A yogurt marinated chicken that’s beautifully tenderized and infused with terrific garlic and oregano flavours! If you’re new to the magical powers of yogurt marinades, this baked Greek Chicken is going to convert you for life! Brought to you in partnership with Farmers Union Greek Style Yogurt.
Welcome to GREEK WEEK! Every now and then, I like to do themed menus where I share all the recipes for a feast, and this week it’s all about the bright fresh flavours of the Mediterranean. Think – lemons, oregano, yogurt, lemons and plenty of garlic!
Are you ready to see what I’ve got in store for you for Greek Week?? Here you go….
GREEK MENU
- Greek Chicken – Garlicky lemony oregano flavours infused right through the chicken from a flavour loaded Greek chicken marinade;
- Greek Salad – the juicy tomatoes, fresh cucumbers, that red wine vinegar dressing and the pops of feta!
- Tzatziki – for dipping and dolloping (recipe in Notes of Greek chicken)
Coming Thursday; - Greek Lemon Roasted Potatoes – crispy, lemony potatoes. It’s your dream come true!
Coming Friday;or - Lemon Potato Salad (pictured in first photo)– terrific alternative to mayo based Potato Salads. Bonus: No need to peel the potatoes.
And for dessert….
Greek BUTTLOVER!!!!
Oops, I mean Baklava. Butt-lover / Baklava. Same thing. 😂 Coming your way on Friday…. (Psst It does take time to assemble but you’re going to be amazed how straightforward it is!!)
SECRET WEAPON: YOGURT GREEK CHICKEN MARINADE
I first introduced readers to the magical powers of yogurt marinades with Greek Chicken Gyros. I bleated* over and over again about how the yogurt marinade is so awesome, I use it even when I’m not making Gyros. (*Honestly, there is no other way to describe the way I harped on about it other than to say I was bleating.)
Yogurt is a brilliant marinade. The Greeks know it, Middle Easterners have embraced it, the Persians love it, the Indians live by it (Butter Chicken, Tikka Masala, Biryani!).
What’s so good about it? Well, it tenderises quickly and more evenly than liquids with harsher acidity like lemon juice and vinegar, and is also a fabulous flavour carrier, injecting herbs and spices into the flesh.
This is the yogurt I use, and have always used for as long as I can remember – Farmers Union Greek Style Yogurt. It would be rare to find my fridge without a tub of this. More likely you’d see two: current in use + a restock.
There’s enough flavour in the Greek Chicken Marinade such that you don’t need to marinate for a full 24 hours to get the benefit of the tenderising and flavour injection. Overnight is definitely recommended but if you really need to rush it, even 3 hours is enough. Just do extra basting!
I’ve baked this chicken because I’ve used bone in, skin on chicken thighs and drumsticks here. I love how the skin goes crispy, and any cut of meat with the bone is extra juicy.
But this is one of those recipes that is truly terrific with any cut of chicken. Especially breast – because it adds juiciness and flavour. I’ve popped directions and cook times in the recipe notes.
Go forth and enjoy! Back Wednesday for the next instalment in this weeks’ Greek Feast – Greek Lemon Roasted Potatoes! – Nagi x
MORE GREAT YOGURT MARINADES
– Greek Chicken Gyros
– Lamb Shawarma – flavour loaded fall apart lamb!
– Doner Kebab (homemade version of post-pub midnight kebab run…)
– Butter Chicken
– Tikka Masala
– Chicken Biryani
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Recipe video above. Yogurt is a magical marinade! This chicken is golden on the outside, beautifully tenderised on the inside and infused with terrific garlic-oregano flavours. Serve this with a Greek Salad and flatbread - or see in post for a full Greek Feast menu! Marinade time: Overnight, min 3 hrs.
- 1.25 kg / 2.5 lb drumsticks and chicken thighs , bone in skin on (Note 1)
- 6 garlic cloves , minced (~ 2 tbsp)
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar (or red wine or apple cider vinegar)
- 1/2 cup / 125 ml lemon juice
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt (I use Farmers Union)
- 1 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Plain Greek yogurt or Tzatziki
- Fresh oregano leaves (optional)
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Mix Marinade ingredients in a large bowl.
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Add chicken and coat well. Marinade for 24 hours (3 hours minimum).
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Preheat oven to 180C.350F.
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Line a tray with foil (trust me), place rack on tray (optional).
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Place chicken on rack (reserve marinade), skin side up. Bake 30 minutes,
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Remove from oven. Brush with marinade - do not flip.
