Yogurt Marinated Chicken
This yogurt marinated chicken recipe is tender, full of flavour, and comes together in just a few simple steps.
Marinating In Yogurt
Yogurt makes an excellent addition to marinades, as it tenderizes the meat along with adding flavour. What results is juicer, more flavoursome chicken, that doesn’t dry out in the cooking process. Yogurt also helps soften more pungent flavours like garlic, and melds together herbs and spices that are added to it. In this instance I find the earthier ones, such as the cumin and smoked paprika used here, a particularly good match.
Chicken thigh cutlets with the skin on were used in this recipe. However, a yogurt marinade works equally well with skin on or skin off chicken cuts. If you prefer to simply use boneless chicken thigh with the skin off that will work too. You will just need to adjust the cooking time if doing so. The same is true if you decide you’d like to try this out with chicken breast instead.
Ingredients For This Yogurt Marinated Chicken
This recipe uses sumac, which might be the only ingredient here that is not in everyone’s kitchen. It really should be though! It has such a wonderfully tangy, citrusy taste. It’s not terribly difficult to track down, but it still isn’t stocked in many of the bigger supermarket chains. You’ll find it at delis, gourmet food stores or online for an easy option.
- Chicken thigh cutlet – This will be called a host of different things depending on your location. It’s basically the chicken thigh with the top of the drumstick still attached and has the skin on. The best substitute would be straight up chicken thigh, although you will want to reduce the cooking time to 25 – 35 minutes.
- Greek yogurt – Adds creaminess, flavour and helps to tenderize the chicken. For a dairy-free version replace with plain coconut yoghurt. However, this will change the flavour profile of the dish.
- Lemon juice – Also works to tenderize the chicken and adds a touch of acidity to balance out some of the other ingredients.
- Olive oil – Helps to add moisture and flavour.
- Sumac – This is not always a spice people will have on their spice racks. Largely because I feel it’s still somewhat unknown in the West.
- Cumin and smoked paprika – These are easily two of my top five favourite spices. They bring so much to a dish. Earthiness, warmth, smokiness – it’s all there.
- Salt and pepper – Enhancing taste and adding flavour. You can add more or less than suggested here as per your preference.
- Garlic – I generally only ever use a small clove of garlic so it doesn’t overpower the dish. I think it works so well with the other ingredients here but if you’re not a fan you can leave it out.
Depending on appetites and the size of the thigh cutlets purchased this recipe will feed between 3 – 6 people. Try two per person for smaller cutlets, one for larger ones. The recipe is easily scaled up so you can decide on the volume needed when shopping.
How To Make This Recipe
There is very little hands-on time needed to make this. A few minutes to mix all the marinade ingredients together and toss the chicken pieces through it. Then a few more when it’s time to get them into the roasting pan. Aside from that, time will do the work for you.
- In a large bowl mix together the marinade ingredients and stir well to combine.
- Add the chicken thigh cutlets and toss several times to ensure each cutlet is well coated.
- Cover with a wax wrap, or saran/cling/glad wrap and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least an hour or two. Overnight is even better if you have the time for it.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F
- Remove the marinated chicken from the fridge and arrange the thigh cutlets in a baking dish.
- Place in the oven and cook for 30-40 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Timing is going to depend on the size of your thigh cutlets. Check at 30 mins first and continue cooking if needed.
- Remove from the oven, drizzle with pan extra juices then serve with a basic green salad.
Whilst marinating is not completely necessary, do leave yourself with some time to do it where possible. You’ll get an extra juicy and tasty meal if you do.
FAQ
When used in marinades, yogurt tenderizes the meat while also adding flavour. What results is juicer, more flavoursome chicken, that doesn’t dry out in the cooking process.
No! Doing so would wipe off a much of the flavour that the chicken took on in the marinating process. This recipe makes enough marinade for a thin coating of the chicken. As such, it bakes up well with a perfectly golden exterior.
You can either cook your yoghurt marinated chicken straight away or leave it to take on flavours for up to 24 hours. The longer it sits in the marinade the more intense the flavours and the juicer the chicken will be.
Yes. For a dairy-free version replace the Greek yogurt with plain coconut yoghurt. However, this will change the flavour profile of the dish.
Watch How To Make This Recipe
Yogurt Marinated Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 Chicken thigh cutlets*
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1.5 tsp sumac
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- A few grinds of black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl mix together the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, spices, and the salt and pepper. Stir until well combined.
- Add in the chicken thigh cutlets and toss several times to ensure each cutlet is well coated in the marinade.
- Cover with a wax wrap, or saran/cling/glad wrap and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least an hour. Overnight is even better if you have the time for it.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F
- Remove the marinated chicken from the fridge and arrange the thigh cutlets in a baking dish.
- Place in the oven and cook for 30-40 minutes or until cooked through. Timing is going to depend on the size of your cutlets. Check at 30mins first and continue cooking if needed.
- Remove from the oven, drizzle with pan extra juices then serve with a basic green salad.
Notes
Nutrition
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