Greek Chicken Tenders (Printer-friendly)
Juicy grilled chicken marinated in lemon, garlic, and oregano with creamy yogurt dipping sauce
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1 ½ lbs chicken tenders
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - Juice of 1 lemon
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tbsp dried oregano
06 - 1 tsp dried thyme
07 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
08 - 1 tsp salt
09 - ½ tsp black pepper
→ Yogurt Dipping Sauce
10 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
11 - 1 small cucumber, grated and squeezed dry
12 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
13 - 1 tbsp olive oil
14 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
15 - 1 clove garlic, minced
16 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Garnish
17 - Lemon wedges
18 - Fresh parsley or dill, chopped
# Directions:
01 - In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
02 - Add chicken tenders to the bowl and toss thoroughly to coat evenly with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours for maximum flavor infusion.
03 - While chicken marinates, combine Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, chopped dill, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix until smooth and refrigerate until serving.
04 - Heat grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking.
05 - Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Place on preheated grill and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until fully cooked through with nice char marks and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
06 - Arrange grilled chicken tenders on a serving platter. Accompany with chilled yogurt dipping sauce, fresh lemon wedges, and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley or dill.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The lemon garlic marinade makes the chicken impossibly tender while giving it that bright Mediterranean flavor everyone craves
- You get a complete meal with almost zero effort and the creamy yogurt sauce ties everything together beautifully
02 -
- Pat your chicken dry before adding the marinade or the oil will just slide right off instead of sticking to the meat
- Let the grilled chicken rest for just a couple of minutes before serving so the juices redistribute instead of running out onto your cutting board
03 -
- If you are baking these instead, bump the oven to 425 and use a rack on your baking sheet so the heat circulates underneath for that grilled texture
- Warm your pita bread on the grill for the last minute of cooking time because charred pita changes everything