It’s the perfect time of year for all kinds of marinated chicken pieces. Wait, isn’t any time of year the perfect time? Don’t like wings? No worries – use drumsticks or thighs! These Greek-style easy marinated drumsticks (or thighs or wings!) are a great crowd pleaser for your next party or picnic.
You’ve got a birthday party coming up. You’ve been asked to take something to share along to an event. You need New Year’s Eve finger food. You’re going on a picnic with friends.
We all need some go-to appetizer or stellar party food ideas. If we can come up with something that’s both easy and tasty, like these Greek marinated chicken wings, drumsticks and thighs, then we know we’re on to a winner.
So what’s so great about this marinated chicken?
- It’s a recipe from the super talented Nagi from Recipe Tin Eats. I first posted this recipe of hers back in 2015. I’ve very slightly tweaked the recipe since then and made it work for chicken pieces rather than just wings. But this is still fairly and squarely Nagi’s brainchild from her amazing book ‘Baked Wings‘.
- There are just 5 marinade ingredients (plus salt and pepper).
- The Greek flavours in the simple Greek chicken marinade just work. There’s a perfect balance between the olive oil, garlic, lemon, honey and oregano.
- It’s a crowd pleaser. The flavours are subtle, but there. There’s no spice so children will love them too.
- Did I mention it’s a super easy idea (my kind of recipe)? Just throw the Greek marinade ingredients together in a ziploc bag, add the chicken pieces and marinate for just an hour. Overnight is better, but in a pinch an hour will be fine.
- Scatter with optional (but recommended) olives and feta cheese to send your roasted chicken soaring from good to amazing. Arrange them on a bed of greens and they look even more stunning!
How to make an easy Greek marinade for chicken
You won’t believe how easy it is. Just whisk up an easy chicken wing marinade with these FIVE classic Greek flavours:
- OLIVE OIL
- GARLIC
- LEMON
- OREGANO
- HONEY
Plus a bit of salt and pepper of course.
How long to marinate the chicken for
I’ll be honest with you. It puts me off somewhat if I read through a recipe and I find out I have to do something the night before.
IF you remember and have the time, throw the marinade ingredients into a Ziploc bag the night before you want to eat. Then add the drumsticks, thighs or wings (or a mixture!).
Zip the top of the bag then SQUISH and massage the bag with your hands until all the pieces are covered in the marinade.
Place on a plate and pop in the fridge until you’re ready to cook the chicken the next day.
If you don’t remember the night before though (ME), or you’re just too exhausted (ME AGAIN), no worries… Just make sure you marinate the chicken for at least an hour.
I’ll let you into a secret though. I have marinated the chicken for as little as around 15 minutes, and the chicken still turned out delicious. So don’t worry about this part too much.
How to cook it
From here it’s as easy as these 5 steps:
Step 1: Grab a wire rack and a large baking tray with a rim. Line the baking tray with foil (for drip catching!).
Step 2: Use small BBQ tongs to grab the chicken pieces out of the bag and place them on the wire rack.
Step 3: Bake for 35 to 50 minutes. The amount of time you bake for will depend on the chicken pieces you have and their size of course. I’ve added a guide to cooking times below, but it isn’t an exact science. Just bake until your chicken pieces are golden, sticky and delicious looking!
Step 4: Pour the leftover marinade into a small bowl and add a tablespoon more of honey.
Step 5:
Brush with the marinade 2 or 3 times during cooking and you end up with perfectly golden and sticky chicken!
So… how long does it take to cook marinated chicken drumsticks, wings and thighs at 350 degrees? (180C)
Hmmm. Great question, right?
As a general rule I cook all kinds of marinated chicken pieces for 35 to 55 minutes, depending on their size.
For chicken wings…
40 minutes is about right for perfect golden and sticky wings. This is how long Nagi cooks hers for in her original recipe!
For chicken drumsticks…
Depending on the size of the drumsticks, I cook them for 40 to 55 minutes. Supermarket drumsticks in Australia seem to be quite big for some reason – I cook those for 55 minutes for delicious golden and sticky chicken legs.
For chicken thighs…
I find that bone in skin on chicken thighs need 40 to 50 minutes depending on their size.
I bake skinless boneless chicken thighs for a bit less time – around 30 to 35 minutes. I find that thighs don’t always look as golden and sticky when they’re cooked as the wings and drumsticks, but they’re still delicious.
For a mixture of drumsticks, thighs and wings
You can even mix it up if you like! In this case, I’d just use the above guide as a general rule and remove the different pieces of chicken from the oven with tongs when they are lovely and golden and sticky looking.
