Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Breasts
Lemon and garlic give these chicken breasts a bright, savory flavor that's welcome at dinner. Parsley and oregano add an herbal note without taking attention away from the chicken. A tender slice with some of that seasoning on the outside makes an inviting first forkful.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Original yield
- Serves 4
- Ingredients
- 10 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Chicken
- Cooking method
- Grilling
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 16–30 minutes · Total: 31–60 minutes
A few quick notes
1. Give the chicken a few fork pricks
Piercing the chicken before marinating helps the lemony dressing cling and work into the breast meat. It’s a small step, but worth doing before the chicken goes into the bag.
2. A flexible marinating window
The chicken can marinate for just 20 minutes, or it can sit in the fridge up to two days. Use the longer window if that makes dinner easier later.
3. Three ways to cook it
Use the grill, the broiler, or a grill pan over medium-high heat. Whichever route you take, the timing stays about the same: 5 to 6 minutes per side, until the chicken is cooked through.
Get to know the ingredients
Boneless skinless chicken breasts
The recipe is written for breast halves, so they cook quickly and evenly over direct heat. Pierce them several times with a fork before seasoning and marinating.
Fresh lemon juice
Lemon juice is part of the dressing-style marinade, mixed right in the bag with the oil, herbs, garlic, paprika, and oregano. Add the chicken after the marinade is combined.
Garlic, crushed or chopped
The garlic can be crushed in a press or finely chopped. Either way, keep it small so it spreads through the marinade instead of staying in big pieces.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 3 steps completeMake room for Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Breasts
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
The last little job
Take the chicken out of the bag before cooking, then grill, broil, or use a hot grill pan until it’s cooked through. The outside should pick up good color in those 5 to 6 minutes per side.
A little more help as you go
Mix the marinade in the bag
The marinade starts right in a large plastic food storage bag, which keeps coating simple. Once the chicken is added, turn it around in the bag so the dressing reaches all sides.
Season before the marinade
Salt and pepper go directly onto the pierced chicken before it’s added to the bag. That means the chicken gets seasoned as well as coated in the lemon, oil, herb, and spice mixture.
A few questions you might have
Can I use the broiler instead of a grill?
Yes. The recipe gives broiling as an option, with the same general timing as grilling: about 5 to 6 minutes per side, until the chicken is cooked through.
Do I need a grill pan?
Only if you’re cooking indoors that way. A grill, broiler, or grill pan all work here. For the grill pan option, use medium-high heat and cook 5 to 6 minutes per side.
Should the chicken marinate at room temperature or in the fridge?
For the longer marinating window, keep it in the fridge. It can marinate for 20 minutes, or up to two days refrigerated.
Can the garlic be chopped instead of pressed?
Yes. The garlic can be crushed in a garlic press or finely chopped before it goes into the marinade.
What does “coated with dressing” mean here?
It means the lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, garlic, paprika, and oregano mixture should cover the chicken in the bag. Turn or massage the bag gently so the marinade reaches the pieces evenly.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: gimmedelicious.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.