Mediterranean Chicken Recipe

FREE 5-Ingredient Recipe EBook

GET IT NOW

This Mediterranean chicken recipe is my take on a Mediterranean-inspired, healthy dinner in one pan. This is one of my husband’s favorite flavor profiles (we loved them on our travels to Italy, Spain, and Israel), and one-pan meals are some of my favorites, so I make this often to combine both. It may not be authentic, but I think it’s got all the Mediterranean vibes.

With a tangy Mediterranean chicken marinade and tons of toppings (like tomatoes, olives, red onions, feta cheese, and fresh basil), this dish offers a lot of variety in an easy way. But my favorite part? It’s super fast, so I can whip up a chopped Mediterranean salad or a classic Greek salad and say dinner is done!

Why You’ll Love My Mediterranean Chicken Recipe

• Bright Mediterranean flavors – Between the herbs, garlic, fruity olive oil, and tangy balsamic vinegar, this chicken captures all the classic flavors I remember from traveling in the region.
• Melt-in-your-mouth tenderness – The balsamic vinegar helps tenderize the meat (it’s the same reason I use it in my balsamic steak marinade) and makes every bite more juicy.
• Fresh and vibrant toppings – I put tons of extras on this chicken for a fresh finish, but you can easily change it up with other Mediterranean toppings like pepperoncinis, pine nuts, roasted red peppers, or even hummus or tahini sauce. You can also customize the toppings, so everyone in the whole family can decide what they want.
• Quick and easy preparation – I can marinate with the quick 4-ingredient Mediterranean chicken marinade in advance, so this recipe is one of my favorite back-pocket options for dinner. It only takes 10 minutes to prep upfront and 10 minutes to cook after marinating!
• Perfect for any occasion – Make this recipe as an easy weeknight dinner, a meal prep for lunch, or a casual dinner for guests. It’s always a hit.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for Mediterranean style chicken, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

Mediterranean Chicken Marinade:

• Olive Oil – I use extra virgin olive oil for a classic Mediterranean flavor, but you could use avocado oil or your preferred oil.
• Balsamic Vinegar – This is my secret to super tender chicken and a deliciously sweet and tangy depth. Be sure to use a high-quality vinegar that doesn’t have added sugar. You could also use white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, or lemon juice — any of these which will also tenderize but will have a different flavor.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic really pops here, but if you’re short on time, 2 teaspoons of jarred minced garlic or 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder will do the trick.
• Italian Seasoning – You can purchase it, but I like to make a big batch of homemade Italian seasoning, since I use it so often.
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper

The Chicken & Toppings:

• Chicken Thighs – I used boneless skinless chicken thighs this time, but you can also use chicken breast or even bone-in thighs. The cook time will vary if you use other cuts.
• Roma Tomatoes – I prefer these for topping my Mediterranean chicken recipe because they have fewer seeds than many other varieties, but any other kind of tomato can work. You could even use leftover roasted cherry tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes!
• Black Olives – My recipe calls for regular black olives, but feel free to use kalamata olives or green olives.
• Onions – Red onions are the best for true Mediterranean dishes, but you want less bite, use white or yellow onions.
• Feta Cheese – Adds a tangy, salty kick. Feel free to skip it if you need a dairy-free version.
• Fresh Basil – Cut a couple tablespoons into ribbons and reserve more for garnish. Other fresh herbs are great too, like fresh parsley or oregano. But I have to have basil!

How To Make Mediterranean Chicken

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

1. Make the Mediterranean chicken marinade. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic, garlic, sea salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning.
2. Marinate the chicken. Add the chicken thighs to the marinade. Marinate them for at least 1 hour.

3. Cook the chicken. Heat more olive oil in a large skillet. Shake off any excess marinade from the thighs and place them into the skillet in a single layer. Sear on both sides.
4. Add the toppings. Top your Mediterranean chicken recipe with tomatoes, olives, onions, feta, and basil ribbons. I like to add a few clusters of whole basil leaves as well to make it pretty!

Expert Tips

Mediterranean chicken recipes are some of the easiest to make, and I only have a few simple tips for that perfect meal!

• Marinate for the right amount of time. You need at least 1 hour for the flavors to develop, but don’t go longer than 24 hours, or the chicken will get mushy. If you’ll be marinating for more than an hour, place in the fridge for safety.
• Use a meat thermometer. I use this instant read meat thermometer to check that the chicken is done. For dark meat like chicken thighs, I recommend an internal temperature of at least 170 degrees F (in the thickest part, as that’s when dark meat becomes juicy.
• Don’t overcrowd the pan. To achieve that perfect sear, cook the chicken in batches if necessary, allowing each piece enough space to brown evenly without steaming.

