Greek Yogurt Chicken Marinade (with Lemon)

Close-up overhead shot of a white oval serving plate with sliced grilled chicken breasts, fresh parsley, and lemon wedges. Plate is surrounded by small bowls of chopped parsley, lemon wedges, and yogurt.

Greek Yogurt Chicken Marinade (with Lemon)

A simple greek yogurt chicken marinade with lemon and garlic. Tenderizes chicken in 30 minutes and works for grilling or baking with breasts or thighs.

Course dinner, Dressings & Sauces, Main Course

Cuisine American, Greek, Mediterranean

Diet Gluten Free, Low Fat

Keyword chicken, easy, greek chicken, Greek yogurt chicken marinade, grilled, marinated

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 25

Total Time 55

Servings

Calories 180

Author Robyn Conley Downs

Equipment

Baking Dish optional
Grill pan optional

Ingredients

⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, or thighs

Instructions

Marinade Instructions

To a zip-top bag or shallow baking dish, add the yogurt, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt, stirring to combine. Add 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts and toss to coat.
Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours.
Uncover and discard the marinade. Lightly scrape off any excess marinade off the chicken.

Excess marinade is more likely to burn on the grill, and scraping excess can help prevent this.

Grilling Instructions

Brush the grill grates with oil, and then grill the chicken over medium heat, flipping halfway through. Cook until the chicken thighs register 185F to 190F degrees or chicken breasts register 165F.
Remove from the grill and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes, tented with foil. When ready to serve, slice against the grain and plate as desired.

Baking Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375F and line a sheet tray with foil. Grease lightly with more olive oil and lay out chicken breasts, spacing them out so they aren’t touching.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the internal temperature reads at least 165F.

Notes

A note about the nutrition information on this recipe, since we discard the marinade before grilling or baking it can be a little difficult to calculate.
Use it In: This marinade is also the perfect starting point for my Greek chicken bowls, which come together with rice, fresh vegetables, and tzatziki.

Nutrition