Savory Yogurt Marinated Chicken
I have two teenage sons. One is 13 and the other 15. They are the best of friends and occasionally mortal enemies. They are loud, rambunctious, silly, teasing, sometimes downright naughty and completely hilarious and endearing.
Unsurprisingly, they are also very very hungry. Every moment of every day, all of the time. I can’t express that enough. They are always hungry.
Long ago are the days of leftovers, kids menus and reasonable portions. Now, if someone offers to make scrambled eggs for breakfast, a dozen eggs get cracked. Grilling hamburgers? That’s at least two pounds of ground beef. Often if I’m preparing for a special meal of some kind, I have to write specific notes stuck to said food that says ‘DO NOT EAT.’
I am always looking for reasonably affordable ways to fill these growing boys up and I stumbled across an impossibly easy chicken recipe that has become a house staple around here. We use our air fryer for this recipe, but don’t fret if you don’t have one. The chicken can be grilled on a barbecue or baked in the oven. The marinade is a couple quick ingredients thrown together and it doesn’t have to sit for hours and hours before its ready to be prepared. We make a big batch of this recipe at the beginning of the week and then we have tender flavorful cooked chicken ready for wraps, quesadillas, sandwiches or salads for at least a couple days.
Even better, the recipe is so simple, I can have them prep the chicken or man the air fryer if I have other things to do. I often remind them, whenever I catch grumblings over chores, that someday their future selves will thank their mother for teaching them how to cook and clean. They love when I say that.
The recipe calls for chicken breasts but tenderloins or skinless thighs work great too. I like to score the meat before marinating them to help soak up all that good flavor. If you don’t have or enjoy plain greek yogurt, you could use a non-dairy yogurt alternative or low-fat sour cream.
Savory Yogurt Marinated Chicken
2 pounds skinless chicken breasts
1 heaping cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley minced
In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, spices, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
If your chicken breasts are quite large and thick, slice in half, lengthwise to create two thin pieces.
Score one side of the meat, cutting a thin line down the length of the chicken breast, along with three to four small cuts diagonally.
Transfer the chicken to the marinade, mixing well to ensure the chicken is completely saturated in the marinade. Cover and set aside on the counter for 30 minutes or if you are not planning to cook the chicken right away, put it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 6 hours. Before preparing the chicken, put the bowl back on the counter and let the chicken rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.
To cook the chicken, preheat air fryer to 400 degrees. Lightly spray the tray with cooking spray and transfer the chicken to the air fryer, laying the pieces in a single layer. Cook for about 15 minutes, using a meat thermometer, checking that the internal temperature of the meat is 165 degrees. Cook the chicken in batches, if needed, avoiding allowing the meat to overlap in the air fryer.
Once the chicken is fully cooked, transfer to a plate. Garnish with fresh minced flat-leaf parsley and a small sprinkle of Kosher salt. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
To cook the chicken on a barbecue, heat barbecue to medium-high heat. Cook on the center of the grill for about 14 to 16 minutes, turning at the halfway mark.
Chicken can also be roasted in the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the marinated chicken to the baking sheet. Roast in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 165 degrees.