Storage Instructions

• Store: Keep any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Wait to add toppings until right before serving, and if you can, they taste better chopped fresh.
• Meal prep: I often use this chicken as an easy chicken meal prep idea for lunches. Just be sure to store the toppings separately until ready to enjoy.
• Reheat: Warm the Mediterranean chicken thighs in a hot skillet or microwave, without the toppings. Add the toppings after reheating.
• Freeze: You can freeze the chicken itself in a zip lock back or container for up to 3 months. Don’t freeze the toppings, as it would ruin their texture.

LEFTOVER IDEA: Turn it into a salad!

Chop any leftover chicken and use it to make my creamy Mediterranean chicken salad!

Serving Suggestions

So you’ve got your juicy Mediterranean chicken ready to go — now let’s talk side dishes! Here are some good ones to pair with it:

• Vegetables – My go-to veggies for this dish are roasted asparagus and sauteed zucchini, but some simple sauteed green beans or fried brussels sprouts would be just as yummy.
• Mediterranean Sides – If I have company over, I make some baked feta as an appetizer, and serve the chicken with Greek lemon potato wedges.
• Salads – Naturally (and like I mentioned above), my Mediterranean salad or Greek salad go best with this dish. But I also enjoy it with Italian-inspired salads, like burrata salad or artichoke salad.
• Rice – For a more filling option, serve with white or brown rice. I like to swap it for riced cauliflower (or use frozen cauliflower rice if you’re in a hurry).

More Mediterranean Chicken Recipes

If you like this fresh cuisine, check out some of my other Mediterranean-inspired chicken recipes for your dinner rotation:

Grilled Chicken Kabobs

Balsamic Chicken

Bruschetta Chicken

Crock Pot Tuscan Chicken

My Favorite Tools For This Recipe

• Large Skillet – The larger size gives chicken enough space to cook.
• Instant Read Meat Thermometer – This one that I have reads fast, so there’s no risk to overcooking foods while waiting for a reading.

Recipe Card

4.97 from 28 votes

☝️ Tap stars to rate or tap here to leave a review!

Mediterranean Chicken Recipe

This easy Mediterranean chicken recipe has a quick 4-ingredient chicken marinade and fresh, bright toppings! Simple, flavorful, and so juicy.

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 10 minutes

Marinating Time: 1 hour

Total: 1 hour 20 minutes

Author: Maya Krampf from Wholesome Yum

Servings: 4 (adjust to scale recipe)

Un-save Recipe Save Recipe Remove Ads

Email This Recipe

ALMOST DONE!

Enter your email and I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get new recipes every week!

Please enter your first name for your account. Your saved recipe will also be sent to your email.

RECIPE SAVED! The recipe was sent to your email. I also sent you your free login info. You can use that to access your saved recipes at My Favorites.

Like this video? Subscribe to my YouTube channel for healthy recipes!

Recipe Video

Review Print

Pin

US Customary – Metric

Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

Chicken marinade:

• 1/3 cup Olive oil ▢
• 3 tbsp Balsamic vinegar ▢
• 4 cloves Garlic (minced) ▢
• 2 tsp Sea salt ▢
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper ▢
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning ▢
• 2 lb Boneless skinless chicken thighs ▢

Assembly:

• 1 tbsp Olive oil ▢
• 2 medium Roma tomatoes (diced) ▢
• 1/3 cup Black olives (sliced) ▢
• 2 tbsp Red onions (diced) ▢
• 1/4 cup Feta cheese (crumbled) ▢
• 2 tbsp Fresh basil (cut into ribbons) ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning for the marinade. Add the chicken thighs and move around to coat. Cover and marinate for at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours. (Place in the fridge if it will be longer than 1 hour.)

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Shake off excess marinade from the chicken thighs and place them in a single layer on the skillet. Sear for 5-6 minutes per side (reduce heat if the chicken browns too much), until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

3. Top the chicken with tomatoes, olives, onions, crumbled feta, and basil ribbons, in that order.

LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!

Rate recipe

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 2 chicken thighs with toppings 

Nutrition information is calculated with 1/3 of the marinade as the rest is discarded. 

Nutrition Facts

Amounts per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 525

Fat 34.4g

Protein 45.9g

Total Carbs 6.6g

Net Carbs 5g

Fiber 1.6g

Sugar 3g

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.

Add Your Notes Your Notes

Sorry, an error occurred. Please try again. If this persists, please contact us here with a screenshot.

Notes are empty.

Notes already saved.

Notes saved to your account – they will be here when you come back! You can also see them on any device if you login, or in the Wholesome Yum App on iPhone or Android.

Notes saved! They will be here if you come back on this device (until you clear your cookies), but you will not see them on other devices. If you want to save them permanently, sign up for Wholesome Yum Plus.

Try More Of My Recipes

• 
  Mediterranean Chicken Salad
• 
  Air Fryer Chicken Legs
• 
  Pesto Chicken
• 
  Quinoa Salad

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.