My 3-Ingredient Mediterranean Marinade Is the Secret to Better Chicken

Take your chicken dinners to the next level with this 3-ingredient chicken marinade. With a crowd-pleasing Mediterranean flavor, it works with any cut of chicken and needs just 30 minutes of marination.

Jan 16, 2025 - 04:00
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My 3-Ingredient Mediterranean Marinade Is the Secret to Better Chicken
plate of chicken breast (seasoned with mediterranean marinade) with a side salad
Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

I used to rely on bottled marinade or pre-marinated chicken before I realized just how ridiculously simple it is to make your own. You just need a few pantry staples to whip together a flavorful marinade for chicken (or any other meat or fish, for that matter).

This Mediterranean-inspired marinade utilizes just three basic ingredients—olive oil, lemons, and garlic—to infuse chicken with loads of tangy, savory flavor. (I'm counting salt and pepper as freebie ingredients.) Adding herbs lends extra pizazz, but even without it, you can count on your chicken being anything but boring.

How Long To Marinate Chicken

Acid is a key player in many marinades because it helps tenderize the meat. Here, lemon is the acid of choice. However, despite the good that lemon (or other citrus) juice and vinegar provide, they have to be used with caution because they’re so acidic that the chicken will get stringy and mushy if marinated for too long. Let your chicken marinade for as little as 30 minutes to reap its benefits, but no longer than 4 hours.

Mediterranean chicken marinade in a small white bowl with a spoon
Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

How To Cook Marinated Chicken

This marinated chicken takes well to both grilling and baking. To grill, heat your gas or charcoal grill to direct medium-high heat and oil the grates well. Cook, flipping halfway through until grill marks appear and the chicken is cooked through. 

Alternatively, place the chicken in a lightly oiled baking dish and bake at 425°F. Whether you grill or bake the chicken, it’s done when it registers 165°F with an instant-read thermometer—the exact timing will depend on the cut you’re using.  

Tips and Tricks

  • Any cut of chicken works well with this marinade, whether bone-in or boneless, skin-on or skinless. Feel free to use breasts, thighs, legs, drumsticks, wings, or a combination. 
  • This recipe makes enough marinade to coat 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of chicken, which will serve 4 people. If cooking for less or more, just halve or double the recipe as needed.
  • To bump up the tangy flavor, try whisking a teaspoon or two of Dijon mustard into the marinade. Or if you want to spice it up, add up to 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
  • If you'd like to mellow out the tart savory notes and bring some sweetness to the marinade, stir in a teaspoon or two of honey.
Marinated chicken breasts on a white platter with lemon slices
Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Add Herbs for a Boost

While adding an herb to this marinade is optional, it really takes it to the next level. Oregano, rosemary, and thyme are Mediterranean herbs that feel right at home here. Feel free to use fresh or dried, alone or in combination, depending on what you have on hand. 

You can also experiment with dried herb and spice blends like Italian seasoning, herbes de Provence, or even za’atar.

Other Marinated Chicken Recipes to Try

Prepare the garlic and lemons:

Finely grate the garlic and zest 1 lemon into a medium bowl. Squeeze the juice from the zested lemon and the remaining lemon into the bowl (about 1/3 cup).

Add the remaining ingredients and marinate:

Add the olive oil, herbs (if using), salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

Add the chicken to the marinade and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting any excess marinade drip off back into the bowl, before cooking. Discard the marinade.

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