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Simple marinated citrus Greek chicken with a two ingredient sauce. It’s perfect all year round and you only need one skillet to make dinner in 30 minutes!
Table of Contents
- Tips for the Best Citrus Greek Chicken
- Ingredients for Citrus Greek Chicken
- What Goes in Greek Seasoning?
- How to Make Greek Citrus Chicken
- Why Do You Marinate Chicken?
- Can You Use Fresh Tomatoes in Place of Sun Dried Tomatoes?
- What to Serve with Citrus Greek Chicken
- Storing and Reheating
- More Delicious Chicken Dinner Recipes:
- Watch This Video to See How the Citrus Greek Chicken is Made…
- Citrus Greek Chicken Recipe
Marinated chicken is where it’s at! Whether it’s our simple marinated grilled chicken breasts or our smoked marinated chicken thighs, marinating chicken adds so much flavor and tenderness. The marinade for this citrus Greek chicken packs this recipe with outrageous flavor and is so simple!
This citrus Greek chicken looks like something you’d be served in your favorite restaurant, but it’s the easiest recipe ever. However, I’ve got rules so listen up!
Tips for the Best Citrus Greek Chicken
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts should not be overcooked. Ever. Here’s a really simple way to have perfectly cooked, perfectly moist chicken every single time.
I cringe when I hear about chicken breasts in the oven for an hour or a half hour on the stove top. Please, please don’t do that. Your dinners will be 100 times better if you cook the chicken properly.
Marinated meat is an easy way to have flavor without extra calories or effort, but it must have time. We like to marinate our chicken at least two hours or up to overnight. You pick what works for you.
And finally, oil packed sun dried tomatoes should always be in your fridge. They are amazing. The end.
Ingredients for Citrus Greek Chicken
I’m going to list the ingredients for the chicken marinade first, and then the simple 2 ingredient sauce that we will use to pour over the chicken. Here is what you will need:
- Chicken Breasts: boneless, skinless
- Olive Oil: help tenderize the chicken as it marinates
- Orange Juice: If you have the time, juice your own oranges so you have pure fresh orange juice without any added sugar.
- Greek Seasoning: We prefer McCormick brand, but if you like a different brand or want to make you’re own, we’ve included a recipe below.
- Salt: adds flavor
- Pepper: adds flavor
- Garlic: adds flavor
For the Sauce
- Packed Sun-dried Tomatoes: adds texture, flavor and color to the chicken
- Orange Juice: adds bright citrus flavor to the chicken as it cooks
The measurements for all of the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
What Goes in Greek Seasoning?
There are several brands of Greek seasoning out there. We prefer to use the McCormick Greek seasoning, but if you want to make you’re own from scratch, here is a basic recipe:
- 1 Tablespoon Oregano
- 2 teaspoons Thyme
- 2 teaspoons Basil
- 1 ½ teaspoons Rosemary
- 2 teaspoons Dill
- 2 ¼ teaspoons Dried Parsley
- 2 teaspoons Onion Powder
- 2 ½ teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Marjoram
- 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
How to Make Greek Citrus Chicken
I’ve mentioned several times how easy this recipe is, so now let me prove it! Here are the basic steps:
- Prep: Combine all the ingredients for the marinade as well as the chicken in a zip top bag. Seal the bag and squish the marinade all over the chicken and then place in the refrigerator.
- Marinate: Let the chicken rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
- Cook: Heat a grill plan over high heat, add a little olive oil and then place the chicken on the pan. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 6-7 minutes. Turn the chicken and cook an additional 6-7 minutes.
- Rest: Remove the chicken from the pan and set to the side in a serving dish to rest. Add the sauce ingredients to the pan and let it simmer for a few minutes. Pour the sauce over the top of the chicken and then serve.
All of these instructions can also be found in the recipe card below. The recipe can also be saved or printed there.
Why Do You Marinate Chicken?
Marinade adds flavor to meats and makes them more tender.
Marinade allows fluids and seasonings to enter the meat so it will maintain its moisture during grilling and not dry out as quickly.
Can You Use Fresh Tomatoes in Place of Sun Dried Tomatoes?
Sun dried tomatoes have a very tart, concentrated flavor which will enhance the flavor of your dish.
However, if you do not have sun dried tomatoes, you can substitute either drained canned tomatoes or fresh plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped.
Or, you can roast tomatoes until they are nearly dry.
What to Serve with Citrus Greek Chicken
Citrus green chicken goes great with just about anything. We love to make a side of mashed potatoes or just a simple white rice. If you want to stick with Greek cuisine, a side salad like our easy Greek pasta salad or our Mediterranean orzo pasta salad would taste great! And you all know I’m always down for bread…French bread or crusty artisan bread.
Storing and Reheating
Leftover Greek citrus chicken should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container. It will keep for up to 4 days. This chicken also freezes well. Let it cool completely and place in a ziploc bag. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
The chicken can be reheated in the microwave quickly, but I prefer to reheat it in the oven. Place the chicken in a baking dish and add a little chicken broth or orange juice. Cover the baking dish with foil and reheat at 350 degrees F for 5-10 minutes or until heated through.
