Hands up who doesn't like marinated chicken.... Yep, thought so - there isn't a single hand. So pleeaase try these Greek baked chicken drumsticks, wings or thighs (your choice). They're sticky and caramelised and full of gorgeous Greek flavours.
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.
I would say this amount of chicken is good for about 4 to 6 people as an appetizer or part of a meal.
What chicken pieces are best for this recipe?
Honestly - it's your choice. You can use drumsticks, thighs, wings, or a mixture. Cooking times will vary a little of course, but as a general rule it's 35 to 55 minutes. The chicken needs to be golden, sticky, and of course properly cooked in the centre. Use a meat thermometre if you prefer. Take the different kinds of chicken out of the oven when they seem done if you're cooking a variety of drumsticks, thighs and wings. Generally though aim for around 45 minutes (more detailed notes about cooking different pieces of chicken in the post above!).I find that skinless boneless thighs don't look as sticky and golden as the other chicken pieces, but they're still delicious!
Can you use frozen chicken?
Yes. I sometimes put the frozen chicken in the marinade, squish it around, then leave it to defrost in the marinade - in the fridge of course. One little tip I picked up from my local butcher … I couldn’t find any fresh wings (horror of horror). Nowhere I looked had them, so I bought frozen ones from the butcher. He told me just to soak them in water for half an hour to defrost them. This did the trick – just remember to blot the wings well on kitchen paper afterwards to dry them off if you use frozen too.
Can you freeze the chicken after cooking?
Yes again. Just wrap well and freeze for up to 4 months. Let defrost and reheat well before eating.