This chicken with greek yogurt recipes is very simple, easy, quick and delicious. Chicken with yogurt is one of the most popular Greek recipes that is prepared everyday by my mom and me. I usually make chicken with yogurt when I want to cook something new with chicken breast. I share chicken with greek yogurt recipes because this recipe is special for me and I find it healthy as well as delicious at the same time.
GREEK YOGURT CHICKEN MARINADE
Greek Yogurt Chicken Marinade has notes of zesty orange and makes the most tender and juicy chicken thighs or chicken breasts. It’s a delicious recipe to enjoy all year long!
This is the best Greek yogurt chicken recipe you will find. Prepared with classic Greek flavors like lemon, garlic, and onion, this Greek yogurt chicken gets more and more tender with every bite.
YOGURT CHICKEN RECIPE
Forget frozen chicken, store bought chicken tenders, or unseasoned plain chicken, here’s to a delicious chicken marinade that works perfectly with chicken thighs, breasts, and legs!
This yogurt marinaded chicken is a super easy meal that is full of flavor, and makes for the perfect main dish for any occasion, whether it’s a simple weeknight dinner or a holiday meal.
Combined with the delicious citrus juice flavors, garlic, fresh herbs, and spices, your tastebuds will be begging you to go back for seconds.
Serve this chicken up as an entree for dinner, protein for lunch, or get creative and use it to top a salad or make chicken kabobs!
GREEK YOGURT MARINADE INGREDIENTS
Meat: for this recipe, I used boneless chicken thighs. However, you can also use boneless skinless chicken breasts or full chicken legs as well!
Note: bone-in chicken thighs with skin on will get the most crispy.
Dairy: to make Greek yogurt chicken, you will need whole milk Greek yogurt. Sour cream works as a good substitute if you don’t have yogurt on hand.
Herbs and spices: pile on the flavor with a little shawarma seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and black pepper.
Wet ingredients: along with seasoning, another essential step is the wet ingredients to marinate the chicken. For the marinade, you will need lemon juice, orange juice, and olive oil.
*For a detailed list of ingredients and measurements, please reference the recipe card down below.
TIP!
Fresh garlic is also delicious in the marinade.
GREEK YOGURT SUBSTITUTES
As I mentioned above, I recommend using plain Greek yogurt (not regular plain yogurt) because of its key properties (calcium and lactic acid), resulting in moist chicken.
However, if you are not a fan of Greek yogurt, can’t find it in the store, or don’t have it handy in the fridge, the best substitute is sour cream.
Need other substitutes that can work? Consider trying: buttermilk, Mexican crema mixed with lemon juice, or plain full fat yogurt.
HOW TO MAKE GREEK YOGURT CHICKEN
Cooking Instructions
Prepare this delicious chicken and bake it in the oven by following these simple instructions:
1. Make the marinade. In a medium bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, shawarma seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, lemon juice, orange juice, and olive oil.
2. Prepare the chicken. Place the chicken thighs in a large Ziploc bag with the yogurt marinade and shake until all pieces of chicken are fully coated. Place the marinated chicken in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours. Do not marinate beyond 12 hours.
3. Cook the chicken. When ready, preheat the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit with a sheet pan inside on the middle rack. Once preheated, remove the sheet pan and arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature has reached 170° F and the edges are crisp. If you like them extra crisp, remove the pan from the oven and preheat the broiler to high. Broil for 3-4 minutes or until crisp to your liking (careful not to overcook).
AIR FRYER CHICKEN THIGHS
Skip the oven with these easy instructions for air fryer boneless chicken thighs!
- Preheat and cook. Preheat the air fryer to 375° F. Arrange the chicken thighs in the air fryer basket in a single layer and air fry for 10 minutes, flip and cook for 6-8 minutes or until the internal temperature has reached 170° F and the edges are crisp.
- Serve and enjoy. I like to serve these chicken thighs with Labne Dip and a side salad.
SIDE DISHES TO SERVE WITH GREEK MARINADE CHICKEN
This chicken recipe is one of those recipes that you can pair with just about anything! In my house, we love vegetables, fresh salads, or even Tomato Feta Baked Spaghetti Squash.
Looking for more ideas on what to pair with your chicken? Here are some other ideas I love:
- Add some greens to your plate with Air Fryer Broccoli, Roasted Broccolini, or these Green Beans With Bacon.
- Love spaghetti squash, but looking for more ways to cook it? Check out my round-up on 40+ Spaghetti Squash Recipes you’re sure to love.
- Add even more flavor with this delicious Creamy Labne Dip. It’s my favorite to serve alongside this chicken.
- Typing to keep your recipe low carb or make it keto friendly? Pair your chicken with some zucchini noodles.
- Keep your meal simple and easy with white or brown rice, roasted veggies, or a big fresh salad with in-season toppings.
DOES GREEK YOGURT TENDERIZE CHICKEN?
Yes! Yogurt tenderizes meat more gently than traditional marinades.
