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Baked Greek Lemon Chicken

Baked Greek lemon chicken with a lemon-oregano glaze creates deeply golden, caramelized chicken pieces surrounded by tender lemon slices and roasted garlic in the pan drippings. This easy Greek chicken recipe roasts at high heat for crisp skin and juicy, flavorful meat.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
marinating 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Greek
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and marinade
  • 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces (or bone-in chicken parts) Use about 3-4 pounds if whole chicken is unavailable.
  • 0.3333333333 cup olive oil
  • 0.3333333333 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 6 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 salt To taste.
  • 0.5 cracked black pepper To taste.
Roasting add-ins
  • 2 lemons, thinly sliced Thin slices for tucking around and under chicken.
  • 1 cup chicken broth For roasting pan drippings and basting moisture.
  • 0.25 fresh oregano for garnish Optional but recommended for finishing.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, dried oregano, dried thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and cracked black pepper until combined.
  2. Place chicken pieces in a dish and coat thoroughly with the marinade; marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Roast
  1. Preheat oven to 425°F and arrange the marinated chicken skin-side up in a large roasting pan or baking dish.
  2. Pour chicken broth around the chicken, then tuck lemon slices around and under the pieces for even roasting.
  3. Roast for 40-45 minutes, basting with pan juices once halfway through, until the skin is deeply golden and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Finish and serve
  1. Spoon the caramelized pan drippings over the chicken right before serving to glaze the roasted pieces.
  2. Garnish with fresh oregano for a bright herbal finish.

Notes

For best caramelization, let the chicken marinate uncovered in the refrigerator so the surface can dry slightly before roasting. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days; freeze up to 2 months. For a lower-sodium option, use no-salt-added chicken broth and season with a reduced amount of salt while keeping black pepper and herbs the same.