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.
If you’re looking for a flavorful and easy chicken dinner, this Mediterranean Chicken is it.
Juicy chicken thighs are marinated in a creamy yogurt base mixed with warm spices, fresh herbs, garlic, and lemon, then baked until tender and golden. It’s an easy and delicious dish packed with the bold, bright flavors of the Mediterranean, perfect for weeknight meals or casual entertaining.
This easy chicken dinner is packed with flavor and pairs perfectly with lemon orzo, rice, or warm pita bread for a satisfying, family-friendly meal.
It’s an easy Mediterranean recipe your whole family will enjoy and is great for meal prep or weeknight dinners.
If you like chicken you might also like my Greek Chicken, Greek Lemon Chicken, Baked Chicken Tenders or these Easy Chicken Sliders.
Why You Will Love this Recipe
- Big Mediterranean Flavor: The yogurt marinade adds depth and keeps the chicken incredibly moist.
- Simple Ingredients: Uses pantry staples and fresh herbs you likely already have on hand.
- Meal Prep Friendly: Marinate ahead of time and bake when ready—great for busy weeknights.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s an overview of the simple ingredients we’re using. Jump to the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and printable instructions.
- Greek Yogurt: The Greek yogurt is a great ingredient to use in a marinade. It helps keep moisture and flavor locked into the chicken. If you want you can use plain yogurt but I do find I like Greek yogurt more.
- Chicken: This recipe uses bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs but you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer. They will cook quicker without the bone-in so make sure to keep track of the time and temperature.
- Lemon Juice: The acidity of the lemon juice is a great way to tenderize the chicken. It also pairs nicely with the spices and balances flavors.
- Spices: The spice mixture is warm and flavorful. It mixes dried thyme, paprika, cumin, dried oregano and cayenne pepper.
- Orzo: The orzo is a nice pairing for the chicken. It mixes together orzo pasta, lemon juices and fresh parsley. You also can try using this 4 Ingredient Cheesy Orzo Recipe.
How to Make Mediterranean Chicken
Step 1: Prepare Chicken: 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.
Step 2: Create Marinade: In a medium bowl whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, thyme, paprika, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.
Step 3: Cook Chicken: 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.
Step 4: Create Orzo: While the chicken is baking boil water or the vegetable broth to cook the orzo according to the package. Once the orzo is done cooking drain the orzo and place in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in the olive oil, lemon juice, parsley and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste in with the orzo. Mix well.
Step 6: Serve: 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!
What to Pair with Mediterranean Chicken
- Salads: 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.
- Sides: 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.
Storage Tips
Store the leftover chicken in airtight container for up to 4 days. To reheat you can microwave or you can heat quickly in a skillet.
Recipe FAQ
Aim for at least 2 hours to let flavors deeply and help the chicken become moist and flavorful. If you like yogurt marinades you also might like this Yogurt Marinated Chicken recipe.
I do recommend that you pat the chicken dry. This removes excess moisture before marinating to help the yogurt stick and promote browning
Sear before baking: Brown skin‑on thighs in a skillet 3–4 minutes per side before finishing in the oven for crispier skin.
More Chicken Recipes
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Mediterranean Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 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
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
For the Orzo:
- 1 cup orzo
- 16 ounces of vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1/4 cup of fresh parsley, chopped
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.
- 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 or the vegetable broth to cook the orzo according to the package. Once the orzo is done cooking drain the orzo and place in a medium mixing bowl.
- Stir in the olive oil, lemon juice, parsley and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste in with the orzo. Mix well.
- 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
