Grilled Mediterranean Chicken

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This Grilled Mediterranean Chicken is a perfectly juicy, super flavorful chicken recipe that is easy to throw together on a weeknight. Inspired by the flavors of the Mediterranean, serve it with fluffy pita and creamy beet hummus and frozen daiquiris.

Grilled Mediterranean Chicken on plate.

It feels like everyone on the internet is somewhere in the Mediterranean and I’ve been dreaming about taking a summer trip over too. Since a trip to the Mediterranean is not in the cards this summer, I wanted to transport myself with a dish inspired by that dreamy locale. 

With summery vibes, this Grilled Mediterranean Chicken is the perfect way to channel the bright and bold flavors of the Mediterranean.

Ingredients for Grilled Mediterranean Chicken

Marinade in a bowl about to be mixed up.
  1. Chicken breasts – I think boneless and skinless chicken breasts get a bad rap! Most people overcook part of them so they’re super dry and tough. But not this way!
  2. Greek yogurt – This really helps tenderize the chicken breasts, making them ultra juicy and flavorful.
  3. Spices – We do not like bland food around here so we’re gonna add lots of spices like paprika and oregano.
  4. Lemon – This adds to the delicious tang and flavor.
  5. Olive oil – I love extra-virgin olive oil for this recipe.

For the rest of the ingredients, please see the recipe card below!

Chicken in the marinade.

How to Make Grilled Mediterranean Chicken

  1. Make the marinade. Whisk together the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, paprika, salt, pepper, parsley, and dried oregano. Set aside a bit to brush on at the end of grilling. Add the chicken and make sure it’s well coated.
  2. Marinate in the fridge for 3 hours. 
  3. Heat your grill to medium.
  4. Cook the chicken. Grill for 7 to 9 minutes on each side with the lid on. Or until the internal temp reaches 165 degrees F. Heat the reserved marinade in a small saucepan while the chicken is cooking. 
  5. Rest the chicken in a bowl or on a cutting board. I like to cover it with a bowl for 10 minutes.
  6. Brush on some sauce and slice and serve!
Sliced Grilled Mediterranean Chicken Breast.

Tips on grilling chicken

Preheat your grill to around medium (375F) before you set your meat on it. I like to clean it before preheating and preheat it for at least 10 minutes to ensure it’s evenly heated.

Close the lid. While the chicken is cooking, close the lid. This keeps the hot air in, resulting in juicy chicken that cooks in less time.

Achieving grill marks. Don’t flip your chicken too many times. If you only flip it once, you’re gonna have great grill marks. 

A meat thermometer is your friend. 165F is the internal temp that the USDA deems cooked when it comes to chicken, so use a thermometer to check the internal temp.

Grilled Mediterranean Chicken Breast on Grill Pan.
Grilled Mediterranean Chicken Breast with Sides.

Recipe FAQs

What are mediterranean flavors?

When I think of the Mediterranean, there are a few regions or areas that come to mind. The South of Italy, the South of France, Spain, Greece, and Morocco are the places I think of and all of these cultures. I drew inspiration from all of these areas pulling in the garlic, parsley, oregano, paprika, lemon, and even yogurt to infuse tons of flavor into each bite. 

Can I make this in the oven?

You can also bake this in an oven preheated to 375 degrees F. If you do, you won’t get those beautiful char marks, but it’ll still be good!

Can I make this on a grill pan on the stove?

Absolutely. Same rules apply!

Presentation tip!

Cut the chicken into chunks and thread them on skewers with pieces of red bell pepper on onion!

Grilled Mediterranean Chicken Plate

More Grilling Recipes

If you tried this Grilled Mediterranean Chicken Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

5 from 5 votes

Grilled Mediterranean Chicken

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes
Marinating Time (Inactive Time): 3 hours
Total: 3 hours 17 minutes
Servings: 4 people
This Grilled Mediterranean Chicken is a perfectly juicy, super flavorful chicken recipe that is easy to throw together on a weeknight. Inspired by the flavors of the Mediterranean, with sweet and fruity paprika, tangy and smooth yogurt, bold and peppery oregano, fresh parsley, lemon, and lots of garlic, this chicken dish has been on repeat lately in my house. I like to serve it with fluffy pita, a fresh Israeli salad, and creamy hummus.

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • ½ cup lemon juice
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled, grated or finely minced
  • 3 tablespoons paprika
  • 1 ½ tablespoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 1 cup Italian parsley, roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 2 pounds boneless and skinless chicken breast

Instructions 

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the greek yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, paprika, salt, pepper, parsley, and dried oregano. Reserve ¼ to ½ cup of the marinade for brushing on later. Nestle the chicken breasts into the sauce, turning to coat all over. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let marinate for 3 hours in the fridge.
  • Preheat your grill to medium (around 375 degrees F) for around 10 minutes. Place the chicken breasts on the pan, shaking off excess sauce into the bowl before placing, and grill with the lid on for 6 to 9 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
  • While the chicken is cooking, heat the reserved marinade in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it’s warmed through and the color darkens.
  • Remove the breasts from the grill and place them in a clean bowl and place a plate over the top. Let it rest for 10 minutes then brush on the reserved marinade before slicing and serving. I like to serve my chicken with fluffy pita, a fresh Israeli salad, and creamy hummus.

Notes

Tips and Tricks: 
  • You can also bake this in an oven preheated to 375 degrees F if you don’t have a grill, though you will not get those beautiful char marks.
  • You can make these into skewers if you prefer!
 

Nutrition

Calories: 579kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 2795mg | Potassium: 1156mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3880IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 140mg | Iron: 8mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Like this Recipe? Please Rate & comment below!

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Hi! I'm Adrianna and this is my cozy space on the internet that is super-charged by butter, flour and copious amounts of pasta. Stay awhile, will you!

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6 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    She’s a 10/10. We like it juicy juicy.
    Such a fuss-free chicken recipe that comes out even better than expected.
    No dry chicken breasts and the marinade is just right without demanding 3,000 ingredients. It’s raining so we are using our cast iron and it tastes amazing.
    A win in our house with my picky eaters and will definitely be on repeat!

    1. i love hearing this! yes, it’s a great summer recipe to be grilled outside but in the winter we do inside too and it’s amazing. thanks so much for the feedback 🙂

  2. 5 stars
    Made this with 2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts: 40 mins in the oven at 375 (check internal temp with a thermometer). Wowww so good!!!

  3. hello!
    thank you for this recipe. excited to try it today. one question…. in your instragram video you mention cumin but it is not listed as an ingredient. do you actually add it and if so how much

    thank you