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Greek lemon chicken served with its sauce over rice

Greek Lemon Chicken with a Tangy Lemon Sauce

One of the Greeks’ favorite chicken dishes, with a wonderfully lemony, thick sauce.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Greek
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 whole chicken about 2.9–3.3 lb (1.3–1.5 kg), cut into 8–10 pieces
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 60 ml
  • 1 onion medium
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 100 ml dry white wine optional, about ⅓ cup plus 1½ Tbsp
  • 100 ml lemon juice fresh; about ⅓ cup plus 1½ Tbsp
  • 250 ml stock or water; about 1 cup
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch optional

Instructions
 

  • Cut up the whole chicken. I cut mine into 10 pieces: the two drumsticks, two thighs, two wings, and the bone-in breast cut into four pieces. The back and wing tips can be used for stock.
    Whole chicken cut into pieces for Greek lemon chicken
  • Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels, then season them thoroughly with salt and pepper.
    Chicken pieces seasoned with salt and pepper
  • Finely chop the onion and garlic.
    Chopped onion and garlic
  • Heat the olive oil in a large, wide pot or deep skillet. Brown the chicken pieces over high heat for 5–6 minutes per side, starting skin-side down. Set them aside when done.
    Chicken pieces browning in olive oil
  • In the same pan, sauté the onion over medium heat, then add the garlic and cook for another half minute.
    Onion and garlic sautéing in the pan
  • Return the chicken pieces to the pan. Pour in the white wine, water, and about two-thirds of the lemon juice. Add the oregano. The liquid should come about halfway up the chicken pieces. We’re not making soup; we’re braising the chicken.
    Chicken cooking with the lemon sauce ingredients
  • Cover and cook over low heat for about 40 minutes, until the chicken is tender. At this stage, you can take the breasts out after 20–25 minutes; they’ll stay a little juicier. If you do, keep them warm and return them to the finished sauce.
    Chicken simmering in the sauce
  • Remove the lid and reduce the sauce slightly over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the cornstarch with a little cold water in a small bowl and add it to the sauce. Stir and cook for a few seconds until it thickens. The cornstarch isn’t essential: simmer the sauce a little longer and it will thicken without it, though you’ll have less sauce.
    Lemon sauce thickening around the chicken
  • Turn off the heat, add the remaining lemon juice, and stir it in.
    Finished Greek lemon chicken in its sauce

Notes

Original name: Κοτόπουλο λεμονάτο κατσαρόλας
Keyword delicious, flavorful, lemony, saucy, tangy
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