Sometimes (based on marinade time), acidic or citrus-based marinades can toughen up the protein you are marinading. This results in a rubbery or chewy consistency.
Yogurt on the other hand leaves the chicken super juicy and results in a tender bite every time.
CAN GREEK YOGURT BE USED AS A MARINADE?
Absolutely! Greek yogurt makes a great marinade because it possesses two important qualities that make it a really great marinade; calcium and lactic acid.
Together, calcium and lactic acid break down the protein in the meat while cooking. Leaving you with super moist, juicy, and tender meat!
HOW LONG SHOULD YOU MARINATE CHICKEN IN YOGURT?
If you are in a rush, you only need about 15 minutes. However, I recommend 6-8 hours.
TIP!
Don’t marinate your chicken beyond 12 hours; any longer and you risk getting an upset stomach and increase your chances of possible food poisoning.
ARE CHICKEN THIGHS BETTER THAN LEGS?
Did you know a chicken leg has two parts? The chicken leg consists of the drumstick and the thigh. Chicken thighs have a higher meat content than the drumsticks and are the thickest part of the meat.
You can make this recipe with just the chicken thigh or you can make it with the entire leg which includes the drumstick!
Bone-in vs Boneless Chicken Thighs
When you cook chicken thighs with the bone in, the flavor that is stored in the bone spreads throughout the meat leaving you with incredibly deep flavor and juicy chicken.
TIP!
Chicken with the skin on gets even more crispy!
HELPFUL KITCHEN TOOLS
Here are some of my favorite kitchen items that make this recipe a breeze!
Thermometer: I find that an instant read thermometer is a great tool to keep around, especially when preparing chicken. A meat thermometer helps guarantee the chicken is ready and at a safe temperature to consume.
Bowls: these are some of my favorite medium and large bowls to use when preparing food. Investing in good mixing or prep bowls are essential for any home chef!
Skewers: if you are looking to make kabobs consider buying some metal skewers or wooden skewers. I love the ones I have from Amazon, as they make skewering quick and easy.
Grill: if you don’t want to make your chicken in the oven or air fryer, consider grilling on an outdoor grill, gas grill, or better yet a Ninja Foodie Grill, like mine!
GREEK YOGURT CHICKEN
One of my favorite weeknight dinner recipes: greek yogurt chicken. You’ll love how healthy and easy this keto chicken dinner recipe is, and your family will love how tasty it is!
Greek Yogurt Chicken: A Delicious Keto Chicken Dinner Recipe!
While I do not stick to a keto diet, I do typically eat pretty low-carb throughout the week. I am not strict about this, and if I find myself really in need of a cookie…I eat the cookie.
I just find that I feel better when I avoid sugar, carbs, and alcohol. Weekends, I splurge and indulge with a glass of wine or margarita, cookies, and of course pasta – because a girl’s gotta live! 😉
I recently remembered this easy greek yogurt chicken dinner recipe that I used to make all of the time when we lived in Reno. Since moving to the ranch, I don’t think I have made it!
I find myself making a roast chicken every week, but wanted to switch it up, and this quick and easy dinner recipe is a crowd pleaser!
It’s an oldie but goodie: tender chicken breasts baked to golden perfection, smothered in parmesan cheese and creamy greek yogurt!
This recipe is so adaptable and easy to throw together. In less than ten minutes, you’ve got dinner in the oven! It’s fairly healthy, yet feels indulgent and full of flavor, yet low calorie and low carb.
The tangy flavor the lemon juice and greek yogurt provide pairs perfectly with the chopped artichoke hearts! I love serving this with sautéed spinach because it tastes like spinach artichoke dip! But if you’re looking to indulge and artichoke dip is calling, this is one of my favorite recipes.
Speaking of artichokes, I can’t wait to get mine going in the garden this year! I have yet to preserve my own artichoke hearts, but growing artichokes is quite easy!
What to Serve Greek Yogurt Chicken With?
I like to serve this dish with roasted cauliflower or sautéed spinach! It also pairs wonderfully with jasmine or wild rice! The lemon + herbs + rice taste soooo yummy together!
How Many Servings Does This Recipe Make?
This recipe calls for 4 chicken breasts or thighs. For our family, that would be 6-8 servings, but for some family’s that would be 4 servings. So the number of servings really depends on how much your family will eat. My husband will eat an entire chicken breast, while I will only need half of one.
Ingredients For Greek Yogurt Chicken
- Chicken Breasts or Thighs (any kind) – Just make sure they are skinless!
- Greek Yogurt
- Mayonnaise – You can substitute with olive oil
- Parmesan Cheese – High quality is best!
- Garlic
- Lemon – This recipe calls for the zest and juice
- Preserved Artichoke Hearts – These are optional, but I love the flavor!
- Salt & Pepper
- Herbs of Choice – Choose your favorite! I love rosemary.
