This yogurt marinated chicken comes out so perfectly juicy! Easy to make, it’s seasoned with Mediterranean spices and each bite is wonderfully flavorful.
There’s no dry chicken in sight with this wonderfully flavorful yogurt marinated chicken! The yogurt adds a wonderful taste and the result is tender and juicy chicken!I love marinating chicken to add flavor to it.
Easy enough for an easy weeknight meal and fancy enough you can serve it to guests!
Be sure to check out my Marinated Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken and Marinated Chicken Tacos Recipe.
Why you’ll love this yogurt marinated chicken!
- Make ahead: The chicken needs to be marinated before you cook it, so when it comes to dinner time, all you have to do is pop it in the oven.
- Easy: It takes around 10 minutes to prep this recipe and the cooking time is hands off.
- Low carb: Each serving contains about 8g of carbohydrates so it’s great for those following a low carb or keto diet. It is also high in protein.
How to make yogurt marinated chicken
Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!
- Marinate: Add all the ingredients (apart from the chicken) to a ziplock bag. Knead the bag to mix then add in the chicken quarters. Refrigerate.
- Cook: Remove the chicken from the bag and place on a rack over an oven pan. Roast until cooked through. Place under a broiler to get crispy skin.
What cut of chicken can you use?
I used chicken leg quarters for this recipe, but you can easily use thighs or breasts. The cooking time will need to be adjusted but the results will be just as delicious!
Why marinate chicken in yogurt?
Yogurt slow marinates the chicken and it results in an amazing pull apart texture. Acid marinades, like lemon or vinegar based, act very quickly and if you are not careful can actually leave the chicken chewy and dry.
How long do you marinade the chicken?
The chicken can be marinaded between 2 and 8 hours. Don’t marinate for longer as the acid can start to cook the meat, so rather than having tender chicken it can end up being quite tough.
At a minimum it should be marinated for 2 hours, this is enough time to allow it to take on the flavors and start to tenderize.
Can you cook the chicken ahead of time?
I like to serve this chicken straight out of the oven, but any leftovers can be stored, covered in the fridge, for up to 3 days. You can reheat the chicken in the oven or shred it and add it cold to salads.
Tips for Crispy Baked Chicken
I like to put the chicken on a rack to get it up out of the juices which results in a crispier chicken.
More Recipe Notes and Tips
- I used canola oil in this recipe, but olive oil would also be good.
- If someone doesn’t have a rack, they could just cook it in the pan.
- You could use this marinade on any chicken pieces and adjust cooking time accordingly.
- This could also be cooked on the grill.
- This chicken recipe is inspired by Turkish and Mediterranean flavors and could be named as such.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
- Chicken Meatloaf Recipe
- Easy Bruschetta Chicken Recipe
- Chicken Fajita Quesadillas Recipe
- Apple Chicken (Sheet Pan Chicken with Apples)
- Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas (Salsa Verde)
Have you tried this Yogurt Marinated Chicken recipe? Feel free to leave a star rating and I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
Yogurt Marinated Chicken
Ingredients
- 5 chicken leg quarters thigh attached
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ½ cup of lemon juice juice of two lemons
- Zest of two lemons
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup red onion minced
- ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
- ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Combine yogurt, oil, spices, red onion, parsley, and cilantro in a large ziplock bag. Knead bag to mix.
- Add chicken quarters to bag and let marinate for at least two hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 375℉.
- Remove chicken from bag and discard marinade. Place chicken on a cooking rack over a pan that has been lined with parchment paper. Bake chicken, uncovered, for 50-60 minutes, or until meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165℉ and juices run clear.
- Turn oven to broil. Broil for 2-3 minutes to crisp up the skin, watching carefully to avoid burning.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- I used canola oil in this recipe, but olive oil would also be good.
- I like to put the chicken on a rack to get it up out of the juices which results in a crispier chicken.
- If someone doesn’t have a rack, they could just cook it in the pan.
- You could use this marinade on any chicken pieces and adjust cooking time accordingly.
- This could also be cooked on the grill.
- This chicken recipe is inspired by Turkish and Mediterranean flavors and could be named as such.
Iain says
Delish!
Becky Hardin says
Thank you!
Karen says
An excellent recipe! I will definitely make again.
Becky Hardin says
Thanks for sharing, Karen!
Jennifer says
Love this, I did marinate for a day, but I wish I had basted the chicken with the marinade. the parts that were sticky with it were the best!
Becky Hardin says
Love it!
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