Or just keep it simple and bake for around 45 minutes. Check any of the larger pieces of chicken are done after this time. You can even use a meat thermometer if it makes you feel better.
But don’t stress too much about exact cooking times. I find it’s quite hard to ruin the chicken. Again, it’s usually done when it’s lovely and golden and sticky looking, and of course the juices run clear when you poke it and it’s no longer pink inside.
Pro tip: If in doubt, check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. The thermometer should read 165 Fahrenheit (if you’re in the USA) or 75 Celsius (if you’re in the UK or Australia!).
Where to buy chicken wings… and how to prepare them
I ask this question because… in the two countries I’ve lived in most recently (the UK and Australia) supermarkets don’t always seem to sell plain old chicken wings.
So if you’d like to use this recipe to make chicken wings (for a Superbowl or New Year’s Eve party, maybe?), and you can’t find them in the supermarket, pop into your local butcher. Even the butcher may only have frozen wings, but that’s OK…
Another point to mention about chicken wings. If like me you didn’t know too much about chicken wings until you came across this recipe (!), you didn’t know that sometimes you buy them ‘whole’ and other times they are separated into the drumettes and the wingettes.
Here in Australia they tend to be whole, so if you’d like to separate them into drumettes and wingettes, there’s an excellent photo tutorial in this post from Nagi at Recipe Tin Eats. It’s just below her recipe at the bottom of the post! She also has a video that shows the process really clearly.
Pro tip for using frozen chicken wings: You can use frozen chicken wings if you like. To defrost them quickly and easily, just soak them in cold water for half an hour, then dry on kitchen paper. Then marinate and cook as normal.
Can you freeze marinated chicken?
Absolutely. In fact, as it defrosts, it will continue to marinate. So, yum…
Just prepare as normal and then throw the sealed bag of marinated meat into the freezer until you want to use it. In an ideal world, I’d recommend taking the marinated meat out of the freezer the day before you want to cook it. Defrost it in the fridge overnight.
Don’t do this however if you bought the meat frozen. It’s best not to refreeze it for food safety reasons.
You can also freeze any leftover cooked chicken if you like – for up to 4 months. As long as it hasn’t been hanging around out of the fridge for very long.
What to serve with it
This chicken is incredibly versatile. I cook it ahead and take it on picnics.
It’s also great served as a crowd pleasing meal with sides – may I suggest these amazing Greek potatoes and a Greek salad? This is a meal that words winter or summer, for midweek meals or for guests.
Alternatively you can serve them as part as a Greek style ‘mezze’ or sharing platter. These crispy brussels sprouts with tahini sauce and almonds are incredible, or grab more ideas below!
Psst… you could even cook it on a BBQ!
An even easier chicken recipe
If you like this recipe but you’re interested in a chicken recipe that’s EVEN EASIER, may I suggest these easy baked chicken thighs? They’re our go-to chicken thigh recipe!
More amazing Mediterranean recipes that you must try!
- Our favourite Greek baked eggplant with tomato and feta
- These life-changing fried halloumi bites (perfect appetizers for guests!)
- Crispy fried chickpeas (great on salads or soups!)
- Ever made a proper Spanish omelette, otherwise known as a tortilla de patatas? Prepare to have your mind blown!
- Another Spanish one… try this traditional ‘pan con tomate’ or Spanish bruschetta. It’s incredible, and unbelievably easy to make!
- Did you know you can fry olives, and that they’re delicious? You do now!
Or browse all my Mediterranean recipes here
IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE, LET ME KNOW HOW YOU GET ON BY LEAVING A COMMENT AND RATING BELOW… AND DON’T FORGET TO SIGN UP TO RECEIVE ALL MY NEW RECIPES BY EMAIL!
FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST AND YOUTUBE.
6-ingredient Greek marinated chicken drumsticks, wings or thighs
Equipment (affiliate links)
Ingredients (UK/Australia? Click below for grams/ml)
- 3 pounds chicken pieces (drumsticks, wings and/or thighs – see notes)
Marinade
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 large lemon (zest and juice)
- 7 garlic cloves crushed
- 3 tablespoons dried oregano
- 1½ tablespoons honey
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- black pepper to taste
For basting
- 1 tablespoon honey
Garnish
- 1 small lemon for squeezing over at the end
- a good sprinkle of crumbled feta & a big handful of olives optional
Instructions
- Pierce a few holes in the chicken wings with a skewer to help the marinade infuse into the flesh.
