Mediterranean Chicken in Creamy Lemony Sauce
Made with a bunch of wholesome ingredients, this Mediterranean Chicken with Creamy Lemony Sauce feels crazy indulgent and tastes like pure paradise!
Made with a bunch of wholesome ingredients, this Mediterranean Chicken in Creamy Lemony Sauce feels crazy indulgent and tastes like pure paradise, yet it totally qualifies as healthy and good for you!
Although I must admit that the dish is actually a tiny bit on the indulgent side, as the recipe does call for a few drops of white wine and a splash of heavy cream. However, it requires so very little of it, and you get to divide the whole thing between a bunch of people, in the end, you’re merely looking at a few tablespoons of wine and about a teaspoon of cream per person, if that. Nothing to write home about, if you ask me!
Still, if you preferred to leave those out completely, you could very well do that by replacing the white wine with the same amount of chicken broth and use whole milk instead of the cream.
Trust me, this creamy chicken dish has so much to offer in the flavor department, I am absolutely positive that these slight modifications wouldn’t even affect it in the least…
The main and most crucial step to getting the flavors of this dish to explode is to let the chicken sit in a rich and super tasty marinade for an extended period of time, up to a full day if you can afford to wait that long.
Simply combine all the ingredients that make up that marinade in a large glass measuring cup or mixing bowl and stir vigorously until well combined; Then, place 10 to 12 boneless chicken thighs in a single layer in a non-reactive container such as a glass or porcelain baking dish and pour the marinade all over them.
Toss the chicken thighs around until they are completely coated; making sure that the marinade makes it all the way to the bottom of the dish. Just pouring the marinade over the chicken won’t do the trick… see?
Be certain to lift each and every single piece of chicken to let that marinade get right under them. I know, playing with raw chicken isn’t all that pleasant, but this little precaution will guarantee maximum flavoring from the marinade.
Cover your chicken with a piece of plastic film and place it in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
Ideally, you’ll want to place that plastic film so it comes directly in contact with the meat; this reduces the amount of air present in the dish and ensures that the meat gets maximum contact with the marinade. More contact = more flavor!
When you’re ready to cook your chicken, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil (or any other kind of healthy cooking oil you happen to prefer) in a large skillet or saute pan set over high heat. When the pan is nice and hot, add half the pieces of chicken, nice-looking side down, and cook them without moving them for about 4 minutes, until they turn opaque about half way up and develop a nice golden crust.
Flip the pieces of chicken and cook them for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the meat is cooked all the way through and the juices run clear. Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining pieces of chicken.
Return the reserved chicken to the skillet, add the chicken broth and white wine (you can also throw in any marinade potentially left behind for even more flavor!) and simmer for about 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan gently to detach all the bits and pieces that clung to it.
Combine the heavy cream (or whole milk) with the cornstarch and water in a glass measuring cup and whisk until well combined. Add that to the skillet and simmer, stirring gently, until the sauce is fully thickened, about 1 minute.
Delicately stir in the cheese, olives and sun-dried tomatoes.
Kill the heat and add the cherry tomatoes and fresh parsley.
Serve immediately over your choice of cooked pasta, noodles, rice or even cauli-rice.
Me? I opted for linguine and I think it was a mighty fine choice indeed!
Mediterranean Chicken with Creamy Lemony Sauce
Ingredients
- 10-12 boneless skinless chicken thighs , (about 950g | 2lbs)
For the marinade
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- the juice and zest of 1 large lemon
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt, I use Himalayan salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
For the sauce
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup heavy cream, (or whole milk)
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp corn starch
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- 1-1/2 cup cubed Greek feta cheese
- 1/2 cup sliced green olives
- 1/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
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- About 2 dozen cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
- Handful chopped flat parsley
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a large glass measuring cup or mixing bowl and stir vigorously until well combined.
- Place the chicken thighs in a single layer in a non-reactive container such as a glass or porcelain baking dish and pour in the marinade; toss the chicken thighs around until they are completely coated. Make sure that the marinade makes it all the way to the bottom of the dish. Cover with a piece of plastic film and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
- Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil (or any other healthy cooking oil) in a large skillet or saute pan set over high heat. When the pan is nice and hot, add half the pieces of chicken, nice-looking side down, and cook them without moving them for about 4 minutes, until they turn opaque about half way up and develop a nice golden crust. Flip the pieces of chicken and cook them for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the meat is cooked all the way through and the juices run clear. Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining pieces of chicken.
- Return the reserved chicken to the skillet, add the chicken stock and white wine (as well as any marinade potentially left behind, for even more flavor) and simmer for about 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan gently to detach all the bits and pieces that stuck to it.
- Combine the heavy cream (or whole milk) with the cornstarch and water in a glass measuring cup and whisk until well combined. Add that to the skillet and simmer, stirring gently, until the sauce is fully thickened, about 1 minute.
- Delicately stir in the cheese, olives and sun-dried tomatoes. Kill the heat and add the cherry tomatoes and fresh parsley.
- Serve immediately over your choice of cooked pasta, noodles, rice or even cauli-rice.
Nutrition
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5 Comments on “Mediterranean Chicken in Creamy Lemony Sauce”
Oh my gosh, this looks so amazing! Would it be okay to make this with chicken breasts instead? I am just not a fan of thighs. If so would I need to adjust the marinade or cooking of them? Thanks!
I really wouldn’t see why not, Katelyn. I think I would cut them in pieces, like 3 or 4 pieces per breast, and keep the recipe exactly as is.
Delicious recipe. I used chicken breasts and found that I did need to cut them up into smaller pieces for better cooking. I used orzo pasta to create a bed for the chicken pieces and the sauce. I used Sauvignon Blanc for the white wine in the sauce. The flavors really are very nice. Thanks for a great recipe.
Absolutely gorgeous dish. Tangy, tasty and hugely satifying. Was just as nice reheated the next day. I made it with chicken breast. Our new Sat night favourite.
Awesome! Super happy to hear! 🙂