Mediterranean Chicken is not your typical chicken dinner. Chicken thighs are marinated in a yogurt based marinade with rich, warm spices, lemon juice and fresh herbs. The chicken is baked until tender and juicy and finished off with fresh parsley, feta cheese and paired with lemon parsley orzo. Your family will love this healthy meal!
MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN
It happened again!
Did you guys know that in 2018, 2019 and 2020 U.S. News & World Report did a review of over forty different diets and put the Mediterranean Diet as the best diet?
Lets celebrate with this Mediterranean Chicken!
It mentioned that the Mediterranean Diet is the easiest to follow, and I completely agree.
It has been shown to have great healthy benefits for those that follow it too.
When I think of the Mediterranean Diet I consider it to be more of a lifestyle and way of living than a diet.
In celebration we are going to talk about this delicious, mouthwatering Mediterranean Chicken that my family loves.
Now as you might know the Mediterranean diet puts its daily emphasis on vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, whole grains, and more seafood than meat and poultry.
But there is room in the diet for poultry and this recipe is one I love.
I paired these Mediterranean Chicken Recipe with a lemon parsley orzo that is one of my favorite sides with chicken. Use whole grain orzo for a healthier version.
I also love pairing it with my 4 Ingredient Cheesy Orzo Recipe or this Mediterranean Lentil Salad.
HOW TO FOLLOW A MEDITERRANEAN DIET
My favorite visual that helps you understand the Mediterranean diet is from Oldways.
They created the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid – in partnership with the Harvard School of Public Health and the WHO – as a healthier alternative to the USDA’s original food pyramid.
- The main foods to enjoy every day: whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, herbs, spices, nuts and healthy fats such as olive oil.
- Twice weekly servings of fish and seafood.
- Moderate portions of dairy foods, eggs, and occasional poultry.
- Infrequent servings of red meats and sweets.
HOW TO PREPARE MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN
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Preheat oven to 425 F degrees.
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Use a long cutting board and lay your chicken thighs out in a row or use a large bowl. Generously season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and place into two 9×13 baking dish or a large cast iron skillet.
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In a medium bowl whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, thyme, paprika, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.
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Brush the sauce over the front and back sides of the chicken thighs.
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Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the chicken thighs reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
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While the chicken is baking boil water to cook the orzo according to the package. Once the orzo is done cooking drain and place in a medium mixing bowl.
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Stir in the olive oil, lemon juice, parsley and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste.
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Once the chicken is done cooking remove from the oven, garnish with fresh parsley and feta cheese and serve over the lemon parsley orzo. Enjoy!
TIPS FOR MAKING THIS EASY MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN
CRISPY SKIN: For an extra crispy skin on your chicken thighs brown the chicken in a cast iron skillet or regular skillet with the skin side down for about 3-4 minutes over medium high heat. Then you can transfer them into the oven from there and bake them.
TENDER CHICKEN: When I want tender chicken I always try to marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours or overnight. This helps seal in the juices.
QUICK CLEAN-UP: If you want even less clean-up consider grilling these chicken thighs. You can marinade the chicken in a ziplock bag overnight and throw them on the grill when ready to eat!
BONE-IN: I have opted for bone in chicken thighs with the skin on as they taste great and stay moist and juicy. When you cook chicken with the bone in, all the flavor from the bone seeps out into the chicken meat, resulting in chicken which has a richer depth of flavor.
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER CHICKEN?
If you have any leftover chicken thighs, then allow them to cool completely and place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
The chicken can be shredded and is great added to salads, soups, pasta sauces and makes a superior chicken sandwich!
WHAT TO PAIR WITH SKILLET MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN
SALAD: Salads are always a great pairing with chicken. I really like this Mediterranean Bean Salad, Lemon Arugula Salad with Pine Nuts, Summer Orzo Pasta Salad or this Easy Lebanese Salad.
SIDE DISHES: If you like to pair vegetable side dishes with chicken you should try these Lebanese Green Beans, Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower or these Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables
POTATOES: Another great addition to this meal is potatoes. I often make Gouda Smashed Potatoes, Air Fryer Twice Baked Potato, Spicy Lebanese Potatoes or Lemon Cilantro Roasted Potatoes. Another great thing to serve this chicken over is Creamy Polenta.
OTHER MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE:
Tandoori Chicken
Shish Tawook Chicken
Moroccan Chicken Thighs
Mediterranean Chicken
Mediterranean Chicken is not your typical chicken dinner. Chicken thighs are marinated in a yogurt based marinade with rich, warm spices, lemon juice and fresh herbs. The chicken is baked until tender and juicy and finished off with fresh parsley, feta cheese and paired with lemon parsley orzo. Your family will love this protein packed, healthy meal that is also easy to make!
Ingredients
- FOR THE CHICKEN THIGHS:
- 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of chicken thighs
- 1 cup of Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 of a lemon, juiced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 Tablespoons paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper {optional}
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- FOR THE LEMON PARSLEY ORZO:
- 1 cup orzo {use whole wheat for a healthier dish}
- 16 ounces of vegetable broth {or chicken broth}
- 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1/4 cup of fresh parsley, chopped
- Dash of salt and pepper
- Garnish with feta cheese, extra fresh herbs for the chicken or the salad
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F degrees.
- Use a long cutting board and lay your chicken thighs out in a row or use a large bowl. Generously season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and place into two 9×13 baking dish or a large cast iron skillet.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, thyme, paprika, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.
- Brush the sauce over the front and back sides of the chicken thighs.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the chicken thighs reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- While the chicken is baking boil water to cook the orzo according to the package. Once the orzo is done cooking drain and place in a medium mixing bowl.
Stir in the olive oil, lemon juice, parsley and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste. - Once the chicken is done cooking remove from the oven, garnish with fresh parsley and feta cheese and serve over the lemon parsley orzo. Enjoy!
Notes
Tip: For an extra crispy skin on your chicken thighs brown the chicken in a cast iron skillet or regular skillet with the skin side down for about 3-4 minutes over medium high heat. Then you can transfer them into the oven from there and bake them.
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