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Return to oven for 20 minutes or until golden and a bit crispy. Give it a spray of olive oil just before it's done if you want an extra crispy, shiny coat.
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Rest for a few minutes before serving. Juicy and tasty enough to serve plain but extra great with tzatziki or even some plain yogurt.
1. This recipe will also work great with wings (same cook time and temp), breast (bash with fist to 2cm / 4/5" even thickness, cook 20 minutes at 200C/390F), skinless boneless thigh (20 minutes at 200C / 390F), basting at about 15 minutes.
If using boneless thighs or breast, I would actually recommend cooking on the stove instead! Medium high, breast for 3 minutes on each side, thigh 4 minutes on each side.
2. MAKE AHEAD: Place chicken in marinade, then pop straight into the freezer. Defrost 24 hours in the fridge - during this time it will marinade. Cooked chicken can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months, but fresh is always best!
3. Based on the marinade from Greek Chicken Gyros.
4. Use Tzatziki recipe in this Greek Chicken Gyros.
5. Nutrition is overstated because it takes into account all the marinade. I have no way of guessing how much of the marinade actually ends up in the chicken.
LIFE OF DOZER
Getting right in there to make sure it’s sparkling clean before I pop it into the recycling bin!
Today’s recipe is brought to you courtesy of Farmers Union. I’ve used their Greek style natural yoghurt for as long as I can remember. So it was a no brainer when they asked if I’d create a recipe for them!!
You say to put more marinade on top of the chicken after it’s been baked. I don’t think it’s recommended to put marinade that’s been on raw chicken over something that’s cooked.
Hi Carole, Step 6 says to brush with the marinade after the initial time in the oven, but you do bake it again for 20 minutes.
I will try this recipe tomorrow, it looks very appealing. but I don’t have oregano, is there something else i can use instead?
Oregano is a pretty key flavour in Greek chicken Omar!! But you could use a mixed herb – still delish!! N x
what if i don’t have this grilling rack? can i just place them in a regular oven pan instead? and does this change cooking time?
Thanks f you make the chicken at the same time as the lemon potatoes do you increase oven temp or cooking time?
Hi Sharon! Yes it will take about 10 minutes longer 🙂 I would put the potatoes on the top shelf and chicken under it 🙂
The recipe is easy, chicken comes out very tasty. Made it a few times already. But, it takes much longer and higher temp. to get the color closer to brown as in the pictures. I followed the receipt exactly. Why does it happen?.
Hi Marge! All I can think is that your oven is a bit weak perhaps?? 🙂 N x
Maybe electric vs gas oven. I found electric ovens are slower to brown than gas. Cooking with gas is the best!!rainn
Wow! I made this tonight alongside your Greek Lemon Roasted Potatoes. What a flavour bomb!! A regular favourite from now on. A perfect match for a zingy citrussy Marlborough Chardonnay 😉
From Carol in Auckland 🙂
So much flavour for so little effort. This recipe is a keeper 😊 Thanks Nagi.
Regards,
Helen from Arrowtown, NZ
Hi Nagi! Thank you so much for your recipes! My family and I are loving them. I made the Greek chicken with the salad this afternoon and even the in laws were impressed! No mean feat! 😉 thanks for this excellent resource!
Just made this and teamed with your Greek Salad and Smashed potatoes – delicious! Thank you Nagi
Any non-dairy substitute for the yogurt? My son is lactose intolerant 🙁
I am lactose intolerant as well, but I can tolerate Greek Yogurt in small amounts. I still keep a supply of Lactaid tablets on hand if I get nervous.
Wow, absolutely juicy tender chicken, worth marinating those few hours (I only had about 10 hours marinate and it was perfect) thanks for another great recipe !
Will distilled white vinegar Work?
Instead of lemon? If so, white wine vinegar would be better 🙂 N x
Can you do this recipe with pork loin chops? Love all your recipes lemon cake is my all time favourite…
Gosh YES!!! This yogurt marinade will work with pork, lamb, chicken, turkey! N x
Thank you for chicken wings E book absolutely love it I have just made the chicken wings with Maple Bacon sauce very very yummy
I’m so pleased you like the eBook Robyn! Worked hard on it 🙂 SO MANY CHICKEN WINGS!!!!
Could you try this with pork loin chops by any chance. Love all your recipies
Must it be Greek yogurt ? Will regular yogurt work as well ?
Regular will be fine Jennifer, as long as it’s plain not a flavoured yoghurt 🙂 N x
WOW That was the best chicken ever …. we just had it yum yum yum .. thanks so much for your amazing recipes .. Happy House here ♥