Let this easy Greek Chicken Tray Bake recipe take the pressure (and clean up time!) off of weeknight cooking. The chicken marinates while you prepare the vegetables, everything goes into the oven together and BOOM! you've got yourself a delicious one pan meal!
If you love one pan meals like my Teriyaki Salmon Tray Bake, One Pan Chicken and Artichoke Bake, and Tex-Mex Chicken Bake you are going to love this recipe.
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Why you will love this recipe
- First thing's first - it's delicious! I'm sure it will soon become a family favorite.
- It uses minimal dishes making clean up fast and easy.
- You can switch up ingredients to suit your own needs.
- It's fast enough for busy weeknights but also can impress dinner guests without having to slave in the kitchen.
- It's full of protein, healthy fats, and nutritious veggies!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Please refer to the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
- Chicken thighs - any cut of chicken will work for this recipe. Boneless chicken breasts will only take 20-25 minutes to cook so bake the vegetables for 10 minutes before adding the breasts to the tray. Check for doneness with a quick-read meat thermometer.
- Vegetables - I chose a classic Greek combo of vegetables for this dish but you can switch them up to your heart's desire. Keep in mind cooking times may vary.
- Kalamata olives - pitted, whole olives are my go-to but you could use olives with the pit or sliced. I don't recommend regular black olives as they lack enough flavor for this dish. Olives can be omitted if they aren't your thing. Or replace with less traditional green olives.
- Feta cheese can be left out to make this recipe dairy-free. Goat's cheese would also make a good substitute.
- Fresh parsley - this is an optional ingredient but adds a burst of freshness to the finished dish.
How to make this recipe
Please see full instructions in the recipe card below.
First, prepare the marinade and remove ⅓ of a cup to use for the vegetables. Add the chicken to the remaining marinade and stir to coat. Let the chicken marinate while you prepare the other ingredients or up to 24 hours, covered and in the fridge. The longer you marinate the chicken the more flavorful it will become.
Next, prepare all the vegetables and place on a baking sheet. Cut pieces into large sizes to accommodate for a longer baking time. Pour the remaining marinade over top and mix to coat everything well.
Nestle the chicken pieces into the vegetables then bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and add olives and feta cheese. Return to oven and bake for another 10 minutes or until potatoes are soft and chicken reaches 165F (74C) using a meat thermometer.
Expert Tips
- Baking at a higher temperature allows the chicken skin to brown and crisp.
- You can line your baking tray with parchment or foil but it's not necessary with this recipe. The vegetables produce a lot of juice so nothing should stick.
- Adding the olives and cheese closer to the end ensures they don't dry out.
- Marinating the chicken for a few hours or overnight will produce more flavor but it can be done for as little time as it takes to prepare the other vegetables when you don't have the time.
- Use a quality quick-read meat thermometer to make sure the chicken is cooked properly. My favorite thermometer is a Thermapen One by Thermoworks.
- Cutting vegetables into larger pieces and the baby potatoes in half allows everything to bake for the same amount of time.
Frequently asked questions
Chicken breasts can be used in this recipe. If using boneless breasts, place the vegetables in the oven first and bake for 10 minutes before adding the chicken to the pan. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature has reached 165F (74C)
Chicken thighs can be cooked in a variety of ways. Unlike breast meat, chicken thighs will become more tender the longer they cook. This makes them great for slow cooking or braising but they are equally delicious with a quicker pan-fried or oven-baked method.
Yes boneless thighs will work perfectly however, like chicken breasts, they take less time so bake the vegetables for 10 minutes first before adding the chicken to the tray.
What to serve with Greek Chicken Tray Bake
This dish is perfect on it's own but here are some suggestions:
- Extra squeeze of fresh lemon juice
- Tzatziki sauce
- Your favorite rice or grain
- Crusty bread, or pita bread
- Pasta
- Cauliflower rice
- Green salad
How to store leftovers
Chicken can be stored for up to 3 days and vegetables for 5 days.
Freezing instructions - Chicken thighs can be frozen, in a sealed bag or container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight. Reheat in a 350F oven, covered in foil, for 30 minutes, or the microwave. I don't recommend freezing the vegetables as they will become soggy after defrosting.
Extra leftover vegetables are delicious added cold to a salad!
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📖 Recipe
Greek Chicken Tray Bake
Ingredients
Greek marinade
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, juice of, about 4 tbsp.
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 6 cloves garlic, minced or finely grated
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 3 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 2 teaspoon salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
For the chicken and vegetables
- 6 chicken thighs, whole
- 2 bell peppers, any colour, cored and sliced
- 1 medium red onion, peeled and cut into wedges
- 6 cocktail tomatoes, cut in half. Leave whole if using smaller tomatoes.
- 3 small zucchini, cut into ½ -inch thick slices
- 10 baby potatoes, cut in half
- ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted
- 140 g Feta cheese, cut into cubes or broken in to chunks
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, optional for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F/200C.
- In a small bowl, mix together marinade ingredients. Remove ⅓ of a cup and set aside. Place chicken pieces in a large bowl, pour over remaining marinade, and mix to coat. Set aside while you prepare the other ingredients or refrigerate if letting it sit longer than 20 minutes.
- Prepare the vegetables and arrange evenly on a baking tray or in a large baking dish. Drizzle with the rest of the marinade and toss to coat.
- Remove chicken from marinade and arrange on top of the vegetables. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and add kalamata olives and feta cheese. Bake for 10 more minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley (optional) and serve.
Deb says
I have never used bone in thighs and this was incredible. The flavour was amazing! Thank you Andrea
Lorna says
First time making this dish and will go on my list of favourites! The marinade was awesome and I loved the veggies with the olives and feta. You did it again Andrea! I used to hate cooking but your recipes are so easy and the options you provide make your site my ‘go to’. 😀
Andrea says
This makes my day! Best compliment is when I hear I've inspired someone to cook who normally doesn't like it! Thank you so much Lorna!