This Greek Yogurt Chicken is a low carb main dish that is super moist and full of bright Mediterranean flavors. Juicy boneless, skinless chicken thighs are coated in perfectly seasoned Greek yogurt marinade and grilled to perfection in less than 30 minutes.
This recipe is an all around winner. It is quick and easy for a weeknight meal. You can cook this on the grill or in a frying pan. It is also a great summer grilling dish to bring outside and serve with some delicious side salads.
Bring Kale and Quinoa Salad or Traditional Greek Salad to your next potluck to have your side dish steal the show.
Make this recipe, because…
The Greek Yogurt Chicken Marinade coasts the outside of the thighs perfectly. It creates a nice crust over the chicken when it's cooked and keeps the meat nice and moist.
Garlic, lemon juice, and oregano are the quintessential mediterrean flavors and taste great on grilled chicken.
Adding high protein yogurt keeps this main dish firmly in the low carb category.
This recipe comes together in under 30 minutes.
Of course, it is a budget friendly main!
Ingredients
Chicken Thighs- I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs so often because they are super delicious and really easy to cook. The dark meat is fattier, but overall they are still pretty healthy. The meat is also really hard to dry out. That extra fat is really tasty and it helps the thigh retain moisture.
Plain Greek Yogurt- It is an excellent vehicle for flavor. Alone it is pretty plain and just a bit tart. It takes on other flavors really well so the garlic, lemon juice, and spices come through the yogurt marinade. It is also low in carbs and high in protein.
Instructions
Step 1
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk plain Greek yogurt, lemon juice, minced garlic, olive oil, and spice together.
Step 2
- Transfer the marinade to a food storage bag. Then add the boneless skinless chicken thighs to the bag. Close the bag and massage the marinade into the meat.
Step 3
- Next, heat a grill or skillet on medium high heat. Remove the thighs from the bag and place the coated meat down on the hot grill.
- Let cook for 8-10 minutes on the first side or until it is well browned.
Step 4
- Then turn the chicken over, and let it cook for another 8-10 minutes. It is fully cooked when the center of the meat reaches 165°.
FAQs
Of course you can! Just take into consideration that thick pieces of breast meat take longer to cook and have less fat. They can be easier to dry out. If you are going to use chicken breasts, try cubing the meat for a kebab or using breast fillets. The pieces will be smaller and cook a bit faster. This will help you get the same juicy, tender results.
No! This marinade has very little oil and shouldn’t cause any problems with flame up on the grill. The Greek yogurt actually creates a nice coating on the chicken as it cooks, and you want to keep all of that flavor.
Expert Tips
You may need to use a thermometer to check the internal temperature. Chicken thighs are dark meat and remain pink in color even when fully cooked. If you are used to cooking breast meat, the color may throw you off. The only sure fire way to know if something is fully cooked is to use a well maintained thermometer.
You can serve this grilled chicken with traditional side dishes like rice and vegetables or use it as a great protein for meal style salads.
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Greek Yogurt Chicken
Equipment
- Grill or Large Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 Lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
- ¼ Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
- Juice of 1 Lemon Juiced, approximately 3 Tablespoons
- 4 Cloves Garlic minced or pressed
- 1 Tablespoon Paprika
- 1 Teaspoon Oregano
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil extra virgin
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk plain Greek yogurt, lemon juice, minced garlic, olive oil, and spice together.
- Transfer the Greek Yogurt Chicken Marinade to a food storage bag. Then add the boneless skinless chicken thighs to the bag. Close the bag and massage the marinade into the chicken pieces.
- Next, heat a grill or skillet on medium high heat. Remove the thighs from the bag and place the coated meat down on the hot grill.
- Let cook for 8-10 minutes on the first side or until it is well browned.
- Then turn the chicken over, and let it cook for another 8-10 minutes. It is fully cooked when the center of the meat reaches 165°.
Notes
- If you don't have a garlic press, try grating the garlic. It is quicker than mincing and gets the pieces nice and small.
- You may need to use a thermometer to check the internal temperature. Chicken thighs are dark meat and remain pink in color even when fully cooked. If you are used to cooking breast meat, the color may throw you off. The only sure fire way to know if something is fully cooked is to use a well maintained thermometer.
- You can serve this grilled chicken with traditional side dishes like rice and vegetables or use it as a great protein for meal style salads.
Nutrition
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Irina
What a great idea to use Greek yogurt to marinate chicken thighs. I am used to mayonnaise, sour cream, but I have never thought of Greek yogurt. Now I cannot wait to give it a try!
Marie-Charlotte Chatelain
Love the short list of ingredients! I totally have ALL of these things so you just sorted out dinner for me! THANKS
Jayne
This chicken has great flavor! thank you for sharing. Having it on the table in 30 minutes is just a bonus.
Kristina Tipps
This tasted amazing! I used my air fryer and chicken tenders, for 12 minutes at 375 and it was great.
Beth
I wish I could reach into the pictures! This looks so delicious and making me hungry! So excited to make this soon!
Donna
I didn't see in the list of ingredients what the amount of olive oil needs to be used. It mentions to add olive oil in the directions.
Diana Reis
2 Tablespoons! Thanks for bringing this to my attention so I can fix it.