This Baked Greek Chicken is exactly what I look for when it comes to a quick and fuss-free weeknight dinner that’s wholesome and satisfying. The chicken is marinated before being roasted to juicy, caramelised perfection in the oven. The Greek yoghurt in the marinade is what makes this recipe so special – it tenderises the chicken and helps to create that crispy crust. I have provided a gorgeous lemon and dill rice that complements the Mediterranean flavours.
In this nourishing, comforting Baked Greek Chicken, the meat is cooked to juicy, caramelised perfection, then served with a herb and lemon rice, a simple fresh salad and tzatziki.
There’s also a super quick, refreshing tomato, cucumber and mint side salad – and, of course, this dish wouldn’t be complete without some tzatziki! But feel free to mix things up! You might like to serve the chicken in Greek-inspired rice bowls with roasted potatoes, or shredded into pita bread with a big dollop of hummus. While you can marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours, I often marinate it for just a few minutes, which still produces flavour-packed results. This really is a minimal-effort meal that has all the vibes and flavour of roasted chicken without the fuss of carving (and a faster cooking time!). It’s also fabulous for entertaining – I like to have all the sides prepared ahead of time and the chicken marinated, so all I need to do is pop the chicken in the oven. I love this recipe so much that I included it in my new cookbook Simple Dinners Every Day.
The secret ingredient here is the yoghurt in the marinade, which helps keep the meat tender and juicy as well as creating a gorgeous crispy crust on the chicken skin.
Can I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breast?
Yes! But the cooking temperatures and times need to be modified:
Boneless, skinless chicken thigh – Modify the temperature to 220°C (425°F) (200°C/400°F fan-forced) and the cooking time to 25–30 minutes. If the chicken isn’t caramelised and golden at the end of the cooking time, grill (broil) the chicken in the oven for a few minutes until it is golden.
Boneless, skinless chicken breast – Pound the chicken breast to an even thickness using a mallet or rolling pin, so that it is roughly 1.5 cm (½ inch) thick. Modify the temperature to 220°C (425°F) (200°C/400°F fan-forced) and the cooking time to 18–20 minutes. If the chicken isn’t caramelised and golden at the end of the cooking time, grill (broil) the chicken in the oven for a few minutes until it is golden.
This beautiful dish makes a great family weeknight dinner, but is also special enough to serve to guests.
This Baked Greek Chicken recipe is a delicious, comforting and fuss-free weeknight dinner. The chicken is marinated briefly before being roasted to perfection, then served with a cucumber, tomato and mint salad and tzatziki on a bed of lemon and dill rice.
Prep 15 minutesmins
Cook 1 hourhr10 minutesmins
Total 1 hourhr25 minutesmins
Servings: 4
Ingredients
CHICKEN
1.2kg(2½lb)bone-in chicken thighs (skin on or off)
2tspsea salt flakes
½tspfreshly cracked black pepper
1tbspfreshly minced garlic
2tspsweet paprika
2tspdried oregano
125g(½cup)plain Greek yoghurt
60ml(¼cup)extra-virgin olive oil
1lemon, juiced
60ml(¼cup)water
LEMON AND DILL RICE
2tbspextra-virgin olive oil
1brown onion, finely diced
1tspfreshly minced garlic
400g(2cups)basmati rice, washed and drained
1lemon, juiced and zested
500ml(2cups)chicken stock
½tspsea salt flakes
2tbspfinely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2tbspfinely chopped fresh dill
Lemon wedges, to serve
TZATZIKI
250g(1cup)plain Greek yoghurt
1Lebanese (short/Persian) cucumber, grated and excess juice squeezed out
1tbspfinely chopped mint leaves
1tbspfinely chopped fresh dill
1tbspfresh lemon juice
½tspfreshly minced garlic
½tspsea salt flakes
CUCUMBER, TOMATO AND MINT SALAD
2Lebanese (short/Persian) cucumbers, diced
150g(1cup)grape (baby roma/plum) tomatoes, halved
1small red onion, sliced
30g(½cup)firmly packed fresh mint, leaves picked
½tspsea salt flakes
Instructions
(keeps your screen active)
Coat the chicken – Place all the ingredients, except the water, in a large dish and use your hands to evenly coat the chicken. If marinating (see note 1), cover and refrigerate for 1 hour, or up to 24 hours. Alternatively, bake the chicken immediately.
