This Greek Yogurt Marinated Chicken is packed with flavour – tangy, tender, and juicy, and grilled to perfection!
NEVER MISS A POST! FOLLOW ME ON:
FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER
Grilled chicken is a staple food in our house – I whip up a batch at least once a week to enjoy with steamed veggies or on a salad for lunch, and it’s a healthy source of protein I rely on. This Greek Yogurt Marinated Chicken is one of my favourite ways to enjoy grilled chicken these days and I know you’re going to love it too!
If you’ve ever had delicious grilled chicken at a restaurant and wondered what their secret is to make it so flavourful, wonder no more. Marinating chicken is the key to flavour and this easy-to-whip-up Greek yogurt marinade is not only super flavourful, it’s also a great way to make the chicken mean extra tender and juicy! The acid from the yogurt tenderizes the chicken gently and slowly and the fat helps it retain its moisture and soak up all the delicious flavour.
Ingredients for Greek Yogurt Chicken Marinade:
- boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Greek yogurt
- garlic
- olive oil
- honey
- oregano
- lemon juice
- basil
- thyme
- cumin
- paprika
- dill
- salt and pepper
How to Make Greek Yogurt Marinated Chicken
- Start with the chicken. Choose good-quality chicken thighs that are boneless and skinless. Trim any excess fat.
- Use dry herbs in the marinade. Dry herbs have a ton of flavour and they don’t burn on the grill or in the pan like chopped fresh ones do.
- Mix together the marinade ingredients. Whisk them together until the marinade is creamy and smooth.
- Marinate for at least 2 hours. Marinating for 2 hours to 12 hours will optimize the flavour, but if you’re in a rush you can marinate for 30 minutes.
- Grill or pan fry. This chicken tastes great off the grill but it also works well cooked in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop – just be sure to cook to an internal temperature of 74 degrees Celsius (165 Fahrenheit).
- Let the chicken rest. Rest the chicken on a plate under some foil for 5 minutes before serving. This will keep the chicken nice and juicy!
Looking for more?
Healthy Whole-Food Recipes with Easy Cooking Tips
Get my healthy whole-food recipes e-cookbook!
Click HERE to learn more!
Healthy Whole-Food Recipes with Easy Cooking Tips
Get my healthy whole-food recipes e-cookbook!
What does marinating chicken in yogurt do?
Every marinade needs a little bit of acid and the lactic acid in Greek yogurt is the perfect gentle tenderizer for chicken. It makes the chicken nice and tender and juicy.
Is marinating chicken healthy?
Yes! Marinating chicken adds very few calories but increases the flavour of the chicken immensely, making it more satisfying.
How long should I marinate chicken?
You can marinate chicken for 30 minutes or up to 12-18 hours in the fridge (or overnight). Any longer than that and you run the risk of the meat becoming tough. Looking for more delicious chicken recipes? You’ll love this Instant Pot Roasted Chicken and Gravy Recipe, this Baked Balsamic Bruschetta Chicken Recipe, and this Easy Oven Roasted Barbecue Chicken Recipe!
NEVER MISS A POST! FOLLOW ME ON:
FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER
I hope you love this chicken recipe as much as our family does! Let me know in the comments below, what’s your favourite way to enjoy chicken? I’d love to know!
Kitchen Tools I Recommend:
Looking for even more delicious meal ideas? You’ll LOVE these ones I’ve linked below!
- Creamy One Pot Chicken Enchilada Pasta
- Thai Chicken Spiralized Zucchini Salad
- Ginger Soy Grilled Chicken
- White Wine and Herb Marinated Chicken
- Crispy Oven Fried Chicken
- Skillet Pesto Caprese Stuffed Chicken
- Honey Garlic and Lime Chicken
Looking for more?
Healthy Whole-Food Recipes with Easy Cooking Tips
Get my healthy whole-food recipes e-cookbook!
Click HERE to learn more!
Healthy Whole-Food Recipes with Easy Cooking Tips
Get my healthy whole-food recipes e-cookbook!
Recipe Video
Watch the video below to see exactly how I make this delicious recipe. You can find more delicious recipe videos on my YouTube channel.
If you made this, share a photo!
Are you trying this recipe? Use the comment form below to share your take; now with support for image uploads and comment voting!
Greek Yogurt Marinated Chicken
Recipe: Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (approximately 8)
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- a few pinches each of salt and pepper
Recipe: Instructions
- Trim the fat off the chicken thighs.
- In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt, garlic, olive oil, honey, oregano, basil, thyme, cumin, paprika, dill, lemon juice and salt and pepper.
- Whisk together the marinade ingredients well until combined. Toss the chicken well in the marinade in the bowl until well coated.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and place in the fridge to marinate for 2 hours (30 minutes is sufficient if you're in a hurry). You can also transfer the chicken and marinade to another container, if desired.
- When you're ready to grill, add the chicken to a hot grill and cook for about 7-8 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 74 degrees Celsius (165 Fahrenheit).
- Alternatively, pan fry in a hot skillet with a little bit of olive oil until the chicken reaches the same internal temperature, cooking on medium-high for at least 6-7 minutes per side.
- Let the chicken rest on a plate (cover with foil) for about 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe: Notes
Recipe: Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
I’m going to try this recipe tonight. Can I use chicken breast instead?
White chicken meat (chicken breast) is less fat and less flavourful than brown meat and will dry way faster in the cooking process, so for best results I wouldn’t recommend it. You could try, but you’d have to be very careful not to overcook it.
Really informative! I am always looking for new recipes. Want more delicious Paleo recipes
I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback! We’ll add paleo recipes to our to do list!
Can we cook in the oven instead of grilling or pan frying? Thank you.
Yes, you can cook it in the oven until the internal temperature of the chicken is 74 degrees Celsius
Could I freeze this marinated?
Sure!
This is a really awesome and helpful article for me. I really appreciate your work for providing such useful information, thank you so much!
We’re so happy you enjoy reading our blog! Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback!
Good one! Thank you for sharing such an amazing post I found it really very useful and interesting
Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback! We’re happy to know that our readers find our content useful and interesting.
This blog is definitely helpful and informative. Great blog by the way and thanks for sharing these!
We’re so happy you are enjoying our recipes! Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback!
Looks tasty! Will definitely make it by myself.
Let us know how it turns out!
Thank you for sharing this blog . It’s really helpful for me.
Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback!
A delicious and healthy recipe for anyone looking to add a new twist to their chicken dishes.
The use of Greek yogurt as a marinade in this recipe not only adds flavor but also results in juicy, tender chicken every time. A must-try for any food lover.
We’re happy you like our recipe!
nice recipe thanks for sharing this. I will try this at my home.
Let us know how it turns out!
thank you for this awesome post. It really shows your immense knowledge and research on this topic. Please keep sharing.
Thank you for your feedback!
Wow! This information has been very helpful thanks for sharing this post.
Thank you for your feedback!
Love Your work Keep Going!
Thanks!
I tried this simple recipe and it tasted fabulous.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback!
It’s a rare thing when my husband cleans his plate…rarer still when he asks if we have leftovers for dinner the next day. I think it’s safe to say this was a winner!
We’re so happy you and your husband enjoyed our recipe! Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback!
I’m trying this with bone-in skinless thighs in the oven. At what temp and for how long please?
We’re sorry, we couldn’t tell you as we’ve never tried that before. If you try, please let us know.