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 a new 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 feta!😊
The star of this dish really is the chicken! After marinating in your Greek yogurt mixture it becomes incredibly juicy, moist and 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 so good!
Ingredients For Your Lemon Oregano Chicken
- Chicken breasts: Use boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. (Try to use breasts similiar in size so their cooking time is the same.)
- Plain greek yogurt: The main ingredient in your marinade! (It helps tenderize your chicken.) I use 0% greek yogurt for mine.
- Lemons: You’ll need 3 lemons for this recipe – the juice from all 3 and the zest from 1.
- Garlic: 4-5 cloves are needed for your greek yogurt marinade!
- Olive oil: You’ll need 2 tablespoons of olive oil for the marinade.
- Spices: Dried oregano, salt and black pepper are ussed to season your marinade!
Ingredients For Your 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 too!)
- Tomatoes: Use cherry tomatoes or tomatoes on the vine for the best results (and flavor 😉)!
- Kalamata olives: Use pitted kalamata olives to cut down on prep time!
- Avocado: You’ll need to dice one large avocado for your Mediterranean salsa!
- Onion: Red onions work the best! (They’re sweeter and don’t have a harsh “onion flavor” like white or yellow onions.)
- Feta cheese: Always buy a block of feta cheese and crumble it yourself! (It’s much more flavorful than store bought feta crumbles.)
- Lemon juice: Always use fresh lemon juice for your salsa! You’ll only need a ½ tablespoon of lemon juice.
- Red wine vinegar: A ½ tablespoon of red wine vinegar is tossed with your salsa!
- Seasonings: Fresh or dried dill, salt & black pepper are all you need to season your salsa!
How To Make Baked Lemon Oregano Chicken
1. Marinate your chicken. Mix your greek yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, olive oil, dried oregano, salt and pepper together. Then add your chicken and greek yogurt marinade to a large bowl and toss until the chicken is fully coated. Cover the bowl and let your chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes to overnight.
2. Preheat your oven. When you’re ready to cook, turn your oven on to 400 degrees and spray a baking dish with cooking spray.
3. Bake your chicken. Optional step: Remove your chicken from the bowl and sear it in a pan over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes on one side or until it’s golden brown on one side. Then place the chicken in your prepared dish (seared side up) and spoon some of your marinade over the top of each breast. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. (Alternatively you can bake the chicken without searing it first.)
4. Prepare your salsa. While the chicken bakes, chop your veggies and avocado for the salsa and add them to a bowl with your feta cheese. Then add your lemon juice, red wine vinegar, dried dill, salt and pepper and stir. Taste and adjust your seasonings if needed.
5. Serve! Once done, serve the chicken immediately with your salsa!
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!
Need it gluten free? Great news, it already is!
More chicken recipes you might like:
- 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 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless
- 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 feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
- 1 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped (or a ½ tsp dried dill)
- ½ Tbsp lemon juice
- ½ Tbsp red wine vinegar
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken. Place your chicken breasts in a large bowl. Then mix your greek yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, olive oil, dried oregano, salt and pepper together and pour it over your chicken. Cover and let marinate for 30 minutes – overnight in the refrigerator.
- Bake. Once your chicken is done marinating, preheat your oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking dish with cooking spray.
- Next remove your chicken from the marinde and place them in your prepared dish. (Optional- You can sear your chicken breasts over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes on one side before placing them in your dish. If searing, spoon some of your marinade over the top of each chicken breast after they're in the dish.)Then place your chicken in the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes (or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.)
- Make your "salsa". While the chicken bakes, mix your salsa ingredients together in a large bowl. Then taste it and adjust your seasonings if needed. Cover and keep your salsa chilled in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve.
- Serve. Once the chicken is done, top each breast with your salsa and serve immediately.
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! 🙂