Athenian Chicken: Inspired by the Flavors of Greece

By
Kevin D. Weeks.
Kevin D. Weeks.
Kevin D. Weeks is a personal chef, cooking instructor, and food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/4/22
Athenian Chicken Greek Dish

Radu Dan

Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 2 servings

Athenian chicken isn't really Greek. However, it's certainly Greek-inspired (we do love the hearty flavors of Greece). The dish cooks quickly so you don't lose the essence of fresh herbs (although dried can be substituted, however, you'll want to use just 1 1/2 tablespoons in total). The feta adds a wonderful tart kick. Making this takes about 45 minutes, from start to finish, so it's not super quick, but it's still a good choice for a weeknight dinner for two.

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

  • 4 tablespoons minced fresh thyme

  • 4 tablespoons minced fresh oregano

  • 4 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

  • 1 large clove garlic, minced

  • 3 ounces feta, crumbled

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1/3 cup white wine

  • 1/2 cup half-and-half

  • Freshly ground white pepper, to taste

  • 1/4 lemon, juiced, or more to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Preheat oven to 375 F.

  3. Pound chicken breasts flat*—they should uniformly be about 3/8-inch thick.

  4. Combine 3 tablespoons of minced herbs with garlic and 1/3 of the cheese.

  5. Lay out breasts with what was the skin-side down, lightly season breasts with salt and pepper then spread half of cheese/herb mixture on each breast, roll up, and either tie with twine or pin with toothpicks.

  6. Heat oil in a medium cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, then, treating the breasts as though they’re 3-sided, brown on 2 sides—about 3 minutes per side. Turn unbrowned side down and place skillet in the oven on the middle rack and cook for another 6 to 8 minutes.

  7. Remove skillet from oven and place breasts on a plate and tent with foil.

  8. Being very careful of the hot handle, add wine to the cast-iron skillet over medium heat and scrape up browned bits. Reducing wine by about half.

  9. Add half and half and bring to a simmer. Add remaining herbs (reserving a couple of pinches for a final garnish), feta, white pepper to taste, and lemon juice. Cook for about 30 seconds.

  10. Plate chicken breasts, removing twine or toothpicks, pour the sauce over them and sprinkle with a final pinch of herbs. (For a colorful and nutrient-rich meal, you might want to serve this with roasted cherry tomatoes, microgreens, fresh peas, and either orzo, couscous or rice.)

  11. Serve and enjoy.

Tip

*Note: The best way to flatten chicken breasts is to spritz the inside of a gallon plastic bag with water, put the breast inside it, and then pound with your pounder of choice (a mallet, rolling pin, a pot or a wine bottle, being careful with that one). Pat it dry once you remove it with a paper towel.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
529 Calories
21g Fat
41g Carbs
48g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 529
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g 27%
Saturated Fat 9g 44%
Cholesterol 140mg 47%
Sodium 493mg 21%
Total Carbohydrate 41g 15%
Dietary Fiber 12g 42%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 48g
Vitamin C 213mg 1,066%
Calcium 376mg 29%
Iron 6mg 34%
Potassium 977mg 21%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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