How to Make Greek Yogurt Chicken
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- In a small bowl, combine greek yogurt, mayonnaise (or olive oil), parmesan, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, chopped artichoke hearts, and salt & pepper. Stir to combine. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Place the chicken in a medium sized baking dish, smother the chicken with the greek yogurt sauce, covering completely. Garnish with lemon slices and fresh herbs. Sprinkle with a bit more parmesan cheese on top.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes at 375 F. After 30 minutes, check the internal temperature of the chicken, it should read 165 F. Continue baking until the temperature reads 165 F and the top of the chicken is golden brown.
Tips for Cooking Greek Yogurt Chicken:
- Use skinless chicken: it really doesn’t matter what type of chicken you use in this recipe, but if you use skin-on chicken, the skin becomes soggy and chewy. Not ideal. Skip the skin and use a skinless option. Bone-in or boneless, it doesn’t make a big difference.
- Use high quality parmesan cheese: I think this is the key ingredient to the recipe! This tastes infinitely better with a nice, freshly grated parmesan. Can’t find parmesan? It’ll still be yummy with Kraft ;).
- Make this recipe healthier: Use 3/4 cup greek yogurt instead of a full cup, reduce the amount of parmesan, and skip the mayonnaise. Instead add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the sauce mixture.
- Adapt this recipe: You can adapt this recipe in so many ways to fit your family’s tastes! Skip the lemon, add mozzarella, skip the herbs, add spinach to the sauce, etc… etc… get creative with this recipe!
- Golden Perfection: If after 30 minutes the chicken isn’t getting a nice golden brown top, turn the oven temperature up to 400 F and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes.
Greek Yogurt Lemon Baked Chicken
LOW CARB / KETO
Greek Yogurt Lemon Baked Chicken is super juicy, easy to make and bursting with flavor. All you’ll need for the Greek Yogurt marinade is yogurt, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, thyme and a few pantry staple seasonings!
What I love about this Greek Yogurt Lemon Baked Chicken is how the marinade breaks down the chicken resulting in a tender and moist chicken breast.
Dry chicken is the WORST and no one has time for that!
Plus, the Greek Yogurt adds a nutritional punch and you’ll feel good eating it!
On Sunday’s we always have family dinner at my mom’s house. I brought over this chicken for the first time and everyone raved about it! I told them the marinade had Greek Yogurt in it and they were very surprised.
Many of us think of yogurt as a breakfast or snack item only, but it’s really great to use for any meal occasion and it’s a bonus if you can enjoy it with your family.
This recipe is…
- An easy weeknight (or weekend!) dinner.
- Can be prepped on your lunch break and baked at night!
- Great for meal prep to enjoy throughout the week
- High in protein
- A healthy balanced meal to enjoy with family or friends.
- Simply, yet bursting with flavor!
Family time has always been an important part of my life and food always seems to bring us together. Some of my fondest memories are around the kitchen table or cooking in the kitchen. I am thankful I can introduce my family (and YOU!) to use new ways of using Greek Yogurt!
Ingredient Notes
- Greek Yogurt, plain (0%, 2% or 5%)
- Boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
- Lemon Juice
- Garlic
- Olive Oil
- Panko Breadcrumbs
- Seasonings: salt, pepper, thyme, garlic powder
How to make Greek Yogurt Lemon Baked Chicken:
- In a large bowl season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Then add in the yogurt, lemon juice, minced garlic, olive oil and seasonings. Mix very well and then cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in the fridge for 4-6 hours or overnight
- Once chicken is ready to cook preheat oven to 375° F. Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and place chicken down in baking dish. Sprinkle Panko breadcrumbs on top of chicken and you can also top chicken with lemon slices if you prefer prior to baking for a little extra lemon flavor.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165° F.
- Serve warm with salad/asparagus and rice, quinoa or potatoes.
Tips and Variations
- I’ve found 375°F to be the perfect temperature for juicy baked chicken. If you have thicker chicken breasts, I would recommend 400°F. A low oven temperature may lead to a long bake time and dry chicken so I wouldn’t go any lower than those temps.
- Season the chicken generously and don’t be afraid to add a few extra glugs of olive oil. Use plenty of salt and feel free to add any extra fresh seasonings like rosemary or oregano.
- Be sure to use an oven safe baking dish. Anything works really – a baking sheet, an oven safe casserole dish, or a cast iron skillet.
- Once the chicken is done, allow the chicken to rest 5-10 minutes. This will lock in all those yummy juices.
- Make a sauce for the chicken if you want something to dip in or spoon over. I love mixing yogurt with lemon juice, chives, honey, salt, pepper and olive oil!
FAQ
Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?Yes, it’s also very good with chicken thighs. Plus, chicken thighs are usually slightly cheaper than chicken breasts.
What should I serve baked chicken with?
Veggies, salad, baked potatoes, rice, pasta, the options are endless!
How long does this chicken last?
Refrigerate and store in an air tight container for up to 3 days.
How do I reheat baked chicken?
You can reheat in the oven at 350°F or microwave in a pinch!