Grilled Greek Chicken

4.7
(95)
72 Reviews
20 Photos

The secret to this simple grilled chicken is a very powerful marinade and "roasting" it slowly over semi-indirect heat on the grill.

By
John Mitzewich
Chef John
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich — aka Chef John — has produced more than 1,500 cooking videos for Allrecipes. He's the actor, director, and screenwriter whose hands and voice confidently walk you through techniques.
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Updated on April 26, 2024
20
a piece of Chef John's Grilled Greek Chicken on a plate with cucumber, tomatoes and red onion salad and a dollop of spiced yogurt in the background
20
20
20
Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
20 mins
Additional Time:
4 hrs
Total Time:
4 hrs 35 mins
Servings:
6
Yield:
6 servings
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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 6 servings

  • 6 cloves garlic (or more to taste), crushed or very finely minced

  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano

  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • ½ cup lemon juice

  • ¼ cup olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

  • 6 chicken leg quarters

  • 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions

  1. Whisk garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, black pepper, lemon juice, olive oil, and vinegar together in a large bowl.

  2. Make 2 slashes on the skin side down to the bone in the thigh section and 1 in the leg section of each leg quarter. This will help infuse pieces with marinade and allow faster cooking on the grill. Season both sides of chicken generously with kosher salt. Transfer to bowl with marinade and thoroughly coat all sides. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 4 to 12 hours.

  3. Transfer chicken to paper-towel-lined sheet pan to drain slightly.

  4. Place leg quarters on grill skin side down over semi-direct heat (avoid intense direct heat so chicken cooks evenly and skin doesn't burn). Cook 6 or 7 minutes. Turn chicken and cook another 6 to 7 minutes. Continue cooking and turning until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), 8 to 10 more minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

    pieces of Chef John's Grilled Greek Chicken on top of cucumber, tomatoes and red onions on a platter

    Chef John

Recipe Tip

This is so flavorful that you really don't need a sauce, but some fresh lemon is nice, as is a spicy yogurt. Just squeeze a little lemon into some nice thick Greek yogurt, spike it with hot sauce, and you have a perfect condiment.

191 home cooks made it!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

449 Calories
30g Fat
5g Carbs
40g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Calories 449
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 30g 38%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 140mg 47%
Sodium 134mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 40g 80%
Vitamin C 13mg 15%
Calcium 53mg 4%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 422mg 9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.