This chicken brings the flavors of Greece to your grill. It is marinated in lemon and yogurt and then grilled. It comes off juicy, tender and full of flavor. You are going to love how good and how easy it is!
Super juicy and tender grilled chicken is always a winner in our book. This lemon and yogurt marinated chicken gives us that result every time! It is flavorful and easy to make as well.
We really like using chicken drumsticks, but it is a great way to keep boneless skinless chicken breasts tender too. Whip up an easy side or two and dinner is served!
This chicken is really lovely! It comes together super easily and the lemon and yogurt really make for juicy, tender and delicious chicken.
My husband loves grilling and really seems to like it even more when I come up with new marinades to try. The char siu chicken we made for the poultry grill-off has inspired him.
We still need to make that chicken again so we can get pictures and write a post… and he is already asking for this chicken again too. Our “to make” list is always longer than our time to make it!
Luckily this chicken really doesn’t take any time at all, so I am sure we can get back around to it soon too. I’d like to get some better pictures, so that always moves a re-make up the list.
It’s hard to justify making something we just had again when there are so many other things to make and share! Not only has he asked for it again, but he has been telling people about it.
That’s an even better sign. I guess I better get to it.
All it takes is tossing the ingredients in a bag and letting them mix and meld for a few hours. I did get in there and flip the bag every so often and gave the drummies a gentle massage a few times just for good measure.
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Mostly it was because I was in the fridge anyway and it seemed like the thing to do. I am sure they would have been just as delicious without the extra love and attention!
And what is your favorite chicken marinade? We want to try them all!!
If you like this recipe, but don’t want to fire up the grill… try the slow cooker lemon yogurt chicken pita filling. It makes a really tasty sandwich with similar flavors.
There are so many wonderful side dishes this chicken could go with. The most recent time we made it we served it with some Mediterranean orzo salad.
The combination of the light, bright salad and the super juicy chicken was amazing. It is the perfect summer meal.
In fact, I deboned the leftover chicken, chopped it up and tossed it in the leftover pasta salad. My lunches at work were phenomenal that week!
Frequently Asked Questions
What does marinating in yogurt do for the chicken?
Yogurt tenderizes the meat in a gentle and effective fashion. Too much acid can toughen the meat, but yogurt results in tender and juicy meat.
How long can you marinate chicken in yogurt?
I recommend marinating your chicken for at least an hour to allow the flavors to really penetrate the meat. However, if kept in the refrigerator, you can marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours.
Lemon & Yogurt Marinated Grilled Chicken
Equipment
- OXO 9-Inch Locking Tongs
- Corelle Service for 6
Ingredients
- 3 teaspoons garlic powder
- 3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons plain yogurt
- 2 Tablespoons fresh oregano chopped (or 1 if using dried)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2-3 pounds chicken
Instructions
- In a large zipper topped bag, mix together the marinade ingredients.3 teaspoons garlic powder, 3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar, 3 Tablespoons lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 3 Tablespoons plain yogurt, 2 Tablespoons fresh oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
- Add the chicken to the bag, seal closed. Then roll the chicken around in the marinade to make sure it is all coated.2-3 pounds chicken
- Refrigerate for 3-6 hours. If possible, rotate the bag and gently massage the chicken every once in a while to make sure all of the chicken is well covered and happy.
- Remove chicken from marinade and grill until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Video
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I bet that lemon and yogurt combo is amazing! My daughter will love this one! It's alot like the lemon pepper yogurt dressing I made for the grilled chicken and asparagus salad! Perfect for our grilled recipe round up!
It's sooooooo good! Thank you
I'm sure that marinade makes for a wonderfully juicy chicken leg.
it really does, it's so good.
These are perfect! The legs are always fun to eat, they remind me of being a kid. Thanks for the yummy recipe!
They are so flavorful and fun!
Question: Since I don't have a grill, can I use oven?
Sure! I think it would be great baked too! Now I am curious to hear how you like it that way (and I may have to try it soon too!)
Hi Carlee, I do like the sound of this and as we are always slinging chicken on the fire these days a lemon and yogurt marinade would make a nice change. When I marinade I usually stick it all into a glass dish, but putting it into a bag makes more sense and less washing up!
There are so many tasty Greek dishes that it's difficult to pick a favourite, but a decent gyros pita or lemony potatoes with chicken have to be up there as our favs.
xx
A dish certainly works too, but it is kind of nice to have all of the mess contained! I try to use reusable stuff as much as I can, but I love the ease of marinating things in a bag. Mmmm, I should have made some lemony potatoes. You don't happen to have a recipe posted do you?
I hope all is well in Greece! Thanks for popping over!
Yum, Carlee! I want to see the char siu chicken, too, but this sounds incredible! I love the idea of a Greek feast! We're having company this week, and now I'm inspired. I've been at a loss as to what to make.
Mollie
We definitely have to do the char siu chicken again soon. It was so much fun to make, but I was too wrapped up in the competition to get good pictures! We're doing it soon!! I am sure whatever you decide to make will be perfect!
This looks so good. I love the flavor of lemon, especially in the summer. And I've never tried yogurt in a marinade. I bet this would be good lots of ways, on breasts and used on a salad, or even in chicken salad. You are making my grilling list longer each week! ARG!
Favorite Greek foods? Gyros! Love them. And Greek salad too. I love how fresh tasting Greek food is!
My mom used to marinade chicken in yogurt for an Indian inspired recipe that I still need to get for her. I think the yogurt and the lemon juice really work together to make the chicken extra tender. We are definitely making this again soon!
Gyros are my favorite too! I am not an olive person, so that rules out a lot of Greek food. But otherwise I love everything I've tried!
I must have seen this on Instagram before? Any way, somewhere you shared it, I was hoping the recipe would follow! Definitely sounds like a recipe we would be enjoy!
Probably! I think I posted it the night he was grilling. It is definitely one that is worth trying!
Hi Carlee, oh wow this sounds like a great marinade to try out! I like that it is so easy to make and we here LOVE grilled chicken! 🙂
Thanks for the recipe and your sweet visits!
Enjoy your day and week!
Julie
It is really good, Julie! I hope you give it a try. I love recipes like this where I throw a few things together, my husband does the grilling and then we sit back and take in the compliments! 😉 I always love seeing what you are up to!
You better believe it's off to a tasty start!! My boys would devour these!! Oh the lemon is what had me, YUM!!!
Lemon gets me every time too, sweet or savory! Thanks, Andrea. You always make me smile!