How long should you marinate chicken?

The best part about this Greek chicken marinade recipe is that it has so much flavor, your chicken only needs to marinate for 30 minutes! In general, 30 minutes to 2 hours is needed to marinate chicken.

What happens if you marinate chicken too long?

If your marinade has any type of acid - like balsamic vinegar or fresh lemon juice - it will act as a tenderizer and begin to break down the chicken giving you a more tender, juicy end result. That's why 30 minutes is all it takes for this Greek chicken marinade. If you marinate your chicken for longer than 2 hours, the acid will break down the chicken a bit too much and give it a rubbery texture.

What are the 3 basic components of marinating?

Oil, acid, and a flavor enhancer are the 3 basics of any marinade. In this recipe, olive oil is the base. Then we add balsamic vinegar and lemon juice for the acid. And the flavor enhancers are lemon zest, dried oregano, and garlic powder. Keep this rule of 3 in mind, you can easily come up with all kinds of delicious marinades!

The Best Greek Chicken Marinade

Name: Greek Chicken Kebabs
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken tenders; 1/2 cup olive oil + more for cooking; 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar; 2 teaspoons dried oregano; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/4 teaspoon paprika; zest + juice from 1 lemon; Kosher salt; fresh cracked pepper; 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley; 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill; creamy yogurt sauce; lemon wedges; crumbled feta cheese

Greek Chicken Kebabs

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5 from 3 reviews

This simple Greek-inspired marinade is the easiest way to add delicious flavor to your chicken in no time! The marinade can be prepped ahead of time and the chicken needs just 30 minutes to marinate before you can grill it, bake it, or sear it. Leftovers mean you’ve got an easy protein for lunch all week!

Author: Kylie
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Marinate Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: Main Dish
Method: Stove Top
Cuisine: Greek

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken tenders
1/2 cup olive oil + more for cooking
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
zest + juice from 1 lemon
Kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill

For serving:

creamy yogurt sauce
lemon wedges
crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, garlic powder, lemon zest and juice, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper to a measuring cup. Whisk together until well combined.
Add chicken tenders to a shallow bowl or baking dish. I used the middle size dish from this set of 3 baking dishes. Pour marinade over them, toss to coat, and nestle the chicken into the marinade.
Cover with saran wrap and place in the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes.
Heat a grill pan or grill over medium high heat. Brush with olive oil.
Thread marinated chicken onto the wooden skewers.
Sauté chicken for 2-4 minutes per side or until a dark golden brown crust has formed and the chicken is cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Cook in 2-3 batches depending on the size of your pan.
Serve with yogurt sauce, lemon wedges, and crumbled feta cheese. Enjoy!

Notes

Don’t marinate the chicken for longer than 30 minutes. The lemon juice in the marinade will actually begin to cook the chicken if you marinate it for too long which will lead to an undesirable texture. 30 minutes is the sweet spot for the marinade to penetrate the chicken, but not break it down too much.
Don’t stress if you don’t have 6-inch wooden skewers! You can use shorter ones, longer ones, or no skewers at all. The chicken will still taste great even without the skewer – I just love the skewers for the presentation and ease of eating.
Use your oven to hold the warm chicken while you cook the second or third batch. Heat your oven to 300 degrees and line a baking sheet with tin foil or parchment paper. Once you’ve finished cooking your first batch of chicken, transfer it to the baking sheet and pop it in the oven while you finish cooking the rest of the chicken. The low oven temp will keep the chicken warm without drying it out.

Find it online: https://midwestfoodieblog.com/greek-chicken-kebabs/