Greek yogurt chicken thighs are marinated in an easy and flavorful sauce that creates juicy and tender chicken every time. A mix of Greek yogurt and and mayo creates a light marinade that is low in saturated fat, high in protein and packed with flavor.
Similar to the action created by my chicken brine, an acidic marinade like this will enhance flavor and pack in juices. This method helps create tender, mouth watering chicken without fail.
The marinade base is also very customizable, suitable to a variety of fresh and dried herbs and spices. For a more Middle Eastern flavor profile, try my chicken shawarma kebabs. Or stick with the fresh and vibrant flavors here, with lemon zest and herbs.
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Why you’ll love Greek Yogurt with chicken
- Flavorful, juicy and tender results every time. Who doesn’t want more flavor out of their chicken?! By the way, this chicken marinade using Greek yogurt will help elevate your chicken cooking game for both thighs and breasts.
- Marinade and dipping sauce in one! No need to make a separate sauce for drizzling all over your cooked chicken. This recipe uses the same exact sauce for both the marinade and drizzling sauce!
- Easy and quick prep. The marinade is just a few basic ingredients and comes together in 5 minutes. Prep the night before or morning of, and have tender, flavorful chicken thighs ready to grill or bake, later in the day.
- Nutritious & delicious. No need to settle for dry bland chicken, or resort to super greasy, fatty fried chicken. This nutritious Greek yogurt chicken recipe keeps saturated fat in check while adding a bit more protein.
Ingredients needed
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, preferably air-chilled.
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt, low-fat or nonfat preferred.
- ¾ cup mayonnaise, preferably a light or olive oil based brand. Using one of these options will help reduce the calories and saturated fat just a bit.
- 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced.
- Zest and juice from 1 lemon, which will end up being about 2 teaspoons and 2 tablespoons respectively.
- 2 tablespoons fresh herbs, minced. I used a blend of fresh oregano and Italian parsley, but other great options would be thyme, dill, cilantro or mint.
- 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt, adjusted to taste.
Easy steps to make Greek yogurt chicken
Make the Marinade & sauce
Start by making the chicken marinade using Greek yogurt by combining all ingredients, except the fresh herbs, into a medium mixing bowl. Mix well!
Set aside your sauce
Before stirring in the fresh herbs, spoon out about ½ cup of the lemony garlic marinade. Set aside in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to use. This makes an excellent dip or drizzling sauce for the chicken!
marinate Chicken
Once you’ve stirred in the fresh herbs, add the chicken thighs or breasts, and mix till well coated Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 12 hours.
Grill or bake chicken
When ready to cook the chicken, remove each piece from the marinade and wipe off excess sauce. For best results, cook on an indoor or outdoor grill, at medium high heat, for about 7-8 minutes per side. If you wish to bake the Greek yogurt marinated chicken, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Bake at 375 degrees f for 20-25 minutes, till cooked through.
Remove chicken thigs from grill or oven, and arrange on a platter with fresh veggies and garnishes. Serve alongside the tangy yogurt sauce and pita bread. The chicken tastes great sliced and topped on a healthy veggie bowl or salad, or stuffed inside a pita.
Recipe Tips and faq’s
The lactic acid in yogurt breaks down the protein in meat, making it more tender. It also helps the chicken retain moisture during cooking, preventing it from drying out, and also adds a nice vehicle for tangy flavor.
Both regular and Greek yogurt (as long as neither are loaded with tons of added sugar), are healthy options for a nutritious diet. The reason Greek yogurt is so popular and often lauded as a more nutritious choice is because of Greek yogurt’s higher protein and lower carbohydrates content, gram per gram.
Greek yogurt typically has 18 grams of protein per serving, versus regular yogurt’s 10 grams.
why We use both mayo & yogurt in the marinade
If Greek yogurt makes such a good marinade and has lots of protein while also being low-fat, why not just use yogurt? Well, the mayo does add a really nice dose of creaminess, while also mellowing out the tang of the Greek yogurt. We recipe tested it both ways, with the Greek yogurt on its own versus the combo, and preferred the chicken made with the combo marinade.
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Greek Yogurt Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Chicken thighs boneless, skinless
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt plain, nonfat or low-fat
- ¾ cup Mayonnaise
- 4 Garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoon Lemon zest
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon Herbs finely chopped – parsley, oregano, mint, etc.
- 2 teaspoon Kosher salt
Instructions
- Combine Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice, and salt into a medium bowl and mix well.¾ cup Greek yogurt, ¾ cup Mayonnaise, 4 Garlic cloves, 2 teaspoon Lemon zest, 2 tablespoon Lemon juice, 2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- Before stirring in the fresh herbs, spoon out about ½ cup of the lemony garlic marinade. Set aside in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to use as a dipping or drizzling sauce.
- Stir in the fresh herbs, add the chicken thighs or breasts, and mix till well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 12 hours.2 lbs Chicken thighs, 2 tablespoon Herbs
- When ready to cook the chicken, remove each piece from the marinade and wipe off excess sauce. For best results, cook on an indoor or outdoor grill, at medium high heat, for about 7-8 minutes per side. If you wish to bake the Greek yogurt marinated chicken, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Bake at 375 degrees f for 20-25 minutes, till cooked through.
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