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.
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.
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 use a ton of olive oil. 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.
TIPS ON GRILLING CHICKEN BREAST
There are a few things you can do to maximize your grilling efforts.
- Be sure to preheat your grill to around medium or 375 degrees F well 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 your lid when while your chicken is cooking. This allows for even heating. If the lid is off/open, the heat escapes, meaning it will take longer for your chicken breast to cook.
- Cook for 6-9 minutes on each side. You can use your tongs to check if it’s time to flip by gently trying to flip–if it doesn’t easily release, it’s not time to flip. If you notice that your chicken is charring too quickly, simply reduce the heat a bit.
- Don’t flip your chicken too many times. If you only flip it once, you’re gonna have great grill marks.
- 165 degrees F is the internal temp that the USDA deems cooked when it comes to chicken, so use a thermometer to check the internal temp.
- Chilling/resting time is important. I like to let my chicken rest in a bowl for 10 minutes, covered with a plate. This makes for the juiciest chicken breast!
HOW TO MAKE GRILLED MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN
- Make the marinade by whisking 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. Marinate in the fridge for 3 hours.
- Heat your grill to medium. Add the chicken to the 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.
- Once the internal temp reaches 165 degrees F, rest the chicken in a bowl, covered, for 10 minutes. Brush on some sauce and slice and serve!
TIPS AND TRICKS
- 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 these on skewers? Yes! Cut them into chunks and add them to skewers.
If you make this Grilled Mediterranean Chicken, let me know on Instagram!
Looking for more recipes? Here are a few I love:
Grilled Mediterranean Chicken
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
- 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!
Kylie says
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!!!
ag says
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
Amanda says
If baking in the oven what would the cook time be?
Adrianna Adarme says
i didn't test these in the oven but i'm guessing around 25 minutes!