Mediterranean Garlic Chicken Recipe
May 21, 2020, Updated Jun 09, 2022
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This Mediterranean style garlic chicken recipe is a keeper. Juicy chicken flavored with garlic and Mediterranean herbs is absolutely delicious.
I’m here for all the flavorful chicken recipes. There are so many ways to flavor this humble protein. You can use some lemon and herbs to make classic chicken souvlaki or go with a combo of mozzarella, basil and tomatoes for a simple and tasty caprese chicken. And if you’re looking for an exotic dish, try our Persian saffron chicken or balsamic chicken, you will love it!
If you’re busy and are looking for a simple weeknight dinner, this recipe is for you. Just like our baked chicken legs and many of our Mediterranean recipes, this lemon garlic chicken recipe with a Mediterranean twist is so delicious and easy to make. All you need to do is to make a delicious garlic marinade and marinate the chicken for an hour and cook it. I’ve included instructions for stove top cooking, oven baking and outdoor grilling. Make sure to follow along for step-by-step tutorial and notes and tips to make this juicy chicken recipe.
The secret to a delicious garlic chicken
Using chicken thighs gives you the juiciest chicken ever. I prefer using boneless skinless chicken thighs to make this recipe. Also, don’t be shy when it comes to garlic in this recipe. The recipe calls for 10 cloves of garlic and if you’re a garlic lover like me, go ahead and add a couple more cloves!
The ingredients
The list of ingredients for this recipe is quite minimal, however, the flavors are mighty. The ingredients are basically two categories: the chicken and the marinade.
Chicken
As I mentioned above, boneless skinless chicken thighs work best for this recipe. However, you can also use bone-in skin-on thighs or breasts to make this dish. The cooking time will vary.
Garlic marinade
For this marinade, you need garlic (lots of it!), extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice for balance and acidity, and then a bunch of spices such as oregano, rosemary, salt and pepper for flavor. The ingredients are simple and you don’t need anything fancy to make this marinade.
Pro tip: When the list of the ingredients is simple and minimal, it’s important to use the highest quality ingredients that you can get your hands on. Use your best olive oil and squeeze some fresh lemon into the marinade. This makes all the difference.
How to make garlic chicken Mediterranean style
Prepare the marinade
Peel and mince the garlic finley. If you’re new to cooking, please check out Cook’s Illustrated tutorial on how to mince garlic. Place the minced garlic in a large bowl and add olive oil, oregano, salt, pepper, rosemary and lemon juice. Whisk well and then place the chicken in the bowl as well.
Marinate the chicken
Using a pair of tongs, move the chicken thighs around to make sure they’re all coated with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour up to 8 hours. When you’re ready to cook, take the chicken out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter for about 15-30 minutes to come to room temperature.
Pro tip: When you let your meat come to room temperature before cooking it, you get a more even cooking whereas if you cook meat directly from the fridge, the outside will dry while the inside remains uncooked.
Cook the chicken
Heat a grill pan or a cast iron skillet over medium high heat and lightly brush it with some olive oil. Place the chicken on the hot pan using a pair of tongs and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes on each side until it’s golden brown.
Outdoor grilling instructions
To make garlic chicken on a grill, heat the outdoor grill according to its instructions and lightly brush the grates with oil and place the chicken on the grill. Grill for about 8 minutes on each side until it’s completely cooked and the internal temperature registers at 165°F.
Baking instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (makes cleaning easier). Place the garlic marinated chicken thighs on the baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Serving suggestions
You can serve this dish with almost anything. Here are a few suggestions:
Salads: Fattoush salad, tabouli salad, Mediterranean salad and Turkish white bean salad, or just a simple combination of olive, onions and tomatoes.
Vegetables: Mediterranean roasted vegetables, roasted radishes, Middle Eastern eggplant and garlic roasted brussels sprouts.
Starchy sides: Turkish bulgur, Batata harra, Lebanese rice with vermicelli and Greek potatoes.
Storing the leftovers
Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, place the chicken pieces in a skillet and heat over medium heat, flipping occasionally.
Mediterranean Garlic Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb chicken thighs, skin-off and bone-off
- 10 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup olive oil , extra virgin
- 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 lemon, juice of
Instructions
- Pat dry the chicken and trim the excess fat. Set it aside.
- In a large bowl, mix the minced garlic, olive oil, oregano, salt, pepper, rosemary and lemon juice.
- Add the chicken and using a pair of tongs, move the chicken so every piece is coated with the marinade.
- Cover and refrigerate for one hour up to 8 hours (overnight).
- When you're ready to cook, take the chicken out of the fridge and let it sit in the counter for 15 to 30 minutes.
- Heat a grill pan or a cast iron skillet over medium heat and lightly brush it with olive oil.
- Place the chicken pieces in the pan and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes on each side until fully cooked and golden brown.
- Serve with your favorite side dish.
Video
Notes
- When the list of the ingredients is simple and minimal, it’s important to use the highest quality ingredients that you can get your hands on. Use your best olive oil and squeeze some fresh lemon into the marinade. This makes all the difference.
- Letting your meat come to room temperature before cooking it, results in a more even cooking whereas if you cook meat directly from the fridge, the outside will dry while the inside remains uncooked.
- To make garlic chicken on a grill, heat the outdoor grill according to its instructions and lightly brush the grates with oil and place the chicken on the grill. Grill for about 8 minutes on each side until it’s completely cooked and the internal temperature registers at 165°F.
- To make baked garlic chicken, preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (makes cleaning easier). Place the garlic marinated chicken thighs on the baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- To serve, there are many sides you can make to go with this dish:
- Salads: Fattoush salad, tabouli salad, Mediterranean salad and Turkish white bean salad.
- Vegetables: Mediterranean roasted vegetables, Middle Eastern eggplant and garlic roasted brussels sprouts.
- Starchy sides: Turkish bulgur, Lebanese rice with vermicelli and Greek potatoes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was hit with my family! I grilled the chicken an served it with baba ganoush, salad, and a mandarin orafor me! I warmed up my baba ganoush and dipped my chicken in it! Loved it! Actually I used thin, boneless, skinless breast instead of thighs; and that was super quick and easy!
This recipe is full of flavor! We love it!
I loved this recipe ! I’m always looking for ways to jazz up my chicken dinners and this was perfect!