This Mediterranean lemon chicken recipe is dairy-free, requires no butter, and cooks in just about 20 minutes! A quick and healthy dinner that delivers big on flavor? Yes, please!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in about 20 minutes! Perfect for busy weeknights.
- It’s healthy. Instead of butter, I swap in heart-healthy extra virgin olive oil.
- Big flavors: A unique blend of oregano, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, lemon, and garlic kick off this flavor party.
- Always tender chicken: I use chicken thighs—they stay tender and juicy even with the high-heat of the grill or griddle.
This Mediterranean lemon chicken recipe is a healthy, dairy-free dinner featuring a zesty garlic-citrus marinade, a warm spice rub, and chicken thighs. Unlike traditional chicken piccata, this version uses heart-healthy extra virgin olive oil instead of butter. It is high-protein and gluten-free, and grills to perfection in just 12 minutes.
Some recipes are so simple I keep them on a permanent weekly rotation. This easy lemon chicken recipe is exactly that. It trades heavy creams for bright, bold Mediterranean flavors that make juicy chicken thighs sing.
Whether you’re a pro like my friend Adam—wait until you see our “grilling argument” in the video below!—or a kitchen beginner, this recipe is nearly impossible to mess up.
Why You’ll Love This Mediterranean Flavor Profile
- Versatile Cooking: This chicken takes about 12 minutes to cook on an outdoor grill or an indoor griddle. I prefer using chicken thighs because they stay succulent and tender even if you get distracted making a big salad!
- The Spice Secret: To start, we coat the chicken in an aromatic blend of dried oregano, coriander, cumin, and nutmeg, and then add the citrus.
- The 20-Minute Marinade: We combine fresh lemon juice, garlic, and sliced onions to create a punchy marinade.
Pro Tip: Even a few minutes in this marinade makes a difference. However, if you have time, let it sit for two hours to let the flavors truly marry.
How to Make Lemon Chicken
- Season the chicken: Begin by placing 1 1/2 pounds of chicken to a larger bowl. Sprinkle it with kosher salt and black pepper. Add 2 teaspoons oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin, 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander, and 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg.
- Add the marinade: Place the chicken with 1 large diced onion in a bowl or dish, and add 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/3 cup lemon juice, and 2 to 3 cloves minced garlic. Combine. Let it sit for 20 minutes or cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours if you have time.
Grill the lemons: Heat an indoor griddle or a gas grill over medium-high. Before adding the chicken, cut two lemons in half and grill the lemon halves flesh side down. I love to serve these alongside the chicken, both because it looks extra special and my guests can add more lemon flavor if they’d like.
Grill the chicken: Lightly oil the griddle or gas grill and cook the chicken for about 6 minutes or so on each side (or until its internal temperature reaches 165°F.) You want to see good sear marks with browned edges before flipping.
What to Serve with Lemon Chicken Thighs
- This chicken makes a great addition to my simple Pasta Primavera.
- Use them to make a grilled chicken sandwich based on our Antipasto Chicken Sandwich recipe.
- Serving it with one of these awesome Mediterranean sides:
- Greek green beans
- Roasted Greek potatoes
- Lebanese rice
- Greek salad
- Balela Salad
- And I always add a little Garlickly Toum (garlic sauce) for dipping.
Can I use Chicken Breast Instead?
Chicken is a big part of the Mediterranean diet. I’ll be honest, I am a thigh gal all the way, because they stay juicy and tender even if you don’t cook them perfectly. However, I know a lot of my readers prefer chicken breasts. You can often use the two cuts interchangeably, with a slight adjustment in cooking time or preparation. Here are a few tips for using chicken breasts instead of thighs in this recipe.
To use chicken breasts in this recipe:
- You will need 3 large chicken breast halves (boneless, skinless).
- Cut the chicken breast pieces horizontally through the middle to create thinner cutlets. You should end up with 6 cutlets. The cutlets will cook quickly so you shouldn’t need to adjust the cooking time from the chicken thigh version.
- I also like to use a kitchen mallet to help tenderize the chicken breasts (this is a trick I use often to tenderize chicken breasts and prepare them for even and quick cooking. You can see how I do it in this Italian Baked Chicken Recipe.)
Chicken Recipes to Try Next
- Greek Chicken Marinade
- Chicken Saltimbocca
- Garlic Dijon Chicken
- Lemon Rosemary Chicken
Easy Lemon Chicken Recipe
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Ingredients
For Spice Mixture
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
For Marinade
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, I used Private Reserve Greek EVOO
- 2 to 3 teaspoons minced garlic
For Chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds (6 to 7 pieces) boneless skinless chicken thighs, you can use chicken breast (see notes)
- Kosher salt
- black pepper
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 lemons, halved
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
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Mix the spices. In a small bowl, add the spices and mix to make the spice mixture.
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Make the marinade. In another bowl or large measuring cup, combine the lemon juice, olive oil and garlic to make the marinade.
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Season the chicken: Pat the chicken dry and season with kosher salt and pepper and sprinkle the spice mixture on both sides. Place the chicken in a bowl and add the onions. Pour in the marinade and work the chicken a bit to make sure all the pieces are well covered with the marinade.
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Let rest: Leave the chicken to marinate at room temperature while you heat up the grill or griddle. OR, if you have the time, cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours (or up to 8 hours).
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Grill the lemons: When ready, heat a grill pan over medium-high heat (or an outdoor grill over medium-high heat). Do not add oil yet to the pan. Add the lemon halves, flesh side down, and grill briefly. Remove the grilled lemons and set aside for now.
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Grill the chicken: Now, brush the grill pan or outdoor grill with a little oil. Using a pair of tongs, add the chicken pieces in one layer (discard any remaining marinade). Cook for 6 minutes on each side or until chicken or until the chicken reaches 165°F. Adjust heat to medium, if needed. If using an outdoor grill, carefully oil the grates and cook the chicken over medium-high heat for the same amount of time.
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Serve. Transfer the grilled lemon chicken to a serving platter. Add the grilled lemons (which you can squeeze for a little more juice), and garnish with parsley. See notes for serving ideas.
Video
Notes
- To use chicken breast instead: You’ll need up to 3 boneless and skinless chicken breast halves. Be sure to cut them horizontally through the middle to create thinner cutlets. I also like to use a kitchen mallet to help tenderize the chicken breasts.
- Make it a Meal? This lemon chicken is great with Greek Green Beans, Greek potatoes, or Lebanese rice and a large Greek salad or Balela Salad. A little roasted garlic hummus or tzatziki sauce are the perfect addition.
- Leftovers? Leftover lemon chicken can be refrigerated in a tight-lid container for 3 to 4 days.
- Visit Our Shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including extra virgin olive oil and spices used in this recipe.
Nutrition
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