Greek Recipes
Greek Yogurt Chicken Marinade
Prep
5 minutes
Yield
1 for 1 1/2 - 2 lbs of chicken
This Greek Yogurt Chicken Marinade will become your new secret weapon in the kitchen. With just 6 simple ingredients and 5 minutes of prep time, you'll transform ordinary chicken into a tender, flavor-packed meal that tastes like it came straight from the Mediterranean.
This Greek Yogurt Chicken Marinade is a total game-changer. The best part? It’s only two steps, six ingredients (that you probably already have in your kitchen), and takes just five minutes to whip up! It’s the kind of easy, breezy recipe that’ll take your chicken from bland to grand in no time.
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Greek Yogurt Chicken Marinade
- Easy: This recipe takes only 5 minutes to make and is so simple with only 6 ingredients and 2 steps.
- Flavorful: This marinade will make your taste buds do a happy dance! Once you try it, you’ll wonder why you haven’t been marinating your chicken like this all along.
- High-Protein: This Greek Yogurt Chicken Marinade is a smart way to boost your protein intake. Combining protein-rich Greek yogurt with chicken creates a delicious meal that helps meet your daily protein needs.
🍲 Ingredients
Greek Yogurt – Greek yogurt is one of my favorite ingredients because it contains high-quality protein, probiotics for gut health, and essential nutrients like calcium and B vitamins, making it a smart and tasty addition to your diet.
Olive Oil – Olive oil is a staple in a Mediterranean diet, and for good reason. Rich in monounsaturated fats and powerful antioxidants, it’s been linked to numerous health benefits, including reduced inflammation, improved heart health, and even potential protection against certain chronic diseases.
👩🍳 How to Make Greek Yogurt Chicken Marinade
- Make the marinade by whisking together olive oil, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, salt, pepper and dried oregano. Use to marinate 1 1/2 – 2lbs chicken breasts or chicken thighs (skin-on bone in or boneless skinless).
- Make the marinade ahead of time and store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
🪄 Tips and Tricks
- Meal Prep: Prepare this Greek Yogurt Chicken Marinade 2 days before for quick and easy meals.
- Flavor Infusion: For extra flavor, make this marinade, spread it on your protein, and let it marinate for up to 24 hours.
🗒 Variations
While this Greek Yogurt Chicken Marinade is perfect for chicken, don’t let that limit your culinary creativity! This versatile mix works wonders on a variety of proteins.
- Fish: For a light, Mediterranean-inspired dish, try it with firm white fish like cod or halibut.
- Pork: This marinade would be fantastic with pork tenderloin, giving it a tangy twist.
- Vegetarian: For vegetarian options, thick slices of firm tofu or tempeh soak up the flavors beautifully, creating a protein-packed meat-free meal.
🗒 Best served with
- Greek Barley Salad
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Greek Stuffed Vegetables (Gemista)
- Homemade Potato Chips (Loaded Greek-Style)
👝 How to Store Leftovers
This Greek Yogurt Chicken Marinade can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. You can also marinate your chicken in advance and have it ready within 24 hours.
🤔 Common Questions
Marinating chicken in Greek yogurt helps tenderize the meat and infuse it with flavor. The lactic acid in the yogurt breaks down proteins for juicier chicken, while its thick consistency helps spices and herbs cling to the meat, resulting in more flavorful, moist chicken that’s less likely to dry out during cooking.
For best results, marinate your chicken for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to penetrate and the yogurt to tenderize the meat. However, if you want even more flavor, you can marinate in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Greek Yogurt Chicken Marinade
Your Greek mommy that is. 😍 Step into my kitchen to learn how to make yummy Greek food. 🍽️💃
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- juice of half a lemon
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
Instructions
- Make the marinade by whisking together olive oil, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, salt, pepper and dried oregano. Use to marinate 1 1/2 – 2lbs chicken breasts or chicken thighs (skin-on bone in or boneless skinless).
- Make the marinade ahead of time and store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Notes
- You can make this marinade ahead and store it in the fridge for up to 2-days, but you can also make it, use it on your protein, and let your protein marinate for up to 24-hours.
