Make this flavorful Greek chicken with tzatziki sauce tonight! Tender Greek seasoned chicken breasts with cool, creamy Tzatziki sauce is a delicious, easy and healthy dinner with Mediterranean inspiration. (gluten-free, nut-free)
When I need a solid, healthy dinner that I know everyone will love, I always turn to this Greek chicken recipe! It's one of my family's favorite dinners, and I often take it to friends who have babies or need a homemade dinner for some reason or another. Everyone always raves about it! It features the most delicious homemade Greek seasoning, easy grilled chicken breasts, and a flavorful, creamy tzatziki sauce to serve with it. Luckily, the seasoning recipe makes a lot, so you can put this recipe on your menu often!
Why You'll Love This Greek Chicken with Tzatziki
I'm the kind of person who prefers not to buy a ton of seasoning blends. I like to make my own so I can control the flavors and the salt level. It's also so easy to make your own and always tastes better! This Greek seasoning is no different. It makes the most flavorful coating for chicken breasts, along with a simple marinade. Once the seasoning is made, the rest comes together quickly - you can make the tzatziki while the chicken marinades and prep the rest of your dinner. This dinner is filling and satisfying. And since the sauce is made with protein-rich Greek yogurt, it's still light and healthy!
The Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Greek seasoning - keep reading for my homemade seasoning!
- Red wine vinegar
- Lemon juice
- Olive oil
For the Tzatziki sauce, you'll need:
- Cucumber
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Lemon juice
- Garlic
- Dill
- Salt & Pepper
How To Make It
Make The Greek Seasoning
Mix all the spices together in a jar (so you can store the extra for later!).
Make the Chicken
- Butterfly the chicken breasts in half so you have four cutlets of even thickness.
- Sprinkle the chicken liberally with the seasoning. Add the lemon juice, red wine vinegar and olive oil and turn it to coat evenly. Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes.
- Grill the chicken on the grill or in a grill pan over medium heat for 8-10 minutes per side (more or less depending on the thickness of the chicken).
Make the Tzatziki Sauce
- While the chicken is marinating, grate the cucumber onto a clean cloth, paper towel, or fine mesh strainer. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible and discard the liquid.
- Place the cucumber in a bowl and add the yogurt, garlic, dill, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Refrigerate the sauce until you're ready to serve your chicken.
Tips for Perfect Chicken with Tzatziki
- Time is not the best indicator for determining chicken doneness, especially when thickness can vary. I always recommend a meat thermometer to determine when chicken is done to avoid drying it out - or food poisoning. Chicken is done when the thickest part reaches 165°F.
- Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes for the best flavor, but avoid going over a few hours since the liquid is pretty acidic and will start to denature the proteins on the chicken. It's not a big deal, but it does happen if the chicken sits in the marinade for a long time.
- I like to grate the garlic for the tzatziki since I already have the grater out for the cucumber. Always remember fresh garlic is best!
- If you don't have fresh dill, you can substitute half to 1 teaspoon of dried dill for the sauce. It won't be as good, but will work in a pinch.
- If you're short on time (or spices!) you can use store-bought Greek seasoning instead of making your own.
Can It Be Made In Advance?
- The tzatziki sauce can absolutely be made in advance. In fact, it tastes best when made 1-2 hours ahead of time so the flavors can meld. You can make tzatziki up to 2 days in advance. Just know that the garlic gets stronger over time.
- The Greek seasoning can also be made in advance and stored in your spice cabinet for up to 3 months.
- You can marinate the chicken for up to 2 hours. You can also cook it in advance if you'd like to eat the chicken cold - such as in a wrap for lunch or if you like to meal prep. I don't love chicken reheated, but it will stay good in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Can The Chicken Be Baked?
Yes! If you don't have a grill, bake the chicken at 375°F for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
What To Serve with Greek Chicken
- You can serve this chicken sliced on a pita or flatbread to make a gyro-style wrap (like my lamb souvlakis here!). Of keep it lower carb with a lettuce wrap if you'd rather.
- Serve on top of a Greek salad or simple bed of greens - try my homemade Greek Dressing!
- Serve with Easy Oven Broiled Asparagus or Simple Sautéed Green Beans and quinoa to keep things simple.