To bake the chicken in the oven – Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) (180°C/350°F fan-forced). Transfer the chicken to a baking dish and add the water to the centre of the dish. Bake the chicken, uncovered, for 1 hour.
Rest – Leave to rest, uncovered, for at least 10 minutes once cooked.
To cook the chicken in the air fryer – In a large bowl or dish, mix the yoghurt, olive oil, garlic, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper. Add the chicken thighs and coat them evenly in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour (or up to 24 hours) for best flavour. If short on time, skip marination and continue with the recipe.
Preheat your air fryer to 190°C (375°F) for about 5 minutes.
Lightly grease the air fryer basket or tray with cooking spray or oil to prevent sticking. Place the chicken thighs in a single layer, skin-side up, ensuring they don’t overlap (cook in batches if necessary).
Air fry for 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until fully cooked and crispy.
Let the chicken rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.
Make the lemon and dill rice – Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium–low heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Stir the rice through, then immediately add the lemon juice, chicken stock and salt. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat immediately to low and cook, covered, for 12–14 minutes until small pits begin to appear on the surface of the rice and all the liquid has been absorbed. Allow to stand, covered, for 10 minutes before uncovering and fluffing the rice with a fork.
Stir through the lemon zest, parsley and dill. Serve immediately with an extra squeeze of lemon.
Make the tzatziki – Combine the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Make the cucumber, tomato and mint salad – Combine the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Serve – Serve the chicken heaped on a bed of the lemon and dill rice, topped with tzatziki and a side of the cucumber, tomato and mint salad.
Nutrition information
Nutrition Facts
Baked Greek Chicken
Amount per Serving
Calories
991
% Daily Value*
Fat
37
g
57
%
Saturated Fat
8
g
50
%
Trans Fat
0.03
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
5
g
Monounsaturated Fat
21
g
Cholesterol
187
mg
62
%
Sodium
2471
mg
107
%
Potassium
1565
mg
45
%
Carbohydrates
115
g
38
%
Fiber
8
g
33
%
Sugar
16
g
18
%
Protein
52
g
104
%
Vitamin A
1874
IU
37
%
Vitamin C
64
mg
78
%
Calcium
288
mg
29
%
Iron
5
mg
28
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Note 1 – The longer you leave the chicken to marinate, the more pronounced it will be in flavour. I rarely factor in marinating time and the results are always flavour-packed and succulent, so don’t feel you can’t make this recipe if you are short on time.
Make ahead
Chicken – Marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours. Store refrigerated in an airtight container. Lemon and dill rice – Prepare as per the recipe and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 48 hours prior to reheating and serving. For best results, stir through the herbs after reheating and prior to serving. Tzatziki – Prepare up to 72 hours prior to serving. Refrigerate in an airtight container.Cucumber, tomato and mint salad – Prepare up to 48 hours prior to serving, store the cucumber, tomato, mint and onion in separate containers to stop the salad softening. Do not add salt – add it right before serving.
Leftovers
Chicken – Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Not suitable to freeze. Lemon and dill rice – Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Tzatziki – Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.Cucumber, tomato and mint salad – Best consumed immediately, but can be refrigerated for up to 48 hours. The mint and tomato will soften due to the salt but will still be equally delicious!
Course barbecuing, batch cooking, budget-friendly, chicken, entrée, freezer friendly, grilling, holiday favourites, Main Course, meal planning, one pan, quick and easy
Cuisine Greek
Katiesays:
I love your recipes and have two of your cookbooks but this didn’t quite work for me. I used 0% fat yoghurt? Does recipe need full fat? Also on pack instructions for my bone-in, skin-on thighs said 40 mins so cooked it 20 mins less and skin not crispy. Should I have ignored pack and cooked for full hour?
