This is a delicious Greek chicken recipe that does not require any browning of the chicken which saves a lot of time. It is lemony and garlicky and the pan sauce at the end really brings it together. Serve it with roasted potatoes or mashed potatoes and a Greek salad or any green side vegetable.
TIPS: The longer it marinades the better but if you are short on time it will be okay with 4 to 6 hours. Do not leave it marinading longer than 2 days. You can also use bone-in chicken breast if you prefer, but cook those just until the center reaches 165 degrees.
Baked Greek Chicken
Ingredients
- 8 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or mix of thighs and legs
Marinade:
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 medium shallot minced
- 1/4 C lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
- 6 Tbsp lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 3 tsp dry oregano
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dry thyme
- 1/2 C olive oil
- 1/4 C water
Sauce:
- 1 C chicken stock
- 1 Tbsp butter
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk together all the marinade ingredients until it becomes emulsified.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place chicken in a large ziplock bag or in a 13×9 baking dish. Pour all of the marinade into the bag or dish and toss chicken to coat. If in a dish, cover with plastic wrap, then marinate the chicken in the fridge for 12 to 48 hours.
- Heat oven to 425 degrees. Transfer chicken pieces to a large flat bottom pan, such as a rondeau pot or a dutch oven. Spread out the chicken so they do not touch in order to roast and not steam them. Ensure chicken is skin side up. Pour the remaining marinade over the top of the chicken.
- Cover the pan and place chicken in the top 1/3 of the oven. Roast for 45 minutes. Remove the lid and roast another 30 minutes or until chicken is well browned and it is cooked through, 175 degrees in the center for thighs and legs.
- Take the chicken out of the oven and transfer chicken to a plate. Place the pot over medium heat, whisk in the chicken stock and scrape up the bottom of the pan. Cook about 4-5 minutes until it starts to thicken. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter. Taste the sauce for salt and pepper.
- Serve the chicken either topped with the sauce or serve the sauce on the side.
- Enjoy!