- If you want to make the side dish pictured here, I now have the recipe on the blog - Healthy Greek Orzo Pasta Salad with Homemade Dressing.
- Serve it on a bowl, like these Greek Chicken Grain Bowls.
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the comments!
PrintHealthy Greek Chicken with Tzatziki Sauce
Make this flavorful Greek chicken with tzatziki sauce tonight! Tender Greek seasoned chicken breasts with cool, creamy Tzatziki sauce is a delicious, easy and healthy dinner with Mediterranean inspiration. (gluten-free, nut-free)
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: main dish
- Method: grilled
- Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients
Greek Seasoning:
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 2 tsp dried Greek oregano
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp dried rosemary, minced
- 1 tsp dried dill
- 1 tsp dried marjoram
- ½ tsp ground thyme
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
Greek Chicken:
- Juice of 2 large lemons
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp Greek seasoning
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breast
Tzatziki Sauce:
- ¼ medium cucumber
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- Juice of ½ lemon
- ⅛ tsp salt
- Pinch black pepper
Instructions
- To make Greek seasoning, mix all spices together. It will make about ½ cup. Set aside for later.
- For the chicken, butterfly boneless, skinless chicken breasts into 2 pieces of even thickness each. Rub Greek seasoning evenly over chicken. Place in a shallow dish or large plastic bag with lemon juice, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- While chicken is marinating, prepare the Tzatziki sauce. Grate the cucumber (you can peel it but I don't) onto a mesh strainer or paper towel and squeeze out as much liquid as you can, discarding the liquid. Add cucumber to a bowl with yogurt, garlic, dill, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Grill the chicken. Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
- Remove chicken from the marinade and grill for 8-10 minutes per side, or until a thermometer inserted in the center reads 165°F.
- Remove chicken from the grill and serve with Tzatziki sauce.
Notes
- You can also bake chicken in a baking dish at 375°F for 15-20 minutes, or until the juices run clear.
- Time is not the best indicator for determining chicken doneness, especially when thickness can vary. I always recommend a meat thermometer to determine when chicken is done to avoid drying it out - or food poisoning. Chicken is done when the thickest part reaches 165°F.
- The seasoning makes plenty to use for later! Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Tzatziki can be made up to a day in advance. For a more detailed guide, see my full recipe post for tzatziki sauce.
Keywords: greek chicken with tzatziki sauce, chicken tzatziki, grilled greek chicken, the best greek seasoning
Janet says
Loved it! Used skinless, boneless thighs and baked at the same time as veggies on a sheet pan. Easy clean up!
★★★★★
Sheryll Ziemer says
This was the first recipe I've used for Gyro's in a long time as I usually "wing it". I loved the instructions and the ingredients. I took my time, made one part of the recipe at a time and the end product was so well worth it. I enjoyed the spices on the chicken, which came out so tasty and juicy on an indoor grill. I've got to be nightshade free so I used some shortcuts with spices I'd gotten that do not have any nightshades like garlic and onion. Wonderful instructions, wonderful recipe. Will use this again!
★★★★★
Samantha says
Hello! If I were to bake the chicken instead of grilling it, what would your recommendation be?
Kaleigh says
Hi Samantha, you can bake it at 375 for 15-20 minutes, more or less depending on the thickness of the chicken. Enjoy!
Brooke says
This looks amazing! Is the recipe for the side dish shown in the photo on the website? I am really excited to try this recipe out for my family!
Kaleigh says
Yes! https://livelytable.com/healthy-greek-orzo-pasta-salad-with-homemade-dressing/
Belina Reisman says
We really enjoyed the chicken and sauce and will make it again. The flavors were a bit too intense for us. Please pass along suggestions on how to make the flavors milder.
★★★★
Kaleigh says
If you want to tame the sauce, add a little more yogurt. For the chicken, you can just use a little less seasoning.
D Drummond says
Does the nutritional info include the tzatziki sauce?
Kaleigh says
Yes, it does.
Susanna says
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. It is exactly what I was looking for. The spice mixture is excellent. I'm going to make double batch of that to have on hand for other dishes!! Thanks again!
