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Baked Greek Lemon Chicken

Baked Greek lemon chicken with roasted garlic and caramelized lemon slices, finished with a glossy lemon-oregano pan glaze. This Mediterranean baked chicken method delivers deeply golden skin and juicy pieces, thanks to broth roasting and mid-bake basting.
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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: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken pieces and marinade
  • 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces about 3-4 pounds bone-in chicken parts
  • 0.33 cup olive oil
  • 0.33 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
Roasting aromatics and finishing
  • 2 lemons, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 fresh oregano for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and cracked black pepper until evenly combined. Marinate the chicken in the mixture for at least 30 minutes so the seasonings cling to the pieces.
Roast with broth and lemons
  1. Preheat oven to 425°F and arrange the marinated chicken skin-side up in a large roasting pan or baking dish. Place the thinly sliced lemons around and under the chicken pieces.
  2. Pour the chicken broth around the chicken, then roast for 40-45 minutes. Baste with the pan juices once halfway through to keep the surface glossy.
  3. Continue roasting until the chicken skin is deeply golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Spoon the caramelized pan drippings over the chicken before serving, then garnish with fresh oregano.

Notes

For best caramelization, keep the chicken skin-side up and don’t overcrowd the pan—use a large dish so the lemons roast in the drippings. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days; freeze cooked chicken up to 2 months (thaw in the fridge). For a lighter option, use reduced-sodium chicken broth and reduce added salt to taste.