Chicken breasts are marinated in a mixture of Greek yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, lots of garlic & spices then baked to perfection & served with a zesty veggie loaded “salsa”! This lemon oregano chicken is a flavorful healthy dinner your family will love!
If your looking for an easy baked chicken recipe to try – this lemon oregano chicken is it! We love this recipe for so many reasons! It’s protein-packed, loaded with flavor and can easily be made the night before! Plus it’s served with a Mediterranean-style “salsa” that’s full of fresh ingredients like cucumber, tomatoes, onion and fresh dill all tossed with creamy avocado and salty crumbled feta!😊
The star of this dish really is the chicken! After marinating in a lemon/Greek yogurt mixture it becomes incredibly juicy, moist and SO tender! It practically melts in your mouth and the flavor’s unreal! Full of bright, zesty, lemony flavor, lots of garlic and herby oregano – it’s too good!
Ingredients For The Lemon Oregano Chicken
Chicken breasts: I love using boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. Make sure the breasts are similiar in size so they finish cooking around the same time. (Boneless chicken thighs would work too!)
Plain greek yogurt: The main ingredient for your marinade! (It helps tenderize the chicken and keeps it super juicy while it bakes.) I use 0% greek yogurt for mine.
Lemons: You’ll need 3 fresh lemons for the marinade. Use the zest from 1 lemon and juice from all 3 to create a bright citrusy base.
Garlic: Fresh garlic is a MUST! Use 4-5 garlic cloves to infuse the marinade with bold savory flavor.
Olive oil: A splash of olive oil helps emulsify the mariande and allows the seasonings to cling to the chicken.
Seasonings: Dried oregano, salt and black pepper add an insane amount of flavor and really bring this chicken marinade to life!
Ingredients For the Mediterranean-Style “Salsa”
Cucumber: English cucumbers or Persian cucumbers work the best for this recipe. (They don’t have a “waxy skin” like regular cucumbers and have less seeds.)
Tomatoes: Use cherry tomatoes or tomatoes on the vine for the best results – the have the BEST flavor!😉
Kalamata olives: Use pitted kalamata olives to cut down on prep time.
Avocado: You’ll need to dice one large avocado for the Mediterranean salsa.
Onion: Red onions work the best! (They’re sweeter and won’t overpower the other ingredients in the topping.)
Feta cheese: I always suggest buying a block of feta cheese and crumbling it yourself! (It’s more flavorful than store bought crumbled feta.)
Lemon juice: Highly recommend using resh lemon juice here! You don’t need much – just a ½ tablespoon of lemon juice to coat the “salsa”.
Red wine vinegar: Also used to coat the “salsa” – I love the touch of tang this adds! You’ll need a ½ tablespoon of red wine vinegar too.
Herbs & seasonings: Fresh dill, salt & black pepper help liven up the “salsa” and add so much flavor.
How To Make Baked Lemon Oregano Chicken
1. Marinate the chicken. Whisk the greek yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, olive oil, dried oregano, salt and black pepper together in a large bowl. Add the chicken breasts and stir around until the chicken is fully coated in the marinade. Cover the bowl and let marinate for 30 minutes – overnight.
2. Preheat the oven. When the chicken is done marinating, turn the oven on to 400 degrees and spray a baking dish with cooking spray.
3. Bake the chicken. Optional: Remove the chicken from the marinade and sear it in a pan over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes or until it’s golden brown on one side. Place the chicken in the prepared baking dish (seared side up) and spoon some of the marinade over the top of each breast. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. (Alternatively you can bake the chicken without searing it first.)
4. Prepare the topping. Add the diced cucumber, tomatoes, kalamata olives, onion, avocado, feta cheese and chopped dill, lemon juice and red wine vinegar to a large bowl. Season with salt and black pepper to taste and stir until fully combined. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed.
5. Serve! Spoon the topping over each chicken breasts and serve.
FAQ’s
How long should I marinate my chicken? Anywhere from 30 minutes to overnight. (The longer your chicken marinates, the more flavorful it will be.)
What does marinating chicken in yogurt do? Greek yogurt helps to tenderize your chicken. Most marinades use citrus and acid to quickly tenderize the meat which can cause it to become tough and chewy. Greek yogurt slowly tenderizes your chicken making it do moist and tender!
Can I prep any ingredients beforehand? Absolutely! The marinade can be made a day in advance and your salsa ingredients (except the avocado) can be cut beforehand too. I would suggest storing your salsa ingredients in separate containers and mixing them together right before you’re ready to serve.
How do I know when my chicken is done cooking? Your chicken should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees when inserted with a meat themometer into the thickest part of the breast.
How do I store my leftover lemon oregano chicken and salsa? Store your chicken and salsa in separate air tight containers in the refrigerator. (For your salsa, you might want to pick out the avocado pieces as they tend to turn brown after sitting for a while. You can always add fresh avocado to your salsa when you eat the leftovers.)
