This Greek Yogurt Marinated Chicken is so tender and packed with flavor. It does require a few hours of marinating, but is definitely worth the wait. The marinade is full of garlic, shallot, lemon, and spices.
This greek yogurt marinated chicken has become a meal prep staple at my house! I love to slice it for salads, wraps, and bowls.
If you need a dairy-free option, try my Lemon Garlic Chicken Marinade or Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken Thighs.
No time for marinating? Try my simple and easy Dutch Oven Chicken Breast or my smothered French Onion Chicken Breasts. My Easy One Pot Chicken and Rice Skillet is delicious as well.
Check out more Easy Boneless Skinless Chicken Thigh Recipes.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Chicken with Greek yogurt is super tender and full of flavor. The tangy yogurt pairs well with the lemon juice and vinegar.
- The fresh garlic and shallot take this Greek yogurt chicken marinade to the next level.
- The dry spices, specifically the turmeric and paprika give the chicken a beautiful and bright orange color. Salt and pepper enhance the other flavors even more.
- This recipe is great for meal prep because it can be used in a variety of dishes.
- Garlic Greek yogurt chicken thighs are super moist.
- The chicken is broiled at the end to add color and more of a grilled/charred flavor, but it is made completely in the oven.
- The marinade can be made in advance to make dinner time even easier.
- This recipe is an easy & healthy dinner idea. It is gluten-free and low carb/keto.
- There is no need to pound the chicken. Just throw it in a bag, marinate, and you’ll be ready to cook in no time!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Substitute for white or red wine vinegar.
- Shallot: Substitute for half of a red or white onion.
- Smoked Paprika: Be sure to use smoked paprika instead of regular. It has a much richer flavor.
- Chicken Thighs: Substitute for boneless skinless chicken breasts. Dark meat tends to be more moist and tender so I prefer it.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
How to Make Greek Yogurt Chicken
Quick Overview
- Make the yogurt marinade.
- Marinate the chicken.
- Bake and broil.
Step by Step Instructions
Be sure to seal the bag completely.
Step 1: Add all of the marinade ingredients into the bowl of a large food processor.
Step 2: Pulse until smooth.
Step 3: Place the chicken thighs into a zip top bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken.
Step 4: Tightly seal the bag and massage the chicken so it is all coated in the marinade. Marinate for 2-12 hours.
Broil the chicken to give a little char.
Step 5: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the chicken thighs in a single layer so they are not overlapping, shaking off excess marinade.
Step 6: Bake for 25-30 minutes. Broil on high for 2-3 minutes or until slightly blackened.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
Here are some of the best ways to serve this Greek chicken:
- Garnish: fresh dill, parsley, lemon slices, & feta cheese
- Salad: My Panera Greek Salad pairs perfectly.
- Wrap: Load a pita up with your favorite veggies and tzatziki.
- Bowl: Use Instant Pot Basmati Rice as the base and the same toppings as the Greek salad.
Expert Tips & Variations
- Use fresh garlic. Fresh adds a much more intense flavor compared to powdered or granulated.
- Make the marinade in a food processor. This ensures all of the ingredients get incorporated.
- Marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours. This time allows the yogurt and all of the aromatics to tenderize and flavor the chicken. However, I do not recommend marinating it for more than 12 hours.
- Use an instant read thermometer. Chicken thighs should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165-170 degrees. Using a thermometer ensures you do not over or under cook the it.
- Broil. The high heat adds some char which deepens the flavor and color of the chicken.
- Grill. You can grill these thighs over medium high heat on a grill pan on the stove or on an outdoor grill. Be sure to clean the grill grates before starting. Grill chicken for about 6-8 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board or plate and rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Similar to citrus juice or vinegar, the acid in the yogurt makes the chicken more tender.
It adds flavor and tenderizes the chicken. The thickness of the yogurt also helps the spices adhere to it better.
Yes! Greek yogurt is great for cooking and baking. It adds fat, flavor, and moisture like sour cream or buttermilk.
I recommend only marinating it for 12 hours max. After that, the chicken can get too salty or mushy.
More Chicken Recipes
If you try this recipe, please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and/or comment! I always appreciate your feedback. Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook & Instagram.
Greek Yogurt Chicken Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar*
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 small shallots*
- 10-12 cloves garlic
- 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 Tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon dill weed
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs*
Instructions
- Add all of the marinade ingredients into the bowl of a large food processor.
- Pulse until smooth.
- Place the chicken thighs into a zip top bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken.
- Tightly seal the bag and massage the chicken so it is all coated in the marinade. Marinate for 2-12 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the chicken thighs in a single layer so they are not overlapping, shaking off excess marinade.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes. Broil on high for 2-3 minutes or until slightly blackened.
Notes
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Substitute for white or red wine vinegar.
- Shallot: Substitute for half of a red or white onion.
- Smoked Paprika: Be sure to use smoked paprika instead of regular. It has a much richer flavor.
- Chicken Thighs: Substitute for boneless skinless chicken breasts. Dark meat tends to be more moist and tender so I prefer it.
- Marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours. This time allows the yogurt and all of the aromatics to tenderize and flavor the chicken. However, I do not recommend marinating it for more than 12 hours.
- Use a meat thermometer. Chicken thighs should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165-170 degrees. Using a thermometer ensures you do not over or under cook the chicken.
- Broil. The high heat adds some char which deepens the flavor and color of the chicken.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
OMG! This was perfection! My picky eater loved it and said to put it on rotation. Made half of the chicken, as there are only three in my small family, but all of marinade. Second batch is in the oven as I’m typing this for meal prep lunches. We eat almost exclusively fish and chicken and I cook only Mediterranean Diet. Thanks.
Yay!! I love this. Thank you SO much for the kind words.
The Greek yogurt marinade was absolutely delicious on this chicken. Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe.
What an incredibly tasty combination of flavors. I was wondering if the amount of garlic (10-12 cloves) would be too strong in the marinade, but it was perfect! The Greek yogurt made the chicken super tender and was a great alternative to buttermilk, which is what I usually use. Delicious!
We loved this dish. I try to make a Mediterranean meal at least once or twice a week and this is now on my rotation.
This is such a perfect way of preparing chicken – the yoghurt adds great flavour and tenderness to the chicken, and we really enjoy the spice blend here too. Great recipe!
Such an easy and delicious dish to make for everyone. I am sure they will love this!
I have prepped the marinade and put the chicken in the fridge but our plans have now changed and I wonder if it can marinate all of today, overnight until tomorrow’s dinner or will that not work?
Sorry for the delay! Over marinating can break down the chicken and cause it to become mushy.
This was AMAZING!!! I had to replace the Greek yogurt with a plain almond milk yogurt and it worked out perfectly. Thanks for the recipe!!!
Glad to hear that!
This is delish! Wondering if I could cook this outside on the grill or in a cast iron skillet (on the grill) to prevent save from turning on the oven in the house during summer. Thank you!
Thank you!! Yes definitely.
This is one of my newest favorite marinades. I definitely use coconut yogurt but the garlic and spices mixed with it are so good. I love the extra cayenne kick. Perfect
Coming back for this recipe for the 4th time in less than 2 months. It’s become a family favorite. It’s fantastic! Even my super picky eater asks if there’s more. Thank you for a delicious recipe and improving our menu for regular rotation meals. It’s been great.
This comment made my day! I love that. Thank you Julia. 🙂
Not sure if I may have added too much cayenne pepper, but it turned out a bit too spicy.
For our taste we need to cut the cayenne by 1/2
Thank you for the feedback!
Just prepped this for tomorrow! I didn’t have anything to measure with so we’ll see how it tastes lol
Hahaha! Hope it turns out.