know?!!! You ready for the best? Because I’m giving you the best!

It may be a bold statement to make, but unlike fake politicians, sorcerers, and that guy overseas who says he’ll double your money if you’ll just wire it to him, I’m standing behind my claim that this super easy, extremely delicious Greek chicken marinade very well could be:

the yin to your yang.
the butter to your nutter.
the pop to your lock.

That’s what makes this little diddy of a recipe the best lemony, best garlicky, best Greek-y, best oregano-y chicken marinade to create the yummiest tender bite you just might ever eat.

Two chicken breasts coated in Greek marinade

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The Greek chicken marinade is made with Greek yogurt, which helps tenderize the meat and keeps it moist and juicy.
If you don’t count the salt and pepper, you only need 5 ingredients.
This easy marinade works equally well with skin-on or skinless chicken.
You can use this marinade to pan-fry, bake, or grill Greek-style chicken.

Ingredients needed for Greek chicken marinade with yogurt

Greek Chicken Marinade Ingredients

Greek yogurt — This is a new addition to my regular Greek marinade. I added the yogurt after making my easy chicken gyros where the yogurt tenderizes the chicken for a very nice, juicy bite.
Lemon juice + zest — The acid from the lemon also helps break down the tough fibers of the chicken as it adds a flavorful zip to each bite. Adding the zest of one lemon to the marinade amps the flavor up even that much more.
Garlic — Because hello, garlic.
Olive oil — Olive oil adds a bit of fat and helps create a barrier while the chicken is cooking.
Oregano — Because dried herbs are stronger in flavor than fresh, I’ve found that dried oregano works best for this marinade, and a healthy dose of it is definitely required.

Two grilled Greek chicken breasts with lemon wedges

How to Make Greek Chicken Marinade

Prep the chicken. Trim the chicken breasts of any extra tendrils or pieces of fat and pat dry before adding to the marinade.
Mix the marinade ingredients together. Then, immerse the chicken in a shallow bowl with the yogurt marinade, or in a zippered freezer bag.

Heidi’s Tip: This chicken doesn’t need to sit in the marinade for very long to soak up lots of flavor! The chicken is adequately flavored in just 15 minutes. Or, let it soak in all that Greek flavor for up to three hours.

Cook the chicken to an internal temperature of 160-165°F. You can pan-fry, grill, or bake it depending on the recipe you’re making.
Let the chicken rest. This gives the juices time to set.

FAQs

How long should you marinate chicken?

Marinate your chicken for as little as 15 minutes or up to 3 hours. (If you go too long, your chicken or meat will become mealy and tough.)

How long should marinated chicken be cooked?

Cook the chicken until it reaches 160ºF to 165ºF.

Here’s some basic cooking times to do so, but always defer to a meat thermometer to be sure:

-Bake skinless, boneless chicken breasts at 400°F for 18-22 minutes
-Grill over medium heat for 15-20 minutes
-Pan fry (depending on thickness) over medium heat for 18-22 minutes

What does yogurt do in chicken marinade?

Whether it’s vinegar, wine, lemon juice, or yogurt, the acid in any marinade helps break down the connective tissue in meats, and creates a more tender bite.

Can the marinade be made in advance?

Yep! Whisk together the Greek-style marinade and store it in an airtight jar until you’re ready to use it.

Sliced Greek chicken breasts on cutting board

Recipe Tips

Never reuse marinade after it touches raw chicken. It might sound like a good idea to baste your chicken with the same marinade, but there’s a trick to keeping it healthy if you do. Boil any used Greek marinade first to destroy any harmful bacteria. Or set aside a portion of the marinade to use later before putting raw poultry into it.
Use the chicken in various recipes. Add the cooked chicken to your favorite Greek salad, use it to make a Gyro Salad, slice and serve it over creamy asparagus orzo, and more.
Use the marinade as salad dressing. Skip the chicken altogether and use the creamy Greek yogurt marinade to dress your favorite leafy greens (do NOT do this if the marinade already touched the raw chicken.)

What to Serve With This to Make a Meal

Appetizers — Baba Ganoush, Spanakopita, or Tzatziki
Salads — Greek Pasta Salad, Greek Chickpea Salad, Greek Salad With Avocado, Greek Potato Salad, or Horiatiki
Sides — Lemon Rice, Sun-Dried Tomato Couscous, or Grilled Asparagus

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

4.63 from 680 votes