Greek Chicken Marinated in Yogurt

This greek chicken marinated in yogurt is light, healthy and simple to make. Easy to make on a BBQ grill, or a grill pan on the stovetop, for those crispy and crunchy charred edges and juicy tender centre.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Tim to Marinade 3

Total Time 40

Servings people

Calories 354kcal

Author Kim

Ingredients

6  Skinless boneless chicken thigh pieces  all roughly the same size

Marinade

1  cup  Plain greek yogurt
1 medium Lemon (juice and lemon zest)
2  tablespoons  Garlic, crushed
2  tablespoons  Ginger, freshly grated
2  teaspoons  Mild curry powder
1  teaspoon  Garlic salt (or regular salt)
1  teaspoon  Dried Parsley (or fresh)

For Grilling

2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Vegetable Oil

Optional Spices (Add 1 or 2 for additional flavour/heat)

½ teaspoon Black Pepper
½ teaspoon Chili Powder
½ teaspoon Garam Masala
½ teaspoon Onion Powder
½ teaspoon Garlic Powder

Instructions

Make Greek Chicken Marinade: Combine yogurt and marinade ingredients including crushed garlic, ginger, curry powder, garlic salt, lemon juice and zest and dried parsley to a bowl and mix together.
1  cup  Plain greek yogurt, 1 medium Lemon (juice and lemon zest), 2  tablespoons  Garlic, crushed, 2  tablespoons  Ginger, freshly grated, 2  teaspoons  Mild curry powder, 1  teaspoon  Garlic salt (or regular salt), 1  teaspoon  Dried Parsley (or fresh)
Marinate Yogurt Chicken: Lay chicken pieces in a baking tray or other container, pour over the yogurt marinade, cover with lid or foil and refrigerate for minimum of 3 hours
6  Skinless boneless chicken thigh pieces 
Cook: Brush on a thin layer of oil to the grill and place chicken in a single layer on a hot grill or BBQ, cooking for 3 to 4 minutes each side, depending on how big your chicken thighs are it may take shorter or longer for them to cook through. If you’re not sure, make an incision in one or cut one in half to check if its cooked through.
Serve: Once cooked arrange on a platter for serving with a sprinkling of salt and pepper, grilled lemon wedges and diced chives.

Notes

Do not keep excess marinade to use on other meats or to drizzle on chicken once it is cooked. Excess marinade should be discarded once the meat is removed.
Chicken: I love using skinless chicken thighs as they have a little bit of fat, but not too much which adds just the right amount of flavour for me. If you're not a fan of chicken thigh, you could use chicken breasts or even chicken tenders, but you'll need to be careful not to overcook as they may have a tendency to dry out from overcooking due to having less fat.
Yogurt: I use full fat greek yogurt because its thick and creamy. It coats the meat better so stays on better whilst cooking, allowing those char marks to develop
Garlic and Ginger: these are essential to adding a good flavour base. Using either fresh or the garlic and ginger that comes in a jar is fine. I;ve tried both and can't really notice much difference
Garlic Salt: I love using garlic salt for an extra garlic flavour, but feel free to use plain sea salt or even onion salt. The different types of salt will slightly alter the flavour profile of the finished dish, but not too much.
Curry Powder: I use a mild curry powder and its really just to add additional flavour as opposed to heat. There are thai and indian curry powders readily available in the supermarket to choose from, but I typically use Clives of India curry powder,
Parsley: this adds some colour and earthiness to the marinade. Fresh, semi dried or dried parsley all work, and if you don;t have this, you could substitute with basil, or chives or even leave it out.
Lemon: Lemon is essential in this marinate to balance out all the flavour and to add acidity to the marinade. It also pairs well with the garlic and ginger. Both juice and zest are used to add a tang and freshness to this marinade.

Nutrition