Easy-to-Make Chicken Breast Marinated in Greek Yogurt and Lemon
Looking for a flavorsome way to cook some chicken breast for the family this week? Try this Greek yogurt and lemon marinated chicken breast, and unleash plenty of rich, rustic, and Mediterranean flavor at the dinner table.
I like to serve this rich, juicy marinated chicken with oven-roasted lemon parmesan potato bites or air fryer parmesan potatoes. Then, add some freshness with a salad, like an arugula, avocado, and tomato salad or parmesan and arugula salad.
Why You’ll Love This Marinated Chicken Breast
This chicken breast dish is so easy to make. It’s ideal for a weeknight dinner. You can marinate the chicken the night before and refrigerate it to make it the next day. Or, if you’re really pushed for time, you can simply marinate it for 30+ minutes on the day of, as the cooking time is only around 10 minutes.
Ingredients to Assemble
To make this Greek yogurt and lemon marinated chicken breast, you’ll need to get the following:
- Chicken Breasts – 4 medium chicken breasts (1.5 lb or 600 grams)
- Greek Yogurt – 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- Lemon – 1 lemon for zest and juice (about 2 tbsp of juice)
- Garlic Powder – 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- Oregano – 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt – 1 tsp kosher salt (less if using fine salt, about 1/2 tsp)
- Black Pepper – 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- Olive Oil – 2 tbsp olive oil
- Optional Garnishes: lemon wedges and chopped fresh parsley
Directions with Photos
Step 1. Pound the chicken breast to an even thickness (about 1/3 inch). Place the chicken breast between cling film/plastic wrap to pound it using either a meat mallet or a rolling pin.
Step 2. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried oregano. Then, add the chicken to a large mixing bowl and add the lemon juice, lemon zest, yogurt, and one tablespoon of olive oil. Mix everything well. Set it aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes (or prepare this the day before and leave it in the refrigerator).
Step 3. To a skillet on medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp of olive oil. Once the oil is hot (about 30 seconds), add the chicken breast (laying it away from you so the oil doesn’t splash) and cook it for about 5 minutes per side until the chicken is cooked through.
Note 1: I used a 10-inch cast iron pan. You can also use any skillet or frying you have on hand, including a stainless steel pan or a grill pan.
Note 2: The chicken breast is cooked to a safe temperature when the meat thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) and the juices run clear.
Step 4. Optionally, serve the chicken breast with lemon wedges and/or parsley and use my serving suggestions to make it a complete meal for the whole family.
Serving Ideas
Here is the chicken breast served with these rustic potato bites with lemon and parmesan, which is a delicious combination. You can also add in a fresh salad for good measure.
This chicken also pairs well with pasta dishes like this pesto pasta or this one-pot lemon parmesan pasta with basil.
You can also pair it with rice, couscous, and roasted vegetables.
Did you make this Mediterranean-inspired chicken and love it? Please leave a review, and let me know what you served it with.
More Weeknight Chicken Dinners
Need some more chicken dishes to feed the whole family? How about some crispy-skinned chicken legs with herby potatoes, or these sheet pan chicken thighs with roasted veggies? You could also make it burger night with a ground chicken burger or breaded chicken burger, and some easy wedges.
Printable Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 4 medium chicken breasts 1.5 lb or 600 grams
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice from one lemon
- zest from one lemon
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp kosher salt less if using fine salt, about 1/2 tsp
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- optional garnishes: lemon wedges and chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Pound the chicken breast to an even thickness (about 1/3 inch). Place the chicken breast between cling film/plastic wrap to pound it using either a meat mallet or a rolling pin.
- Season the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried oregano. Then, add the chicken to a large mixing bowl and add the lemon juice, lemon zest, yogurt, and one tablespoon of olive oil. Mix everything well. Set it aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes (or prepare this the day before and leave it in the refrigerator).
- To a skillet on medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp of olive oil. Once the oil is hot (about 30 seconds), add the chicken breast (laying it away from you so the oil doesn’t splash) and cook it for about 5 minutes per side until the chicken is cooked through. Note: The chicken breast is cooked to a safe temperature when the meat thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) and the juices run clear.
- Optionally, serve the chicken breast with lemon wedges and/or parsley and use my serving suggestions to make it a complete meal for the whole family.
Notes
Add this simple chicken dish to your weeknight roster by saving it to one of your recipe idea boards, using the pin below.
