Greek oregano and lemon marinade for grilled chicken
The bright, resinous marinade of a proper Greek souvlaki. Works on chicken thighs, pork, or firm fish.
Ingredients for 4
Method
- I
In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- II
Add the chicken. Turn to coat every piece.
- III
Cover and marinate 1 hour minimum, 6 hours maximum — the acid tenderizes but too long turns the meat mushy.
- IV
Thread onto skewers (soaked wooden or metal).
- V
Grill over medium-high heat 3 minutes per side, 12 minutes total, until charred at the edges and cooked through.
- VI
Rest 5 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges and warm flatbread.
Botanical context
This recipe is indexed as a culinary use note, not a supplement protocol. When a featured plant is also used in herbal traditions, PlantSage keeps the food preparation separate from medicinal dosage advice so readers can enjoy the recipe without confusing a kitchen quantity with a therapeutic serving.
Origanum vulgare (Origanum vulgare) is the main botanical reference for this page. Check the linked plant profile for identification notes, cautions, and cultivation context before foraging or substituting fresh material. Use properly identified edible material, avoid contaminated harvest sites, and treat unfamiliar plants as ingredients that require the same care as any other food. If you substitute dried herbs for fresh, wild plants for cultivated ones, or concentrated extracts for whole ingredients, start conservatively because flavour, bitterness, and tolerance can change quickly.
Notes & variations
Greek oregano (Origanum vulgare hirtum) is much more pungent than Mexican or Italian varieties — reduce by a third if substituting. If cooking indoors, use a cast-iron ridged pan.
Featured from the herbarium
1 plant
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