How long will my leftover chicken stay good in the refrigerator? It should stay good for 3-5 days if stored properly.
Why you’ll love this baked greek chicken recipe
- So flavorful! 2x the lemon + lots of garlic + a zesty Mediterranean-style salsa with creamy avocado! You won’t believe how delicious this chicken dinner is!
- The juiciest chicken breast recipe! Marinating your chicken in Greek yogurt is a total game changer! It’s moist, tender & practically melts in your mouth!
- An easy weeknight dinner! Let your chicken marinate during the day then bake it as soon as you’re home from work! Prep all your salsa ingredients beforehand too to save even more time!
- A nourishing & satisfying meal! With your Greek yogurt-based marinade adding extra protein & a salsa loaded with veggies – this is one healthy dinner your whole family will love!
More chicken recipes you might enjoy:
- Apple & Brie Stuffed Chicken Breast
- Balsamic Chicken with Strawberries & Feta
- Chimichurri Chicken Bowls
- Sun-Dried Tomato & Artichoke Stuffed Chicken Breast
[Made one of my recipes? Make sure to tag my Instagram @kalefornia_kravings & leave a review in the comments. I love seeing what you create!]
Lemon Oregano Baked Chicken with Mediterranean-Style Salsa
Ingredients
For the lemon oregano chicken:
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ cup plain greek yogurt
- 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 lemons, (zest from 1 & juice from all 3)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
For the Mediterranean-style "salsa":
- 1¼ cup english cucumber, diced (about ¾-1 whole cucumber)
- 1 cup tomatoes, chopped
- ½ cup kalamata olives, chopped
- ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1 large avocado, diced
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped (or ½ tsp dried dill)
- ½ Tbsp lemon juice
- ½ Tbsp red wine vinegar
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken. Whisk the greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, dried oregano, salt and black pepper together in a large bowl. Add the chicken breasts and stir around until the chicken is fully coated in the marinade. Cover the bowl and let marinate for 30 minutes – overnight.
- Preheat the oven. When the chicken is done marinating, turn the oven on to 400 degrees and spray a baking dish with cooking spray.
- Bake the chicken. Optional: Remove the chicken from the marinade and sear it in a pan over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes or until it's golden brown on one side. Place the chicken in the prepared baking dish (seared side up) and spoon some of the marinade over the top of each breast. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. (Alternatively you can bake the chicken without searing it first.)
- Prepare the "salsa". Add the diced cucumber, tomatoes, kalamata olives, onion, avocado, feta cheese and chopped dill, lemon juice and red wine vinegar to a large bowl. Season with salt and black pepper to taste and stir until fully combined. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed.
- Serve! Spoon the topping over each chicken breasts and serve.
Only one question: Do I need to cover the chicken in the oven?
Thanks you for your fantastic recipe.
Hi Stella! No I don’t cover the chicken while it bakes. 🙂
SOOOO GOODDDDD 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌MAKING AGAIN TN
Yayyy! I’m so glad it’s a hit! 🙂
Amazing! One question, can I use boneless skinless thighs instead of breasts?
Hi Shelby! YEs absolutely, thighs would work too! 🙂
I couldn’t wait to make this dish—it made me drool just looking at the picture. It did not disappoint! An explosion of flavour and so fresh too! This one is a keeper! Restaurant worthy IMHO! I served it alongside long grain brown rice that was simmered in “Better than Bouillon” chicken and topped with fresh minced green onions. Very satiating too. Thank you for this great recipe.
OMG Jackie, you just made my day! 🙂 I’m so happy you loved it! Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
Question… Do you dispose of all the marinade after transferring to baking dish Or do you keep marinade in baking dish while chicken cooks?
Hi Heidi, great question! I’ll usually pour some of the marinade in the baking dish with the chicken and dispose of the rest. I hope this helps! 🙂
My wife found this recipe on Pinterest and we were both excited to try it. 5 stars all the way! So so flavorful and light. I think searing it was the right choice. Will definitely be making this again! Thank you!!
Hi Scott! So happy you both enjoyed it! Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
Soooo good!!! Served with air fryer potatoes with a little salt, pepper, spicy paprika, fresh rosemary and olive oil. Better than a restaurant!!!
If I don’t have time to marinate overnight, can I marinate same day?
Absolutely! That still works! 🙂
WE love all the recipes! I dont understand what you mean by “sear” it first? Is that on the grill then finish in the oven or sear under the broiler and finish at 400 in the oven? I want a char to it
Hi Katie! We usually “sear” the chicken in a saute pan on the stove for a few minutes then transfer it to a baking dish to bake in the oven. I hope this helps. 🙂
Do you think grilling this chicken as opposed to baking it would impact the taste?
Not at all – grilling is a great option!
This was delicious and my husband enjoyed it too! Did the sear first though I don’t think my pan was hot enough, but still came out great. Served with roasted sweet potato halved and seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper, cooked face down.
Definitely need to cook more than a pound of chicken breasts next time!