Grilled Chicken With Yogurt Marinade

By Lidey Heuck

Updated Aug. 25, 2021

Grilled Chicken With Yogurt Marinade
Con Poulos for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Jerrie-Joy Redman-Lloyd.
Total Time
20 minutes, plus at least 3 hours’ marinating
Rating
4(2,341)
Comments
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Boneless skinless chicken thighs are a reliable choice when it comes to grilling chicken. They’re thinner than breasts, so they cook more evenly, and the higher fat content makes them difficult to overcook. In this recipe inspired by Turkish chicken kebabs, a yogurt and herb marinade makes them supremely tender and helps them brown beautifully on the grill. While some citrus-heavy marinades begin to break down chicken after just a few hours, this marinade uses only the zest, saving the juice for a quick squeeze before serving. The result is incredibly tender chicken you can prep up to a day in advance. Oregano and thyme work well together here, but feel free to play around with herbs and use what you have on hand, or substitute dried herbs in a pinch.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1cup plain whole-milk yogurt
  • 2garlic cloves, grated
  • 1tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried oregano)
  • 1½teaspoons minced fresh thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
  • 1tablespoon olive oil, plus more for the grill or pan
  • 1teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), plus more for serving
  • ¼teaspoon black pepper, plus more for serving
  • 1lemon
  • 2pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • Chopped fresh parsley, for serving (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

353 calories; 15 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 47 grams protein; 716 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, garlic, oregano, thyme, olive oil, salt and pepper. Zest the lemon over the bowl, reserving the rest of the lemon for serving. Whisk until smooth.

  2. Step 2

    Add the chicken thighs, toss to coat, then cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or up to 24. Remove chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.

  3. Step 3

    If using a grill, clean and oil the grates. Set the grill to medium-high or heat a grill pan slicked with olive oil on the stovetop over medium-high. Grill the chicken for 6 to 8 minutes on each side (depending on the thickness of the thighs), covering the grill halfway through if necessary to retain heat, until cooked through.

  4. Step 4

    Transfer the chicken thighs to a platter and squeeze half the lemon over them. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and parsley, and serve with lemon wedges on the side if desired.

Ratings

4 out of 5
2,341 user ratings
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Comments

RDCollins

The recipe says in Step 3, "If using a grill...." What if you're NOT using a grill — what's the best way to cook this recipe?

Kim P

Should I scrape the excess yogurt from the thighs before grilling, or leave them as is from the bowl?

Deejay

I love how versatile this recipe is. You can add citrus zest to the marinade, or cumin or other ground spices for a different flavor profile, and mint or cilantro are great substitutions. 5% or full-fat Greek yogurt is what I always have in the house--if too thick this could be thinned with a little kefir or 1-2 tablespoons of water but I haven't found it necessary to do so. For best results I wipe most of the yogurt off since the sugars in it tend to burn while grilling. So good!

Kathleen

6 thighs, 5 oz full fat plain, 1/2 shallot, 2 cloves garlic, 1 full lemon zested, about 2 tsp fresh oregano. Salted and papered the thighs before marinating. Let the chicken cook medium high/ slow. So so so good.

Christina

Made these as kabobs and as full thighs. The chicken was SO tender and juicy I was convinced it wasn’t actually cooked (a prob thermometer said it was). Amazing on the grill. I might try to make it in my oven on the broiler setting next time!

Cheryl

Maybe we grilled the thighs too fast, but the skin burned (not always bad) and permeated the meat so that it was hard to taste anything interesting about the marinade. Wouldnt make it again.

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