Marinated Greek Chicken

Summer means the grill gets fired up almost nightly.  Our deck table under the pergola lights becomes our hang out spot as the yellow glow of sunset twilight fades over the snow capped Cascade mountain range.

In the heat of Central Oregon high desert summers, light and quick is the dinner main course order.  This lemony grilled chicken with the hint of oregano served alongside a fresh-from-the-garden salad hits the spot when the temps go soaring.  Even better is the fact that the chicken and marinade can be prepped the night before, leaving all day for fun in the sun activities AND a homemade dinner on the table in just minutes!

Grilled Greek Chicken
(Plan ahead- needs to marinate)

Ingredients:
1 lemon, juiced
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp kosher or sea salt
2 tsp pepper
3 (6 oz) boneless skinless chicken breasts or 6 bone-in chicken thighs

Directions:
Cut each chicken breast in half length wise.  Lay each breast between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound lightly until approximately ½ inch thick.

In a small glass or plastic mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper and blend well.

Place chicken breasts in gallon freezer bag and pour marinade over top.  Turn bag over several times to thoroughly coat with chicken breasts with marinade. Place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.

Remove chicken from refrigerator and grill over medium high heat, about 4-5 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear.

Serve with Greek Salad
Serves 6