Hi Katie, it doesn’t matter if the yoghurt isn’t full fat. The problem here is the cooking time … you definitely need to cook it for the full hour. I hope you try it again and it works out for you. 🧡 Nic x
Hi Steph! Great question 😊 No need to brown the chicken first for this recipe. The yoghurt in the marinade does all the work here – it helps tenderise the chicken and creates that lovely golden, slightly caramelised finish in the oven without needing to sear it beforehand. The key to getting good colour is using a metal baking dish and making sure your oven is really well preheated (at least 20–30 minutes) before the chicken goes in. Bake it uncovered as per the recipe and, if you’d like a little extra colour at the end, you can always pop it under the grill (broiler) for a few minutes. Hope you love it! Nic x
Hi Natalie! So glad you’ve been loving it 🥹 That can definitely happen sometimes – especially depending on the pan. Because this recipe bakes uncovered with a small amount of liquid in the dish, the sugars in the marinade can catch a little on certain pans (Bessemer included).
A couple of easy fixes:
– Make sure there’s a light coating of oil on the base of the dish before adding the chicken.
– Give the chicken a gentle shuffle halfway through cooking so it doesn’t have time to stick.
– Or line the base with baking (parchment) paper if you want a completely foolproof option.
I wouldn’t cover with foil as it will stop that nice golden colour developing – but baking paper underneath works perfectly! I hope that helps. 🧡 Nic x
I used chicken breast and it was absolutely delicious. So tender and so tasty!
I really love all your recipes and the videos are so helpful to watch before cooking. I’ve never come across recipes that are so easy to follow, have a video to go with it and also have so many alternative directions if you need, it’s so helpful. Keep doing what you are doing, you are amazing!
Loved this! The length of the recipe may seem intimidating but it’s actually really easy to get through. I had 8 chicken thigh cutlets weighing a total of 1.1 kilos so on the smaller side and only took about 40 minutes to cook before resting. I added an extra splash of water to the rice as I didn’t use onion and the rice was perfect.
Hi Deborah, so glad that you gave the recipe a try and it was a winner for you! Thanks for sharing the details of how you tweaked things to suit … always so useful for me to hear! Thanks for the rating. Nic x
Hi Lucy, thanks for your great question. The details on using thigh fillets is in the FAQ section. But basically, you need to modify the temperature to 220°C (425°F) (200°C/400°F fan-forced) and the cooking time to 25–30 minutes. If the chicken isn’t caramelised and golden at the end of the cooking time, grill (broil) the chicken in the oven for a few minutes until it is golden. I hope this helps! Nic x
For recipes labelled ‘gluten-free’ or ‘dairy-free’, the ingredients included in the recipe are typically gluten- or dairy-free. However, it is the user’s responsibility to carefully check the ingredient panels on the specific brands of products purchased and used. Simple Home Edit cannot be held responsible for any adverse reactions.
Katie says:
I love your recipes and have two of your cookbooks but this didn’t quite work for me. I used 0% fat yoghurt? Does recipe need full fat? Also on pack instructions for my bone-in, skin-on thighs said 40 mins so cooked it 20 mins less and skin not crispy. Should I have ignored pack and cooked for full hour?
Nicole says:
Hi Katie, it doesn’t matter if the yoghurt isn’t full fat. The problem here is the cooking time … you definitely need to cook it for the full hour. I hope you try it again and it works out for you. 🧡 Nic x
Steph says:
Hey Nicole! Do I need to brown the chicken first on the stove top? I find when I bake chicken it doesn’t really brown well.
Thanks!
Nicole says:
Hi Steph! Great question 😊 No need to brown the chicken first for this recipe. The yoghurt in the marinade does all the work here – it helps tenderise the chicken and creates that lovely golden, slightly caramelised finish in the oven without needing to sear it beforehand. The key to getting good colour is using a metal baking dish and making sure your oven is really well preheated (at least 20–30 minutes) before the chicken goes in. Bake it uncovered as per the recipe and, if you’d like a little extra colour at the end, you can always pop it under the grill (broiler) for a few minutes. Hope you love it! Nic x
Carina says:
I just marinated the chicken and am soo excited ! Am sure it will be delicious!
