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!!
Thanks for Greek week! I was musing on ideas for lunch with friends last weekend and thought I hit upon the most original idea – Greek! but soon worked out where I got the idea from ☺️ Your emails had worked their subliminal magic. so – a magic meal it was – this lovely chook, your Greek meatballs, your yummy Greek potatoes and Greek salad. I made the mistake of using someone else’s baklava recipe. Will use yours next time!
Another winner!!! Made this last night and it was so yummy there was no need for any extra sauce as all the flavours were infused in the chicken, so good my mum ate loads too and shes a picky old chinese woman but shes loving the food i’m making and many of them are from your recipes
I made the complete Greek feast last night and loved every bite of it! It brings me back to the flavours of all of my favourite Greek restaurants back home in Canada (I’m in Australia for a year on a working holiday visa).
Quick question though about using boneless chicken breast in this recipe instead — how does it compare, flavour wise? Does the marinade penetrate just as deep? I know it’s not quite the same as having crunchy skin but it’s a lot more convenient to bring to work.
I made this last night with Greek salad and potatoes and Tzatziki recipe , absolute hit will be doing again soon.Had friends over from NZ and now she wants to join your mailing list.Thanks again for all your recipes .
Made this meal last night. Big Hit…I used chicken thighs not legs…I included Greek Salad, potatoes (tried Chef John’s recipe…delicious) and your Tzatziki recipe. All delicious I can’t wait to eat leftovers tonight. Next time I will increase oven to 425F. My chicken wasn’t as browned as yours and my thighs were rather small. However, the taste was yummy and I plan on making it again. Thanks
OMG Nagi! I made this complete Greek dinner last night & it was like being at a Greek restaurant. Chicken soooo tender, I used Chicken Maryland’s which worked a treat & the potatoes were to die for, I thought your smashed potatoes were my favourite till I made these Greek ones which were heavenly, only way I will make them from now on. Can the yoghurt marinade be used for any other cut of meat 🥩, lamb chops or roast etc?
YES IT CAN!!! Yoghurt marinated lamb is another Greek dish 🙂 I’ve seen it used for chops and even shoulder. I haven’t seen it for leg, I suspect leg might be too thick for a yoghurt marinade. But you never know!
Thank you .
Nagi, you’ve done it again. You make me look like a dinner hero. My three boys + Daddy ate it up. Going on the dinner rotation, no doubt. Thank you!
Glad to hear your fam enjoyed this JL! Thanks for letting me know – N x
A* Awesome recipe.
Thanks so much Nagi!
I used a whole chicken that I cut into pieces at lunchtime, and then marinated it until I cooked it for dinner..
The yoghurt made the chicken super moist, and really tasty. We ate it with potatoes and salad, delicious!
Another great, easy recipe.
That’s SO GREAT to hear Dana! I’m so glad you enjoyed this, thank you for letting me know! N xx
Can I use skinless chicken for this receipe?
Just love your receipes Nagi.
You sure can Vernice! see notes for revised cook times 🙂 N x
First, let me say how much I enjoy your website. All the recipes I’ve tried have been delicious and your photography is superb. I appreciate the amount of work you put into all the research and explanations of each recipe. Your variety of foods is great too from Mediterranean to Aussie to Japanese, etc. And, of course, Dozer is the icing on the cake!
I tried the Greek Chicken and it was delicious but it didn’t crispin or brown as much as yours looked. Maybe I put the marinade on too thickly? Also, do you use a convection oven? I will definitely try this again.
Thank you so much.
My Wolf is just like Dozer — LOVES yogurt! He will push the container all over the house to make sure he has all of it!
(And the chicken will definitely go into my recipe file !)
Ba ha ha! I love hearing that!! Does it get stuck on his snout? 😂
Sometimes, for sure — but he has a pretty long tongue! Wish I could send you a picture!
Thank you Nagi for this recipe. The marinade was super easy to make and it had a delicious effect on the chicken thighs making them crisp on top and ever so soft on the inside. I enjoyed it with roast potatoes and salad and your fantastic Tzatzaki recipe which has become one of my staples. The aroma from the kitchen was heavenly: oregano and garlic.
That’s so great to hear Luba!! So glad you enjoyed this, thanks for taking the time to let me know – N x
This is a perfect Greek meal! Oven roasted Greek chicken is a staple in our house and we cook it often, especially in the colder months. I love the way this tastes with roasted potatoes!
BEST combo ever, right??! 🙂 N x
Thank you so much Nagi for taking the time out of you extremely busy day to send this Creamy Pink Pasta Sauce recipe to me. My granddaughter is going to love this. It looks so easy to make and so delicious. You make things so easy with all the explanations you show and the video’s. There is never second guessing that you are doing it correctly with this. You make cooking such a pleasure. Thank you again.
I hope she loves it Lesley! N x
I can’t wait to make this recipe! Looks absolutely delicious!
My family also call baklava ‘buttlover’!!!!
Dozer is definitely licking the “platter” clean 😂 Oh dear love it!
Nagi, I only recently heard about the yogurt marinade and seeing you do this recipe made me excited to want to try it. I find that each of your recipes is so special that most times I find myself trying them out for Sunday lunch. This weekend sounds like a plan and I think I’ll use skinless boneless thighs and also wings. Yumm. Once hurricane Isaac pass us by ..but …at the moment I don’t know what’s gonna happen by weekend. We can only pray.
Have a great Wednesday! Hugs …😊
I’m so pleased that you’re finding some new ideas on my site Gail! And please – stay safe!! N xx
Hi Nagi
Do you think this would work on the braai (barbeque)?
If you use thighs or breast – 100% yes yes yes! I find bone in a bit harder to cook on the BBQ but if you’re a pro then it would work too! N x
I have this in the fridge marinating right now for dinner. Can’t wait these look so delicious and even used the Farmers Union Greek Style Yogurt 🙂 Thank you for another fabulous recipe.
WHOOT! I hope you love it Mihi! N xx
OPAH to Nagi for such a scrumptious greek chicken recipe👍.
Hey Dozer you and Luca are so much alike. .Mr Luca loves licking the Astro Balkan yogurt container too 🐕 woof woof buddy
But I bet it doesn’t get stuck on his head like it does with Dozer! 😂