This easy chicken marinade recipe is zesty with lemon, garlic, and delicious Greek spices. It makes the most juicy and flavorful grilled or baked chicken in under an hour!
Set out a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. In the dish, combine the olive oil, 1/4 cup of lemon juice, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, minced garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, thyme, black pepper, and crushed red pepper, if using. Whisk well in the dish. Then place the chicken pieces in the marinade and flip to coat. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and up to four hours. (Longer is better).
When ready to cook, preheat the grill to medium heat, approximately 350°F to 400°F. When the grill is hot, grill the chicken for 5 minutes per side.
To bake the chicken, preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and placed the chicken pieces on it, making sure they do not touch. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the thickest piece is cooked through.
Video
Notes
You can also use this marinade on bone-in chicken. Grill bone-in chicken over medium heat for approximately 40 minutes, flipping once.The marinade itself will stay fresh for up to a week in the fridge.But only marinate the chicken for up to 4 hours in the fridge. Discard the marinade immediately after removing the chicken.For leftovers: Let the chicken cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. Keep cooked chicken the fridge for up to 3 days.