Nicole says:
Hi Carina, excited for you to try this too! Let me know how you go! Nic x
Natalie says:
Hi Nic, I’ve made this dish multiple times and it’s delicious: tonight the chicken stuck to the pan. Do you recommend foil on it? It’s Bessemer pan..
Nicole says:
Hi Natalie! So glad you’ve been loving it 🥹 That can definitely happen sometimes – especially depending on the pan. Because this recipe bakes uncovered with a small amount of liquid in the dish, the sugars in the marinade can catch a little on certain pans (Bessemer included).
A couple of easy fixes:
– Make sure there’s a light coating of oil on the base of the dish before adding the chicken.
– Give the chicken a gentle shuffle halfway through cooking so it doesn’t have time to stick.
– Or line the base with baking (parchment) paper if you want a completely foolproof option.
I wouldn’t cover with foil as it will stop that nice golden colour developing – but baking paper underneath works perfectly! I hope that helps. 🧡 Nic x
Melanie says:
Amazing recipe! Balanced, comforting and refreshing. Definitely will make often.
Nicole says:
Thanks for your lovely comments, Melanie! So happy you enjoyed this. Thanks also for the rating. 🧡 Nic x
Rachael says:
I’ve made this so many times now and it never lets me down. Brilliant recipe, thank you!
Nicole says:
This is just wonderful to hear, Rachael! Thanks so much for sharing. 🙌🏻❤️ Nic x
Sarah Mcloughlon says:
Easy to follow and a delicious family pleaser
Nicole says:
This is what I love to hear, Sarah! 🙌🏻 So glad it was a winner and thanks for the rating. Nic x
Jodie says:
I used chicken breast and it was absolutely delicious. So tender and so tasty!
I really love all your recipes and the videos are so helpful to watch before cooking. I’ve never come across recipes that are so easy to follow, have a video to go with it and also have so many alternative directions if you need, it’s so helpful. Keep doing what you are doing, you are amazing!
Nicole says:
Thanks for your lovely comment, Jodie! 🥰 Really happy you’re loving the recipes and finding them easy! Thanks so much for the rating too. Nic x
Deborah says:
Loved this! The length of the recipe may seem intimidating but it’s actually really easy to get through. I had 8 chicken thigh cutlets weighing a total of 1.1 kilos so on the smaller side and only took about 40 minutes to cook before resting. I added an extra splash of water to the rice as I didn’t use onion and the rice was perfect.
Nicole says:
Hi Deborah, so glad that you gave the recipe a try and it was a winner for you! Thanks for sharing the details of how you tweaked things to suit … always so useful for me to hear! Thanks for the rating. Nic x
Ashley says:
Hi, I plan on making this dish tonight. What type of baking dish do you recommend?
Nicole says:
Hi Ashley, I like to use a heavy-based (ideally cast-iron) baking dish like this one. Nic x
Gig Pana says:
Thank you for sharing! My Greek husband relatives loved this chicken recipe. I use drumsticks though
Nicole says:
Hi Gig, I am thrilled to hear these were a hit for you and that your husband gave them the thumbs up! Drumsticks are a terrific choice! Nic x
Lucy says:
Hi there love ALL your recipes! Can you pls let me know how long to cook this with chicken thigh no bone? I can’t find it anywhere on this recipe
Nicole says:
Hi Lucy, thanks for your great question. The details on using thigh fillets is in the FAQ section. But basically, you need to modify the temperature to 220°C (425°F) (200°C/400°F fan-forced) and the cooking time to 25–30 minutes. If the chicken isn’t caramelised and golden at the end of the cooking time, grill (broil) the chicken in the oven for a few minutes until it is golden. I hope this helps! Nic x