Greek Chicken with Lemon and Feta (Printable Version)

Lemon-marinated chicken topped with feta cheese, bursting with bright Mediterranean flavors in under an hour.

# Components:

→ 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

# Directions:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, 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 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 to cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until cooked through and juices run clear.
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 Tips:

01 -
  • It transforms plain chicken into something that tastes like you spent all day cooking, but you were really just marinating and daydreaming.
  • The lemon and feta combo is so bright and tangy it wakes up your taste buds even on the dreariest evening.
  • Cleanup is minimal, and leftovers actually get better as the flavors keep mingling in the fridge.
02 -
  • Do not marinate longer than an hour or the lemon juice will start to cook the chicken and turn the texture chalky.
  • Reserve that marinade before the raw chicken goes in, using it as a finishing sauce after cooking is what makes this dish sing.
  • Thin-sliced chicken cooks fast, so watch it closely or it will go from juicy to dry in a heartbeat.
03 -
  • Pound thicker chicken breasts gently between plastic wrap to even them out, so everything cooks at the same rate and stays tender.
  • Let the chicken rest on the counter for 10 minutes before cooking so it is not ice cold, this helps it sear better and cook more evenly.
  • Use a meat thermometer if you are nervous, 165 degrees Fahrenheit is your target and it takes the guesswork out completely.
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