Make this juicy and flavorful Greek yogurt chicken in the air fryer, oven, stovetop, or grill! The best Greek yogurt chicken marinade is quick and easy to make while bursting with fresh flavors of lemon, oregano, and garlic.
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Jump to:
- Can You Cook with Greek Yogurt?
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients for Making Greek Yogurt Chicken
- How to Marinate Chicken in Greek Yogurt
- What Does Marinating Chicken in Greek Yogurt Do?
- 4 Ways to Make Greek Yogurt Chicken
- Expert Tips
- How to Store, Freeze, and Make-Ahead
- What to Serve with Greek Yogurt Chicken
- Recipe FAQs
- Related Recipes
- Marinated Greek Yogurt Chicken
Can You Cook with Greek Yogurt?
I'm always trying to create healthy chicken recipes with a ton of protein and flavor and taste! It just made sense that making chicken using Greek yogurt to marinate it was going to accomplish that goal.
Usually, I'm using Greek yogurt in cold recipes like tuna salad with yogurt or a healthy chicken salad with rotisserie chicken. This time, we are using the yogurt for a chicken marinade to tenderize and flavor the chicken.
Wondering can you cook with Greek yogurt? Yes - this Greek yogurt chicken and our Greek yogurt buffalo chicken dip prove it!
This Greek chicken marinade is super simple, quick, and easy to make. It creates the most delicious tender and juicy chicken you have ever had!
Use this recipe in many different recipes like the Panera grain bowl, rotisserie chicken salad with Greek yogurt, or even in place of baked salmon in the baked feta pasta with salmon.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This recipe can be made in the air fryer, oven, stovetop, or grill.
- A healthy dinner recipe that is protein-packed, low-fat, gluten-free, and keto (just like our air fryer garlic parmesan tenders).
- Super easy meal prep recipe for dinner or lunch!
- Tons of uses! Can be used in quinoa bowls, wraps, gyros, pitas, souvlaki, salads, pasta, or as a main dish.
- Juicy and tender meat!
- Serve with tortellini pesto pasta salad!
- Full of fresh and tangy lemon, herb, and garlic flavors.
- Kid-friendly just like my crispy breaded chicken breast!
Ingredients for Making Greek Yogurt Chicken
Here are the ingredients you need to make this recipe. Reference the recipe card at the bottom for exact measurements and the notes below for substitution ideas.
This Greek yogurt chicken recipe uses boneless, skinless breasts for this recipe. Try the Greek chicken marinade on your favorite cut of chicken like quarters, thighs, wings, or even drumsticks.
Creamy, plain Greek-style yogurts like Chobani or FAGE contain lactic acid to make the meat tender, juicy, and moist.
Lemon juice and red wine vinegar give a great tangy and fresh flavor.
Make your own Greek seasoning with oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, dill, salt, and pepper. I used a store-bought Tzatziki Greek seasoning blend.
How to Marinate Chicken in Greek Yogurt
Before you cook this chicken on the grill, in the air fryer, or in the oven, a quick marinade with impart more flavor and great tender meat. Refer to the recipe card for more instructions and exact measurements.
Step 1
Trim meat of fat and butterfly or pound to ¼ inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 2
Add meat and seasonings to a large Ziploc bag.
Step 3
Add in olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon, and Greek yogurt.
Step 4
Seal the Ziploc bag and then massage the meat from the outside of the bag until it is fully and evenly coated and covered. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4-8 hours before cooking.
What Does Marinating Chicken in Greek Yogurt Do?
Marinating chicken in Greek yogurt helps to create tender meat, impart flavor, and create a moist and juicy texture.
The lactic acid in Greek yogurt helps to break down the proteins in the chicken, making it even more tender. Additionally, the yogurt creates a slightly creamy texture on the outside of the chicken, which is balanced by the crispy texture from cooking.
This yogurt chicken marinade creates a moist texture and tangy and slightly tart flavor. The combination of seasoning and yogurt gives a slightly cheesy taste that gives great flavor.
Did you know? You can cook Greek yogurt chicken in the air fryer, on the grill, on the stovetop, and in the oven.
4 Ways to Make Greek Yogurt Chicken
Choose your favorite way to cook this recipe by picking one of these methods.
How to Grill (Outdoor Grill)
- Spray a grill pan with cooking spray. If using the grill, you MUST use a grill pan otherwise the meat will stick to the grates and the Greek yogurt may burn.
- Heat grill to medium heat and cook chicken for 10-12 minutes, flipping once (approximately 6 minutes per side.). Temp meat to 165F to ensure it is done.
