Yogurt-Marinated Grilled Chicken

Name: Yogurt-Marinated Grilled Chicken
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt; 1 cup lightly packed cilantro, finely chopped; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 teaspoon cayenne; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; Kosher salt; Pepper; One 3 1/2-pound chicken—halved, breast and rib bones removed, leg bones left intact; Vegetable oil, for brushing

5,636 Ratings
6 Reviews

Yogurt is ideal to use in a marinade for both its flavor and its ability to tenderize meat. It tenderizes more slowly and gently than a citrus juice or vinegar marinade, so you can marinate meat overnight without it getting tough. The result is meat that is full of flavor from the garlic, cumin and cayenne, and juicy even if it's a little overcooked. This marinade also works well with skin-on boneless breasts or thighs; be sure t adjust the cooking time accordingly. Plus: More Chicken Recipes

By Tom Mylan

June 2014

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Recipe Summary

active:

20 mins

total:

1 hr 10 mins

Yield:

Directions

Step 1
In a large bowl, mix yogurt, cilantro, lemon juice, garlic, cayenne, cumin, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Transfer marinade to a large, resealable plastic bag. Add chicken halves and turn to coat. Seal bag and transfer to a baking dish. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Bring chicken to room temperature before grilling.

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Step 2
Set up a gas grill for indirect grilling, then oil grate and heat to medium-high (400°F).
Step 3
Remove chicken from marinade, scraping off any excess; discard marinade. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
Step 4
Set chicken skin-side up on grate over indirect heat. Close grill and cook, turning once, until chicken is browned and nearly cooked through, about 25 minutes. Use a spray bottle filled with water to stop flare-ups.
Step 5
Reduce grill heat to moderately low. Flip chicken and grill over direct heat, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and an instant-read thermometer inserted in inner thighs registers 160°F, about 15 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a carving board and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Suggested Pairing

Citrusy Californian Sauvignon Blanc matches the tanginess of the marinade here.

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Food & Wine Member

04/16/2022

My husband absolutely LOVED it! It was moist and very flavorful. Didn't have a grill so baked it in the oven and added a cut red onion. Will definitely be making this again. Thank you for sharing this recipe.

Food & Wine Member

01/20/2021

Fantastic! I used all chicken thighs, and cooked in the oven at 450, flipped once, still very tasty and juicy. I think a little grill char/smoke would compliment flavors nicely. I used regular full fat yogurt instead of Greek, as it was what I had, but followed rest of the recipe as written. I marinated overnight, nearly 15 hours, as a few other recipes highly recommend doing so. Adjust cayenne to your taste, though I found this perfect. I served with a dill tzatziki sauce and salad. Will definitely make again.

Lily Assaad

06/05/2020

The marinade is top notch! I made it and it’s marinating in the fridge overnight. We’re just going to butter up our pan and cook on stovetop like last time and it’ll be delicious

Food & Wine Member

04/26/2020

As I don’t have a bbq I will sprinkle ~1/4c Panko crumbs over top to make my visually appealing.

Manesh Hardeo

12/30/2019

Thanks for this recipe. Followed it for the most part and it was excellent! Used boneless skinless chicken thighs and grilled it on my Green Egg with some hickory chips. Thx!

Cary Lopez

09/29/2019

Looks great,Can this be baked if so & what temperature and for how long?

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Yogurt-Marinated Grilled Chicken

Gallery

Recipe Summary

Ingredients

Directions

Suggested Pairing

Reviews (6)

All Reviews for Yogurt-Marinated Grilled Chicken