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Greek Chicken Tenders

Greek chicken tenders with a lemon-oregano herb marinade and golden-seared crust. Juicy chicken is served over creamy tzatziki with feta, olives, cucumber, and fresh dill for an easy Mediterranean chicken dinner.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
marinating 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Greek
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken tenders
  • 1.5 lb chicken tenders Use fresh or fully thawed tenders.
Marinade
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 3 cloves garlic Minced.
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp cumin
  • 1 salt To taste.
  • 1 pepper To taste.
Serving
  • 1 tzatziki Crumbly or spreadable; use as directed.
  • 1 crumbled feta For scattering over the platter.
  • 1 Kalamata olives For accent and briny flavor.
  • 1 cucumber Slice and arrange alongside.
  • 1 fresh dill Freshly chopped or whole fronds for garnish.
  • 1 warm pita For serving with the chicken.
  • 1 lemon wedges For serving alongside.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. Whisk together olive oil, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, dried oregano, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Toss chicken tenders in the marinade, then rest 20 minutes at room temperature and let the surface look glossy with herbs and lemon.
Sear and finish
  1. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the marinated chicken tenders and cook 3-4 minutes per side until golden, with an internal temperature of 165°F visible on a thermometer.
Plate and serve
  1. Spread tzatziki on a serving platter so it forms a creamy pool. Arrange the golden chicken tenders over the tzatziki, then scatter crumbled feta, Kalamata olives, cucumber slices, and fresh dill around the chicken for bright color contrast.
  2. Serve immediately with warm pita and lemon wedges so each bite can get a fresh squeeze of lemon.

Notes

Pro tip: Pat the chicken tenders lightly before searing only if they look overly wet with liquid—this helps them brown faster. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; freezer: no, the texture of tender chicken and fresh tzatziki is best fresh. For a dairy-light option, use a tzatziki-style yogurt alternative and omit feta or use a smaller amount of feta for reduced saturated fat.