How to Cook in the Air Fryer
- Add prepared meat to an air fryer. Cook at 380F for 12 minutes, flipping halfway. Temp chicken to 165F to ensure doneness.
Oven Instructions
- Bake prepared meat in a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray at 400F for 20-25 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 165F.
How to Cook on the Stovetop or Indoor Grill
- Use a prepared grill pan or a cast iron skillet to cook meat over medium heat on the stove. Cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping once. Temp meat to 165F to ensure it is done.
Expert Tips
- Don't reuse the marinade! Discard the Greek chicken marinade after removing the chicken to avoid food contamination.
- Equal thickness ensures even cooking. Butterfly meat or pound to equal thickness to ensure proper and even cooking.
- Do not overcook. Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure meat cooks to 165F.
- Rest is key for juicy meat! Allow meat to rest after being grilled to let juices sink in and avoid drying out.
How to Store, Freeze, and Make-Ahead
Make ahead: Marinade may be made ahead for up to 24 hours prior to making.
Storage: Store cooked leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. If possible, leave meat breasts unsliced to maintain juiciness.
Freezer: Freeze marinated chicken in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
What to Serve with Greek Yogurt Chicken
Side dish ideas like whole30 mashed potatoes, crispy green beans with garlic,
Use in a quinoa bowl with quinoa or in a salad.
This recipe also works very well when grilling kebabs on skewers and serving them in a grilled pizza, pita, or flatbread similar to traditional Greek gyros or souvlaki.
You could also use this recipe in a pasta dish using ziti, noodles, or even zoodles. Topping zucchini boats with this chicken would be absolutely delicious!
Serve with dill sauce with yogurt or store-bought tzatziki dipping sauce.
Recipe FAQs
Do not rinse off Greek yogurt marinade as it creates a delicious crust and seals in moisture and flavor. You can scrape off any excess yogurt prior to cooking.
Marinate for at least 4 hours or up to 8 hours to get the most flavor. Do not marinate for more than 24 hours.
Using moderate heat and a grill pan will ensure that the meat does not burn and it will not stick to the grill. A grill pan is a must-have if you are making this recipe on the grill - it will stick otherwise.
Related Recipes
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Marinated Greek Yogurt Chicken
Equipment
- 1 instant read thermometer
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon Greek seasoning
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
Marinating Instructions
- Trim meat of fat and butterfly or pound to ¼ inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper.2 pounds chicken breast
- Add chicken and seasonings to a large Ziploc bag.1 tablespoon Greek seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Add in olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon and Greek yogurt.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, ½ cup Greek yogurt
- Seal the bag and then massage the chicken from the outside of the bag until it is fully and evenly coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4-8 hours before cooking.
How to grill
- Spray a grill pan with cooking spray. If using the grill, you MUST use a grill pan otherwise the chicken will stick to the grates and the Greek yogurt may burn.
- Heat grill to medium heat and cook chicken for 10-12 minutes, flipping once (approximately 6 minutes per side.). Temp meat to 165F to ensure it is done.
How to air fry
- Add prepared meat to an air fryer. Cook at 380F for 12 minutes, flipping halfway. Temp chicken to 165F to ensure doneness.
How to bake in the oven
- Bake prepared chicken in a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray at 400F for 20-25 minutes or until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 165F.
How to cook on the stove top
- Use a grill pan to cook chicken over medium heat on the stove. Cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping once. Temp meat to 165F to ensure it is done.
Notes
- Discard marinade after removing chicken to avoid food contamination. Do not reuse marinade.
- Butterfly chicken or pound to equal thickness to ensure proper and even cooking.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure chicken cooks to 165F.
- Allow chicken to rest after being grilled to let juices sink in and avoid drying out.
- Make ahead: Marinade may be made ahead for up to 24 hours prior to making.
- Storage: Store cooked leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. If possible, leave chicken breasts unsliced to maintain juiciness.
- Freezer: Freeze marinated chicken in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
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Alissa says
Very good and simple. We keep Cavendar’s Greek seasoning on hand and this is what we used in our marinade. Also used lime instead of lemon because that’s what we had. So tender! Took approximately 13 minutes in our Breville joule air fryer.
Lyndsey Piccolino says
Hi Alissa! I'm so glad you liked it. Thank you for your review 🙂
Lisa says
This has been our go to marinade to make healthy and yummy Greek chicken bowls. The only thing I added over time is I make my own greek seasoning instead of store bought. Thank you for posting this
Lyndsey says
Thanks, Lisa! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Jme says
Love this chicken!
No matter what kind of Mediterranean style dish I'm making... pasta, quinoa, rice, I always make these greek chicken bites to go with it. Always Delicious!!