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Baked Greek Lemon Chicken

Baked Greek lemon chicken with a caramelized lemon-oregano glaze, roasted garlic, and deeply golden skin. Chicken pieces bake in broth with tucked lemon slices for a glossy, herb-flecked finish.
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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: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and marinade
  • 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces (or 3-4 pounds bone-in chicken parts) Use bone-in chicken pieces for best skin browning.
  • 0.33 cup olive oil
  • 0.33 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 6 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.25 Salt and cracked black pepper to taste Season to taste.
Roasting add-ins
  • 2 lemons, thinly sliced Slice thin so they caramelize in the drippings.
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 Fresh oregano for garnish Chopped or torn fresh leaves for topping.

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 evenly combined.
  2. Marinate the chicken in the bowl for at least 30 minutes so it absorbs the lemon-herb flavors.
Roast
  1. Preheat oven to 425°F, then arrange 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 roasting.
  3. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, basting with 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 before serving.
  2. Garnish with fresh oregano for a bright herbal finish.

Notes

For deeper caramelization, use bone-in skin-on pieces and don’t skip the halfway basting. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days; reheat at 350°F until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended due to lemon and skin texture. Dietary swap: use low-sodium chicken broth and salt to reduce sodium while keeping the flavor balance.