Easy Mediterranean Chicken Recipe
Jun 18, 2019, Updated Nov 11, 2019
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Sheet pan Mediterranean chicken recipe ready in 30 minutes. Juicy chicken is flavored with spices and roasted with vegetables makes the perfect weeknight dinner.
Mediterranean recipes have a special place in our meal planning. Greek chicken souvlaki, chicken shawarma and chicken shish tawook are some of the easy Mediterranean chicken recipes that we make regularly.
This sheet pan Mediterranean chicken has recently become a favorite of ours as well. It’s made in one sheet pan with a handful of ingredients and is so simple to make.
Table of Contents
Why this recipe works
Winner winner, chicken dinner! We’re always trying new chicken recipes and today I have a good one for you. We make this Mediterranean chicken breast recipe at least twice a month because it requires very little hands on time. We love this recipe because it’s:
- Flavorful: Juicy chicken breast is seasoned with garlic, onion, lemon, spices and olive oil and then baked with vegetables. The final touches including capers and olive stake this humble dinner to a whole new level.
- Quick to make: Ready in only 30 minutes, this is an easy chicken breast recipe that you can turn to when you don’t know what to make for dinner.
- Sheet pan dinner: Everything is cooked at the same time when it comes to sheet pan dinners. This means there will be minimal cleanup, I’d say yes to that!
It’s all about the marinade
This is a quick and easy lemon garlic marinade that you can use for this sheet pan chicken recipe. It’s made with extra virgin olive oil, lemon, garlic and spices such as cumin, paprika, thyme, black pepper, dried onion and salt.
I simply mixed this marinade with with the chicken and potatoes and transferred it to the baking sheet. You can marinate the chicken in the mixture overnight if you’re planning to bake it later.
Ingredients notes and substitutions
- Chicken: To make this recipe, I chose boneless skinless chicken breast. However, you can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs, or bone-in skin on chicken thighs. Cooking time may vary depending on the cut of chicken you choose to use.
- Potatoes: Any kind of potatoes including baby potatoes, russet, Yukon gold or red potatoes would work for this recipe. Make sure the potatoes are completely washed and cleaned. If you decided to use large potatoes such as russet, cut it into chunks.
- Lemon: To add brightness to the dish, we are going to use freshly squeezed lemon juice. Store-bought bottled lemon juice would not work as well.
- Capers and olives: These would bring the dish together and give it such nice flavor. It’s possible to use green or kalamata olives (preferably pitted) to make this sheet pan chicken recipe. You can read more about capers and how to use them on Splendid Table.
- Tomatoes: Grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes would be perfect for this recipe. Larger tomatoes such as beefsteak or roma could release too much juice therefore it’s best to avoid them.
How to make Mediterranean chicken in a sheet pan
- Preheat the oven and coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Mix the chicken and potatoes with all the spices, olive oil and lemon juice.
- Arrange the chicken, potatoes, tomatoes and olives on the baking sheet. Top the chicken with lemon slices and capers.
- Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked.
And voila! You have a winner chicken dinner in no time! Simple, easy and unbelievably tasty, this Mediterranean chicken recipe will become a regular in your house before you know it.
Variations
As I mentioned before, you can use other cuts of chicken such as thighs or drumsticks to make this recipe, keep in mind that cooking time may vary. You can also add more vegetables to this sheet pan dinner. My suggestions are:
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Zucchini
- Onions
- Asparagus
- Bell pepper
Serving suggestions
This baked Mediterranean chicken has so much flavor and goes perfectly with many sides. I love serving it with fresh salads such as Mediterranean salad, tabbouleh, fattoush and cucumber tomato avocado salad.
You can also serve this Mediterranean chicken with fresh pita, hummus, Turkish bulgur pilaf, Greek lemon rice or Lebanese rice with vermicelli for a party or gathering.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can marinade the chicken in the refrigerator up to 8 hours ahead of baking. If doing so, save a bit of the olive oil mixture before marinating to mix with the potatoes when you’re ready to cook.
Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To serve, reheat the leftovers in a pan over medium heat or in the oven until warm.
The chicken breast is done when the juices run clear and if cut, the meat is no longer pink. To make sure the chicken is cooked completely, insert an instant read thermometer into the thickest part, if it reads 165 degrees F, the chicken is fully cooked.
More chicken recipes
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Mediterranean Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 4 gold potatoes, cut into quarters
- 1/4 cup olive oil, extra virgin
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp dried minced onion
- 1 lemon , juice of
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup olives, green and kalamata, pitted
- 1 tbsp capers
- 1 lemon , sliced
- 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat a baking sheet with non stick spray.
- Place the chicken breasts and potatoes in a large bowl. Add olive oil, garlic, cumin, paprika, salt, black pepper, dried minced onion and lemon juice to the chicken and potatoes. Stir well until all the ingredients are incorporated.
- Transfer the chicken and potatoes to the baking sheet. Add tomatoes and olives to the sheet pan. Top the chicken breasts with a slice of lemon and capers.
- Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until the chicken breasts' temperature registers at 165F.
- Top with parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
- You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs or bone-in skin-on chicken thighs as well. Cooking time may vary.
- It’s possible to use any kind of potatoes you prefer including baby potatoes, russet or red potatoes.
- If you have the time, marinade the chicken separately for one to 8 hours in the fridge. If doing so, save some of the olive oil and spice mixture to mix with the potatoes before you’re ready to bake.
- You can add other vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini or carrots to the sheet pan as well.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To serve, place the leftovers in a pan and reheat over medium heat or in the oven until warm.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was sponsored by Safeway. As always, all opinions are mine.
the flavors in this recipe are sooo good! thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
This recipe was soo tasty. I loved all the amazing flavors. And the best part was the cleanup was so easy!!! I love this recipe!!!!!
Wow, talk about flavorful! I love Mediterranean recipes, and this is where it’s at
Hope you enjoy it!
I love the ease and versatility of this recipe. I can change it up depending on what vegetables I have on hand and that it all cooks together on a sheet pan is wonderful!
That’s right! You can use whatever veggies you have in the fridge to make this recipe!
This chicken looks so delicious and easy to make! I love all the flavors for this chicken, and I know my family will love it!
We love cooking with Mediterranean flavors and this easy sheet pan chicken sounds like the perfect weeknight dinner. The spice blend sounds dynamite and my tummy is grumbling just looking at your photos.
We made this chicken for dinner last night and it was incredible! The whole family loved it, and I especially loved that fresh lemon flavor!
Here’s a few things I love: easy meals, tasty meals, and quick clean up! This recipe checked all the boxes! Perfect!
I made this for a small dinner get together and it was perfect! So easy and no fuss but still elegant and beyond delicious! Thank you!