★★★★★
Kaleigh says
Thanks for leaving a review! I'm so glad you like it!
Andrea Wright says
Love this recipe! We live in Japan and I didn’t have enough spice but I used what I did have and it was AMAZING! Thank you for sharing. Love the sauce as well. A staple in our household for sure!
★★★★★
Kaleigh says
So glad your family loves it!
Kellie says
Delicious, had all ingredients except one spice. So moist and favourable. Easy recipe. Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Kaleigh says
I'm so glad you liked it, thanks for the review!
Cristine Smith says
Oh my this was delicious! The spice mix was amazing, though it only made about 1/4 of a cup when the recipe said it would make about 1/2 of a cup, but it's easy enough to make more. Definitely making this again sometime, thank you!
★★★★★
Kaleigh says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I'll update that amount in the recipe, thanks for your feedback!
Lisa says
This was a flavorful, quick and easy recipe, a hit with both my husband and preschooler! Thank you!
★★★★★
Kaleigh says
Thanks for leaving a review, Lisa! I'm so glad your family enjoyed it. It's one of our favorites, too!
Antjie says
Hi! Trying this out tonight! What rice salad is with the chicken in the picture? Looks delicious with the olives and tomatoes!
jkr says
Wow. Loved the chicken breasts & spice rub. I had left overs and they were wonderful the next day.
★★★★★
Kaleigh says
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Trenton Scroggins says
For about three years now I have used this recipe, and I am not entirely sure how I found it online. I just showed up at your website one day and found it, and ever since it has become an instant hit. The Catholic Church being the cornerstone of my life, I’ve made this for men’s groups, special seminarian dinners, I even adapted the recipe to work on full bone-in chickens — which I made for my family’s Easter dinner this past year. Everyone loves it and always asks where I get it. My maternal family is from Greece and so they were able to recognize the spices and all. Thank you so much for putting up this website and sharing your recipes with us. I know it may not seem like much, but being Catholic, we are taught to care for our bodies and health — just as we care for our souls (minds) — and your website has helped me make a lot of improvements in this part of my life. So, thank you so much for all you do, and may God bless you! P.S. I’ve started lightly frying diced red skinned potatoes with your spices on them. I lay them as a base in a bowl with green beans on top, then Greek chicken, then the tzatziki sauce on top, just as a quick dinner. If I don’t do potatoes and green beans, I do rice with Greek salad mixed into it with tomatoes and veggies with the chicken and sauce on top, as another simple dish. If I have a big party, we buy pita (I don’t know how to make it :/), have green beans, potatoes, rice, and Greek salad, with olives and feta cheese on standby, and for desert rice pudding (my grandma’s recipe). Not that any of this matters, but I thought you may find some joy knowing my family and Church have come to really enjoy your recipes and have even made more uses for the spices and meal. God love you!
★★★★★
Kaleigh says
Hi Trenton,
Thank you so much for sharing! I’m so glad that you’ve enjoyed this recipe over and over. Comments like yours make my day!
KiwiSL says
I'm going to make this tonight. Its just my boyfriend and I. Tonight I'm being lazy and using prepared tzakziki sause but tomorrow night with leftovers I will make the homemade sause. I can't wait to try the chicken and sause. The herbs smell so good and I love anything with with Greek yogurt or anything Greek. Thank you for this great recipe!
Kaleigh says
Enjoy!
Angelina says
Hello! My family and I LOVE this chicken recipe! Could you please post the recipe of the side dish you made to go with it? Thank you!
Kaleigh says
Hi Angelina, I don't really have a recipe for it, but there's a quick explanation in this post: https://livelytable.com/fridge-foraging-3/. Thanks!
Giselle says
I made it today. It’s beautiful. Thanks for the recipe..
Kaleigh says
Hi Giselle,
I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for stopping by!
Linda Burton Morgan says
My daughter-in-law prepared this delicious Greek chicken. We all loved it....the kids, too! The tzatziki sauce with fresh dill was outstanding. A great family dinner.
Kaleigh says
Hi Linda,
I'm so glad your family enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for stopping by!
lhiz says
for how many servings?
Kaleigh says
This recipe makes 4 servings.
lhiz says
thank you so much 🙂