Greek Chicken with Lemon Feta (Printable)

Tender lemon-marinated chicken topped with crumbled feta and fresh parsley, bursting with bright Mediterranean flavors.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Marinade

01 - 1 lemon, juiced and zested
02 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
03 - 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
04 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
05 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
07 - 1/4 teaspoon coarse black pepper

→ Chicken

08 - 1 pound thin-sliced chicken breast
09 - Pinch of sea salt

→ Topping and Garnish

10 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
11 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
12 - Lemon wedges for serving

# Steps:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, oregano, smoked paprika, sea salt, and black pepper until well emulsified. Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade for serving.
02 - Add thin-sliced chicken breast to the bowl with the remaining marinade. Use tongs to coat the chicken thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
03 - Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add a light drizzle of olive oil. Place the marinated chicken in the skillet and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until golden brown on one side.
04 - Flip the chicken and continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes until cooked through and juices run clear when pierced.
05 - Transfer the chicken to a serving plate. Drizzle with the reserved marinade. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and crumbled feta cheese. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The marinade does all the work while you catch your breath after a long day.
  • Every bite tastes like sunshine, even in the middle of winter.
  • It feels fancy but comes together faster than ordering takeout.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day tucked into pita bread.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving some marinade before adding the raw chicken, using marinade that touched raw meat as a finishing sauce is a food safety mistake I only made once.
  • If your chicken breasts are thick, pound them thinner or slice them horizontally so they cook evenly and quickly.
  • Let the skillet get properly hot before adding the chicken or it will steam instead of sear, and you'll lose that beautiful golden crust.
03 -
  • Use a microplane to zest the lemon directly over the bowl so you catch every drop of the fragrant oils that spray out.
  • If you don't have 30 minutes to marinate, even 10 minutes will give you noticeable flavor, but longer is always better.
  • Always let the cooked chicken rest for a minute before adding the feta, or the cheese will melt too much and lose its crumbly texture.
Go Back