This flavorful and healthy citrus Greek chicken recipe is easy to make and perfect for a weeknight dinner. With a zesty marinade and a hint of sweetness, this dish is sure to become a family favorite.
More Delicious Chicken Dinner Recipes:
- Bourbon Chicken
- Chicken Florentine
- Chicken Parm
- Cashew Chicken
- Chicken with Oregano
- Panko Chicken With Lemon Cream Sauce
- Easy Teriyaki Chicken
- Chicken Stir Fry
- Orange Tarragon Chicken
- Garlic Butter Chicken
- Cornflake Ranch Chicken
- Honey Roasted Chicken
- All our CHICKEN RECIPES!
Watch This Video to See How the Citrus Greek Chicken is Made…
Citrus Greek Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken Breasts, boneless, skinless
- 1/3 Cup Olive Oil
- 1/3 Cup Orange Juice
- 1 Tablespoon McCormick Greek Seasoning, see note
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- Pinch Pepper
- 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
For the Sauce
- 3/4 Cup Oil Packed Sun-dried Tomatoes, drained
- 1 Cup Orange Juice
Instructions
- In a large ziploc bag, add the chicken, olive oil, orange juice, seasoning, salt, pepper and garlic.4 Chicken Breasts, 1/3 Cup Olive Oil, 1/3 Cup Orange Juice, 1 Tablespoon McCormick Greek Seasoning, 2 teaspoons Salt, Pinch Pepper, 2 Cloves Garlic
- Seal and squish the bag all over to coat the chicken.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours or up to overnight.
- Heat a grill pan over high heat.
- Add a drizzle of olive oil and add the chicken.
- Quickly turn down to medium low and cook for 6-7 minutes.
- Turn the chicken and cook an additional 6-7 minutes or until cooked through.
- Remove from pan.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes and orange juice and allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes then pour the sauce over the top of the chicken or add the chicken to the pan.3/4 Cup Oil Packed Sun-dried Tomatoes, 1 Cup Orange Juice
- Allow to rest for 2 minutes and serve.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I want to try this recipe with Shrimp instead of chicken. Have you ever done it with shrimp or any seafood?
Hi Jane,
We haven’t tried it with any seafood but I imagine it could be fantastic. If you try it please let us know!
Could I bake the chicken if I needed to make 8 breasts at the same time? I’ve made this several times on the stove perfectly and we LOVE it!
Absolutely! 350 for 30 minutes! 🙂
Does it taste any different in oven vs the stove top?
Hi Brooklyn! You’ll get a little more of a char on the chicken on the stove top, but it shouldn’t be too different.
You can’t go wrong with sun-dried tomatoes! Looks very flavorful.
We agree, they are our favorite!
Sounds great, but what would you recommend for side dishes?
Thank you! We have this salad which would be great, https://ohsweetbasil.com/greek-salad-recipe.html or roasted potatoes are always wonderful! https://ohsweetbasil.com/honey-roasted-red-potatoes.html
Oh! That salad looks perfect! I’ll be trying this recipe and the salad for this summer for the Greek side of the family when they visit. For potatoes I’m going to try a lemon potato recipe to go with it.
Sounds amazing!
True, there’s no need to go in restaurant to make the dinner special, we can make it on our own at home. OK, sometimes it is not so special for the cook in charge, because cooking fancy, complex dishes tend to produce stress. You’ve just made the point with this recipe, we need to simplify those home events. Simple ingredients combined with lots of love and everybody will enjoy.
Love the way you cook the chicken. Nothing can make the dinner special if the meat is overcooked, which happens a lot with chicken breasts. What I usually do is to brown the chicken for 1-2 minutes each sides, then simmer with vegetables covered for 30 minutes.
Can you make this in slow cooker?
Absolutely! Just proceed as normal and throw it all in together!
How long would you cook it in the slow cooker on low or high? Thx.
Hi Gail, I love slow cooking so I would do love for 4-5 hours or high if in a rush for 3.
I can’t wait to make this! Is the Greek Seasoming a dry mix? I’ve never seen such a thing. Seems I’m always mixing my own. Thank you!
Hi Denise! We found it in the spices section of our store. It’s the McCormick brand. 🙂
I love these flavors! Sun-dried tomatoes are the best!
This looks and sounds delicious, into next week’s meal plan it goes! Quick clarification though….is the orange juice from the orange or orange juice that you drink?
Actually, either is fine. I use Simply Orange orange juice if I don’t have the fruit on hand. 🙂
I am totally with you!! We don’t give each other cards, candy, or gifts but we do give each other love, respect, and honor every single day. After 46 years we tell each other “I love you” every day and say thank you for the small considerations. Your chicken recipe sounds fantastic. Have a wonderful day.
Well yay!! I feel like we are the only ones not going crazy!