Oregano Garlic Chicken Blend

Name: Oregano Garlic Chicken Blend
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 1 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons (8 g) dried oregano leaves, loosely packed; 1½ tablespoons (13 g) garlic powder; 1 tablespoon (3 g) dried marjoram leaves, loosely packed; 1 tablespoon (7 g) lemon pepper seasoning; ½ teaspoon (1.2 g) freshly ground black pepper; ¾ teaspoon (4½ g) fine sea salt; 1½ teaspoons (4½ g) garlic granules or coarsely minced dried garlic; ½ teaspoon (½ g) dried thyme leaves, loosely packed (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A fragrant, herbaceous seasoning blend with bright oregano, pungent garlic, and peppery notes. This Mediterranean-inspired mix enhances grilled, roasted, or pan-seared chicken, and works equally well on vegetables, fish, and lamb. Making it at home ensures fresher, more vibrant flavor than commercial blends.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: —
Total: 10 min
Makes: About ¼ cup (16 teaspoons or 4 tablespoons)

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Steps

Before you start

Use high-quality dried herbs—fresh dried oregano and marjoram from the past 6 months will give the best flavor
Have a clean, dry spice grinder, mortar and pestle, or small food processor ready
If you don't have a grinder, you can make this blend with pre-ground spices and finely crush the dried herbs by hand

1
Measure dried herbs
- Measure 2 tablespoons (8 g) dried oregano and 1 tablespoon (3 g) dried marjoram, loosely packed.
- If the herbs feel clumpy or have visible stems, pick through them lightly.
- Place both in your spice grinder, mortar and pestle, or small food processor.
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Ready when: Herbs are measured and in the grinder
Tip: Check the purchase date on your dried herb containers; herbs older than 1 year will be noticeably less fragrant
2
Toast and grind dried herbs
- If using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, lightly pulse or crush the oregano and marjoram for 20–30 seconds until broken into smaller, more uniform pieces.
- Do not over-grind; you want some texture, not a fine powder.
- If using a food processor, pulse 3–4 times until herbs are coarsely broken down.
- Transfer to a small bowl.
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Ready when: Herbs are coarsely crushed and fragrant
Tip: Avoid grinding to a powder; over-grinding bruises the herbs and causes flavor to dissipate quickly
3
Add powdered and ground seasonings
- Add 1.5 tablespoons (13 g) garlic powder, 1 tablespoon (7 g) lemon pepper seasoning, and 1.5 teaspoons (4.5 g) garlic granules to the crushed herbs in the bowl.
- Stir together with a spoon, breaking up any clumps with the back of the spoon.
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Ready when: All ingredients are combined and well distributed
Tip: If the garlic powder or lemon pepper feels clumpy, crush lumps gently with the back of a spoon before mixing
4
Season with pepper and salt
- Add 0.5 teaspoon (1.2 g) freshly ground black pepper and 0.75 teaspoon (4.5 g) fine sea salt.
- Stir the entire blend thoroughly, at least 1 minute, using a small spoon or whisk to ensure salt and pepper are evenly distributed throughout.
- If adding the optional thyme, include 0.5 teaspoon (0.5 g) dried thyme at this step.
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Ready when: Blend is uniform in color with no visible clumps of salt or pepper
Tip: Stir longer than you think necessary—uneven salt distribution will create hot spots when you use the blend
5
Transfer and store
- Pour the finished blend into a clean, dry 4 oz (120 ml) airtight jar or container.
- Seal tightly and label with the date.
- Store in a cool, dark, dry place away from heat and direct sunlight.
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Ready when: Blend is sealed in an airtight container
Tip: Glass jars with tight-sealing lids preserve flavor better than plastic; avoid containers that have absorbed previous spice odors

Good to know

Tips

Use 1–2 teaspoons of this blend per pound of chicken breasts or thighs. For roasted whole chickens (4–5 lb), use 3–4 teaspoons. Rub into the skin and meat 30 minutes to 2 hours before cooking for the flavors to adhere.
This blend also seasons fish, lamb, roasted vegetables, and even popcorn beautifully. A light sprinkle on buttered toast or roasted potatoes is never wrong.
Dried herbs lose potency over time. Buy from sources with high turnover (specialty spice shops, farmers markets, online spice retailers) rather than grocery stores where jars may sit for months.
If you prefer a spicier blend, add ¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) of crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne after the other seasonings are mixed.

Make ahead

Make this blend up to 2 weeks ahead and store in an airtight container. The flavor is brightest in the first week; after 2 weeks, the volatile oils in the dried herbs begin to fade.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: Store in an airtight glass jar in a cool, dark cabinet for up to 6 weeks. After that, the aroma will noticeably diminish. Do not refrigerate or freeze, as moisture can clump the blend.

Substitutions

lemon pepper seasoning → 2 teaspoons (4 g) finely grated lemon zest (dried) plus ½ teaspoon (1.2 g) black pepper. If you can find dried lemon zest, use it instead of commercial lemon pepper, which often contains salt and fillers. Adjust the salt down by ¼ teaspoon if using this substitution.
garlic granules or coarsely minced dried garlic → ½ teaspoon (1.5 g) garlic powder. If you can't find garlic granules, use an additional ½ teaspoon garlic powder. The blend will be slightly more powdery and less textured.
dried marjoram leaves → 1 tablespoon (3 g) dried basil or dried savory. Basil will give a slightly sweeter, more floral note; savory will be earthier and more peppery. Either works well on chicken.
fine sea salt → ¾ teaspoon (4.5 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal). Kosher salt is less dense than sea salt, so the measurement remains the same. Do not use table salt, which is much denser and will over-salt the blend.