Our Grilled Chicken with Greek Tomato Sauce is quintessential summer food. Whether packed in a pita, threaded on skewers, or served over pasta, this grilled chicken recipe is sure to become your new summertime favorite.
This recipe features grilled marinated chicken in a mix of olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and herbs, infusing the chicken with a medley of Greek-inspired flavors, and then grilled to perfection so it's crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. We then serve the chicken over pasta tossed with a Greek tomato sauce. Paired with a Greek salad, pickled vegetables, or homemade tzatziki, today’s recipe is perfect for outdoor eating under the sun.
With all of that said, this recipe is very straightforward to make. If you can mix a marinade, grill some chicken, prep a tomato sauce and pasta, then you can make today’s recipe. As a nice bonus, this recipe uses only simple, easy-to-find ingredients.
Now, without further delay, let’s get to it.
What to Expect – Recipe Overview
Taste and Texture: Grilled chicken prepared in a rich, savory, and slightly citrusy marinade. Meanwhile, the sauce adds a pleasant sweetness courtesy of the grape tomatoes, while the caramelized onions bring depth and a hint of spice.
Difficulty Level: This is a relatively easy and beginner-friendly recipe. We start off mixing the marinade, and while the chicken marinates we prep the sauce. From there, we grill the chicken, boil the pasta, and toss it all together. Simple.
Pairings: All of your Greek favorites. That means Greek salads, tzatziki, and grilled or pickled vegetables. As a wine pairing, consider Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, or – if you’re feeling particularly Hellenic – a nice Assyrtiko.
Grilled Chicken with Greek Tomato Sauce – Ingredient List
The Chicken:
- 2 lbs. boneless chicken breast
- Tip: Be sure to slice the chicken evenly, as directed below in the recipe card. For this recipe, we want bite-sized chunks or strips of chicken.
- Substitution: Yes, today’s recipe works with deboned chicken thighs. It also works with pork, beef, or lamb.
The Marinade:
- 4 tbsp. olive oil
- Tip: Since the flavor of the olive oil really does come through in this recipe, I’ll recommend using a decent quality extra virgin olive oil. I do ‘not’ recommend using Light Olive Oil for this recipe, or really anything other than frying.
- Substitution: If you aren’t using olive oil, use a flavor-neutral cooking oil such as canola oil.
- 2 tbsp. vinegar
- Note: Purely for acidity.
- Substitution: White wine vinegar, rice wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar all work well.
- 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- Tip: For best results, I recommend fresh.
- Substitution: If fresh lemons aren’t available, bottled is the best substitute.
- 1 tsp. salt
- Tip: Sea salt or kosher salt will give the best results.
- 1 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
- Tip: For the best aromatics, I do recommend freshly ground black pepper.
- Substitution: White pepper can be used if preferred.
- 1 tsp. sugar
- Tip: Plain sugar is all we’re looking for here.
- Substitution: Brown sugar can be used for a deeper flavor.
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- Tip: I do recommend using dried for this recipe.
- Substitution: Yes, fresh oregano can be used if preferred, but I wouldn’t use more than two or three teaspoons.
- 3 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
- Substitution: Fresh cilantro can be used instead of parsley.
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- Tip: Crush and chop the garlic to release its juices into the marinade.
For the Sauce:
- 1 pint grape tomatoes
- Tip: I’m using grape tomatoes purely as a matter of preference.
- Substitution: Yes, your choice of tomatoes, such as cherry tomatoes, can all be used for this recipe.
- 1 large sweet onion, sliced
- Substitution: Red onion or shallots can be used.
- 3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped
- Tip: Adjust the amount of garlic to suit your taste.
- 2 tbsp. butter
- Tip: I recommend using unsalted butter for this recipe.
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- Tip: Here again, the quality of the olive oil really does make a difference.
- 1/2 tsp. sugar
- Tip: To balance the acidity of the sauce and help bind the flavors.
- 1/2 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
- Tip: Here again, freshly ground makes a big difference for the aromatics.
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- Tip: For the sauce, I really do recommend using dried oregano, as fresh will risk overpowering the sauce.
- 1/4 cup salted pasta water
- Tip: Be sure to reserve some of the pasta water for use in the sauce. The starch really does help the sauce.
For the Drizzle:
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- Tip: Once again, the quality of the oil makes a difference.
- 2 tbsp. vinegar
- Tip: White wine vinegar or rice vinegar works well.
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- Tip: Freshly squeezed is best, but bottled lemon juice can be used in a pinch.
- 2 tbsp. honey
- Substitution: There isn’t really a ‘good’ substitute for honey, but if you must I would recommend either maple syrup or agave nectar.
Additional:
- 1 lb. of your favorite pasta
- Tip: Penne, fusilli, or farfalle work well with this dish.
- Note: Cook according to package instructions in well-salted water.
Tips for Making the Sauce
- The Char is Important:
- A big part of the flavor in today’s sauce comes from the charring process that we put the tomatoes through. Please, do not skip this step. If you absolutely must skip this step, add a dash of smokiness from something like smoked paprika or chili powder to account for the loss of the char.
- Slow to Simmer:
- After adding the onions and garlic, you want to reduce the heat to allow them to cook slowly to achieve a nice golden coloration and even caramelization. Even caramelization means bringing out their natural sweetness while adding overall flavor depth to the sauce.
- Taste as you go:
- I say this a lot because it’s important – taste as you cook, and adjust the seasonings as needed. For the sauce, that means finding the right balance of salt, oregano, and herbs, adjusting as needed as you prepare the sauce.
