Grilled Greek Chicken Breasts
A classic trio of Greek flavors – lemon, oregano, and garlic – along with one secret ingredient, come together in this simple marinade for lean, protein-packed grilled chicken breasts.
Creating today’s grilled chicken recipe was definitely a joint effort. For the past few years, my husband and I have been on a mission to make grilled chicken breast that would rival the kind you get on top of a Greek salad at your favorite coney restaurant. You know that delicious chicken breast I’m talking about; the outside of the breast has a lemony, herby coating and the inside is incredibly succulent and moist. After many attempts, let me just say we accomplished our mission.
The game-changing marinade ingredient that took this grilled chicken from pretty good to amazing was Greek yogurt. Yogurt contains lactic acid which acts as a tenderizer by breaking down the protein in the chicken making it moist and tender. Compared to citric acid (found in citrus juice) and acetic acid (found in vinegar), lactic acid has a milder effect on poultry (and meats), tenderizing it without making it mushy.
Now that we have the perfect Greek marinade for our chicken, we need the perfect size chicken breast. Anyone who’s grilled chicken breast knows that this super-lean poultry is notorious for being dry and somewhat tough. To ensure your grilled chicken breast is moist and juicy, use thinner breasts. This allows the marinade to more easily penetrate and flavor the entire piece of chicken. You can pound the chicken breast with a meat mallet to an even thickness (1/2- to 3/4-inch thickness works well). I prefer cutting a large chicken breast in half lengthwise, creating two thinner breasts. One, 8- to 10-ounce chicken breast will yield two, perfectly portioned, 4- to 5-ounce breasts. Best of all, no pounding is necessary.
If you’re not able to grill the breasts, pan-searing them in a skillet with a little oil is an excellent option. Beyond serving these grilled chicken breasts on top of a classic Greek salad, enjoy them with herb roasted potatoes and grilled vegetables; use them in a Mediterranean-inspired bowl with couscous, tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, crumbled feta, and kalamata olives; or serve them alongside spinach and lemon risotto. The possibilities are endless.
To your health,
Darlene
Follow Recipes Made Healthy on Pinterest
Follow Recipes Made Healthy on Instagram
GRILLED GREEK CHICKEN BREASTS
Yield: 8 servings
Serving Size: 1 chicken breast
Prep: 10 minutes
Ready: 4 hours 30 minutes (includes chicken marinating time)
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt (such as FAGE Total 2%)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
4 to 5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 (8 to 10 ounces each) boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise
1 tablespoon neutral oil (such as avocado oil or canola oil)
DIRECTIONS
In a medium-sized bowl prepare marinade by whisking together Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Place halved chicken breasts (total of 8 breasts) in a gallon size resealable plastic bag. Pour marinade over chicken, turning to evenly coat. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.
When ready to cook chicken, prepare outdoor grill and brush preheated grill grate with neutral oil to prevent sticking (to oil the grill grate, use tongs to hold a wad of paper towel that has been dipped in oil and rub the oil-soaked towel over the grate). Place chicken on grill and discard remaining marinade. Grill for approximately 5 to 8 minutes on each side or until an internal temperature of 165 degrees F is reached. Allow cooked chicken breasts to rest 5 minutes before serving (this resting period allows the juices to redistribute inside the chicken breast rather than running out onto your plate).
Nutrition Information per Serving
159 Calories, 5 g Total fat, 1 g Saturated fat, 0 g Trans fat, 73 mg Cholesterol, 124 mg Sodium, 0.5 g Total carbohydrate, 0 g Dietary fiber, 0 g Total sugars, 0 g Added sugars, 27 g Protein, 0.1 mcg (0%) Vitamin D, 13 mg (0%) Calcium, 1 mg (6%) Iron, 274 mg (6%) Potassium
© 2025 RECIPES MADE HEALTHY BY DARLENE ZIMMERMAN, MS, RD LLC
