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Baked Greek Lemon Chicken

Baked Greek lemon chicken with roasted garlic and caramelized lemon slices, finished with a glossy oregano-pan drippings glaze. This easy Greek chicken recipe bakes juicy, golden chicken pieces at high heat until the skin is deeply browned.
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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: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and lemon-oregano marinade
  • 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces (or bone-in chicken parts) Use 3-4 lb bone-in chicken parts for the best golden skin.
  • 0.333 cup olive oil
  • 0.333 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 6 garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 salt To taste.
  • 1 cracked black pepper To taste.
  • 2 lemons, thinly sliced Thin slices for tucking under and around the chicken.
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 fresh oregano For garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, dried oregano, dried thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and cracked black pepper together until evenly combined, then coat the chicken pieces in the mixture.
  2. Cover and marinate for 30 minutes so the flavors soak in before baking.
Roast at high heat
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F, then 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.
  3. Roast for 40-45 minutes, basting with the pan juices once halfway through, until the skin is deeply golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Finish and serve
  1. Spoon the caramelized pan drippings over the chicken right before serving.
  2. Garnish with fresh oregano for a fresh herbal finish.

Notes

For best caramelization, keep the chicken skin-side up and don’t overcrowd the pan—leave space for drippings to heat and reduce. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3-4 days; reheat until hot through (165°F). Freezing is not recommended for the lemon slices, but you can freeze cooked chicken pieces up to 2 months and reheat gently. For a gluten-free swap, keep everything as-is (no gluten ingredients in the recipe); double-check any paprika blend if you use a pre-mixed seasoning.