- Fresher is Better:
- This may mean taking a few less shortcuts, but fresher really is better. That means using fresh garlic instead of powder or flakes, fresh onions instead of powdered or dried garlic, and opting for fresh tomatoes. Yes, this also includes avoiding pre-chopped options, as pre-chopped options have less moisture and thus flavor.
- Deglaze, Deglaze, Deglaze:
- Use the white wine to deglaze the pan and add all of those scrapings to the sauce for added flavor.
- Simmer Gently:
- Simmer, don’t boil. Boiling will ruin the sauce by making it watery. You want a gentle simmer.
- Don’t Skip the Pasta Water:
- Pasta water is starchy, and that starchiness will help bind the flavors of the sauce. Do ‘not’ skip this step.
Grilled Chicken with Greek Tomato Sauce
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless chicken breast, sliced thin
Marinade for the Chicken:
- 4 tbs. olive oil
- 2 tbs. vinegar
- 2 tbs. fresh lemon juice
- 1 tps. salt
- 1 tsp. course ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 3 tbs. fresh parsley
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
For the Sauce:
- 1 pint of grape tomatoes
- 1 large sweet onion, sliced
- 3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 2 tbs. butter
- 2 tbs. olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. course ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- About 1/4 cup of salted pasta water
- 1 lb. of your favorite pasta
For the Drizzle:
- 2 tbs. olive oil
- 2 tbs. vinegar
- 2 tbs. lemon juice
- 2 tbs. honey
Instructions
For the marinade:
- Combine all of the ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl, place in the bullet attachment of your blender, and give a few good chops.
- Place the sliced chicken in a bowl and toss with the blended marinade. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour or up to overnight.
To cook the chicken:
- Heat a large cast iron pan and add a few slices of the marinated chicken to the heated pan.
- Allow the chicken to become a beautiful golden color; then flip and finish cooking on the other side.
- The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the sliced chicken. For thinly sliced chicken breast; about 4 minutes per side. The juices should run clear and there should not be any pink in the chicken.
- Place the cooked chicken on a platter.
For the sauce:
- Heat a large cast iron pan over medium-high heat.
- Place the grape tomatoes in the pan and let them char a bit.
- Add the sliced onion and garlic and let the onion become golden.
- Sprinkle with the sugar, salt, black pepper, and dried oregano.
- Add the butter and olive oil and toss.
- Prepare the pasta in well-salted water. Add 1/4 cup of the salted water to the sauce and continue to simmer on a gentle heat.
For the drizzle:
- Combine the ingredients for the drizzle in a small bowl and stir.
- Add the pasta and the cooked chicken to the sauce. Add the drizzle and toss then serve and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Inactive Prep Time: 1 hour - Overnight
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
And that’s our Grilled Chicken with Greek Tomato Sauce. If you enjoyed today’s recipe, or have any questions or suggestions, be sure to let us know in the comments below. We always love hearing from you!
Happy Cooking!
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Beth says
I love how much flavor you packed into such a healthy recipe. This is why I love Mediterranean cooking so much.
Celebrate Woman Today says
I like the recipe for marinade. Looks deliciously awesome
Juyali says
What a delicious and comforting recipe! my family loved all the flavors and asked me to make it again. 🙂 Thanks for the great recipe!
Yeah Lifestyle says
This looks amazing, I love Greek food, it is always so fresh and full of flavour. This is a recipe that I will be following for sure.
Karen says
omg this looks soooooo good....I love grilled chicken but never had the greek version of it. I can't wait to make your recipe, can't wait.
Lynndee says
that dish looks so good. I love grilled chicken and I would love to have this for dinner tonight!
Sue-Tanya Mchorgh says
This Grilled Chicken with Greek Tomato Sauce sounds like the perfect summer dish! The blend of marinated chicken with Greek flavors, combined with pasta and a fresh tomato sauce, makes for a delicious and easy meal. It’s great that the recipe is straightforward and uses simple ingredients—ideal for a sunny outdoor meal. Can’t wait to try it out!
Stephanie says
I need more of chicken recipes like this! i love adding that greek flavor in there! This makes a really good meal for sure!
Hari says
Grilled chicken is one of my absolute favorite dishes. Love the overall flavour of this recipe!
Jupiter Hadley says
This sounds like such a lovely midweek dinner! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
KA says
What a wonderful recipe to share. This looks like my cup of tea as it looks tasty and simple to cook
Lauren says
I loved the tomato sauce in this recipe so much! I don't pair it with chicken often, but will be doing so more now - thanks!
Noelle says
Love this grilled chicken recipe! The photos are so helpful and it was very easy to follow. Thanks for working so hard on this! 🙂
Ashley says
Yum! This chicken and pasta recipe was so delicious. My family loved it. Can't wait to have it again!
Loreto and Nicoletta says
Your grilled chicken looks like pure perfection. That crispness and color on the surface, and imagining the spike of flavor from the marinade. Absolutely 💯 wonderful! Well done!
jamie says
I made a big batch of this grilled chicken to bring to lunch! The tomato sauce is so delicious and this meal keeps me full until dinner time. thank you!
Molly Kumar says
This is such a delicious recipe and love the greek flavors. Perfect for family brunches and weeknights too. I love the addition of grilled chicken here.
Moop Brown says
This recipe looks very tasty and flavorful. I'm excited to try making this one. Thanks