- Put all the marinade ingredients into a big ziplock bag, then add the chicken pieces to the bag. Massage the bag to make sure all the chicken gets well coated in the marinade. Leave for the flavours to infuse for at least half an hour (overnight is even better!).
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Line a rimmed baking tray with foil or baking paper and put a metal rack on the tray. Spray the rack with oil.
- Shake any excess marinade off the chicken (reserve the marinade) and place on the rack (skin side up if using wings or thighs). Bake for 35 to 55 minutes or until sticky and golden and the juices run clear when the chicken is poked.
- Mix the tablespoon of honey into the reserved marinade. Then turn and baste the chicken all over 2 to 3 times during cooking.
- Pile the cooked chicken pieces into a bowl. Drizzle with the juice of ½ a lemon and garnish with lemon slices and the feta and olives, if using.
Marissa | Pinch and Swirl says
OH MY – those wings! I’ve made Nagi’s Buffalo Wings and they were so amazing, well at least the second time. 🙂 Much better when you use baking powder not baking soda **ahem**.
Gorgeous photos too, Helen.
Helen says
Ooooops! Oh well, at least you got it right the second time! Thanks for the reminder NOT to do that when I try the crispy wings too! 🙂
lindsay Cotter says
seriously, nagi makes me want chicken wings all day every day! delish and gorgeous photos! love her ebook
Helen says
Ha! Yes, me too! These were sooo good, and I can’t wait to try more of the recipes from Nagi’s book. 🙂
Joanne says
It is so sad about what’s going on in Greece, especially since everything else I’ve heard about it is so positive! Glad to see you’re still celebrating the good things…especially in terms of FOOD. Greek flavors always sound good to me!
Helen says
Yes, I will always have a huuuge spot in my heart for Greece, no matter what happens. 🙂
cheri says
Hi Helen, so glad you are enjoying your summer days, love these wings, they could be my favorite ever. Just checked out Nagi’s site, beautiful blog.
Helen says
Thank you, Cheri … and thanks for checking out Nagi’s site, too. She’s amazing – and so’s her blog!
mila furman says
Helen…Nagi is my blog crush…I feel the same way about her as you do. Gorg photography, cute stories and awesome recipes! Totally my blog crush.
Helen says
We can have our blog crush together then, Mila! 🙂
Sarah @Whole and Heavenly Oven says
Oh, maaaaan Helen! These wings look nothing short of DANGEROUS. As in, I would not be able to stop eating them. I love Nagi and you definitely did her chicken wings justice! 😀
Helen says
Thank you, Sarah! I felt like I just HAD to do these wings justice, as I admire Nagi so much! 🙂
lucie says
This looks incredible! Im absolutely obsessed with olives at the moment!
Helen says
Thank you, Lucie! Thanks so much for passing by!
Bam's Kitchen says
So gorgeous! I also have Nagi’s book and my teenagers are huge wings fans so this was a win-win purchase. I can’t wait to try all of her recipes. I think we might have to put the greek baked chicken wings higher up on the list, right after I make the other 10 requests the boys have put in… LOL I think we are going to be making tons of wings in the next few weeks. Wishing you a super week and take care!
Helen says
Hope you have a great week and weekend too, Bam! I can’t wait to make some more of Nagi’s wing’s recipes, too. But which to try first? Ooh, It’s tough! 🙂
Alyssa @ My Sequined Life says
Oh I wish I had a plate of these fabulous looking wings right now, Helen…and it’s just about time for bed for me! Wings are one of our guilty pleasures, but baking them gives me permission to indulge more often, right? I will for sure need to check out Nagi’s book. The cover is breathtaking!
Helen says
Chicken wings as a night-time snack? Well, why not?! 🙂
Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Ahaha! OK. If you think you Brits get excited about summer, you can’t even imagine how excited us Canadians get 🙂 These wings look beyond amazing, love Greek flavors, love Nagi, and these wings look delicious!
Helen says
Hahaha! I must admit your winters sound COLD … you must indeed feel very relieved when the sun finally comes out! 🙂
Laura says
Well, coming from Buffalo, NY, probably the most famous city in the U.S. for chicken wings, I feel like a sampling of these baked wings are due! Are wings are always fried. Not good. Baked is definitely the way to go. My parents just got back from a month in Greece and Turkey and had a fabulous time. And my mom brought me back a white Greek dress that suposedly all the Greek woman wear. I think I must have gotten 50 compliments on it today and I only saw 50 people! I had people screaming out to me “where did you get that dress”!! How’s that fro good press for Greece. I vow to buy several more. I put a brown belt with it (it had a necklace attached, really cool!) I love it, all cotton, so Greek.
Helen says
ooh, Laura, it sounds like that dress looks great on you! Those typical Greek dresses are so perfect for warm days, which it sounds like you get a lot of! Just a shame your parents weren’t in Greece at the best time for the country … they’ve certainly been going through it over the last few weeks …
Happy to have impressed you with the wings, too! (all thanks to the great Nagi!)
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
Oh these are my kind of wings, Helen! I love baked chicken a lot more than the fried kind. The flavors on here sound so perfect for the summer!
Helen says
Thank you, Gayle! Have you checked out Food Bloggers’ Central? If not, please do – it’s fabulous!
Kennedy Cole| KCole's Creative Corner says
These look great! Nagi is really such a great recipe developer, and you made these look so beautiful! I LOVE that sprinkle of feta on top. These look great, and I will definitely be trying them!
Helen says
Hello, Kennedy! Thanks so much for passing by … and thanks for the compliment on the photos, too! 🙂
Sara | Belly Rumbles says
Looks amazing, a great recipe for Nagi’s ebook.
Helen says
Hello Sara! Thank you … I love any of Nagi’s recipes, but these were just delicious! Thanks for taking the time to pass by and comment, too!
Mira says
Enjoy the few days of summer in the UK Helen! Love Nagi’s book and these wings look great! need to try them very soon!
Helen says
Do try these, Mira, or some of the other wings in her book. It’s a fab collection of recipes! 🙂
Kathleen | HapaNomNom says
Nagi’s getting some much deserved love today…. I just made one of her wings recipes too! 😉 When I was scrolling through her incredible Baked Wings book, I saw this Greek style recipe and thought of you! I’m so glad to see it on your blog! Lovely pictures too 🙂
Helen says
Hi, Kathleen! Just about to hop on over and read your recipe, too … I saw in on SM earlier in the week and guessed that it was probably from Nagi’s book! I’m really happy our posts ended up being coordinated without even coordinating it, if you know what I mean!
Hope you’re getting settled in a bit more now – I’m sure I’ll get all caught up when I read your post! 🙂
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
Great minds think alike with the Greek recipe today. You know I am going to be onboard with anything with feta and olives it in. Sharing this on Twitter!
Helen says
Thanks so much for the share, Dannii … so appreciate that! I’ve noticed that you’re a Greek food-lover too … yay!!
[email protected] says
PS I use the soak in water tip! To defrost almost everything! 🙂
Helen says
I knew it, actually, but had just forgotten about it. I was so disappointed when I couldn’t find wings at any of our local shops (surprisingly, they’re not always so easy to get over here 🙁 ) so this tip was a bit of a life-saver!! As usual, I had about 2 hours to make and shoot the recipe AND pack up my picnic and head out the door! One of these days, I’ll be able to slow down a bit … 😉
[email protected] says
Oh my god. I almost cried! This is so unexpected and I’m so touched! Thank you SO MUCH! And once I got past being such a girl about this, I had to grin at the wings you chose! 🙂 And also your description of UK summer. It is SO true. I remember how Hyde park would be literally jam packed with people enjoying the 5 days of summer 🙂 Do they still sell BBQ packs at the park entrance?
It goes without saying that this has to be seriously shared! So chuffed. I honestly can’t tell you how amazing it is to see one of my recipes on your blog! N xx
Helen says
Oh Nagi, you’re so so so welcome! It gave me so much pleasure to do this post – and of course I was thrilled that there was a Greek recipe – seemed like it was especially for me! I was seriously impressed with the flavour of these (really lemony!) and will definitely be making them again, although I’m keen to try out some of the other flavours that I wouldn’t usually choose.
I absolutely love the way people flock to the London parks in good weather. I have a feeling they don’t allow BBQs any more though (spoilsports) That’s one of the (many) things I just loved about Australia – your free BBQs in the open spaces. You guys are BBQ experts, but I have a feeling us Brits aren’t expert BBQ-ers enough to be trusted with them in parks! 😉
Allie | BakingAMoment says
Well, I know for sure that if this recipe came from Nagi, then it’s fantastic! I adore everything she creates and these chicken wings are no exception. Anything Greek gets my vote! And your photos are just gorgeous! Lovely, lovely, as always, Helen xo
Helen says
Hi Allie! Honestly, you’ve got to make some of Nagi’s wings! These were amazing and I’m really keen to try out some of the other recipes now. Thanks so much for the compliment on the photos, too. I really take that as a huge compliment indeed as I constantly drool over your photos! 🙂