This Greek Yogurt Chicken is made with boneless chicken thighs marinated in Greek yogurt, lemon, garlic, paprika and oregano, then baked until juicy and finished under the grill for golden, lightly charred edges. The marinade takes just 5 minutes to mix and can be prepared ahead, making this an easy high-protein chicken recipe for salads, wraps, rice bowls and meal prep.
The Greek yogurt marinade adds plenty of flavour and coats the chicken really well, while using chicken thighs helps keep the finished chicken tender and juicy.
Everything is done in one bowl and the chicken bakes in just 30 minutes. Serve it with rice and salad for dinner, or slice it up for wraps, pasta, protein bowls and lunches throughout the week.
Recipe update: This recipe was originally published on 5 August 2024 and was fully retested in August 2026 to check the cooking time, consistency and ingredient quantities. The original recipe still worked well, but I've expanded the instructions and tips.
Looking for more ways to use chicken thighs? Why not try our spicy Buffalo Chicken Thighs, easy Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs or our Chilli & Honey Chicken Thighs?
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Jump to:
- Why You'll Love It
- Recipe Overview
- Ingredients and Substitutions
- Greek Yogurt Fat Percentage
- What Does Greek Yogurt Do To Chicken?
- How Long Should You Marinate Chicken in Greek Yogurt?
- How To Make Greek Yogurt Chicken
- Other Ways To Cook Greek Yogurt Chicken
- Serving Suggestions
- Meal Prep and Storage
- Troubleshooting Guide
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Greek Recipes
- Recipe
- Feedback
Why You'll Love It
- Juicy chicken thighs - yogurt helps create a tender result and thighs are forgiving in the oven.
- 5 minute prep - mix the marinade, coat the chicken and refrigerate.
- Golden edges - finishing the baked chicken briefly under the grill/broiler gives the yogurt marinade colour.
- High protein - 29g of protein per portion.
- Great for meal prep - eat it hot for dinner or slice it into salads, wraps and bowls.
Recipe Overview
- Best chicken - Boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- Marinating time - 2-12 hours; we found 8-12 hours gave the best flavour and texture.
- Oven temperature - 220°C/200°C fan/425°F/Gas 7.
- Cooking time - Around 30 minutes, plus 3 minutes under the grill/broiler.
- Best yogurt - 0% and full-fat both work; full-fat released less liquid and browned better in our testing.
- Top tip - Let excess marinade drip off and leave space between the thighs for better browning.
Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Chicken - We used boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this Greek yogurt marinated chicken recipe because they give the juiciest result. However, you could use skinless chicken breast if you prefer, and it will make it leaner. Cooking times will vary though.
- Yogurt - This forms the base of the marinade and helps it cling to the chicken. We have made this with 0% Greek yogurt to keep it leaner, but it does produce water when cooking. Full-fat Greek yogurt released less liquid and gave us better browning. Whichever you use, make sure it is plain and unsweetened.
- Oil - You want to use a really good quality extra virgin olive oil, because it makes up a big part of the marinade, so you will be able to taste the difference. It helps to brown the chicken.
- Lemon - We just used lemon juice, but you can add some lemon zest as well if you want extra lemon flavour.
- Shallots - These add a nice extra texture to the Greek yogurt chicken marinade, but they can be left out if needed or you can use onions instead.
- Seasoning - For the spices, we used a mixture of salt, black pepper, garlic, paprika and dried oregano. This gives it a lovely Greek flavour. You could use a Greek seasoning blend if you prefer.
Greek Yogurt Fat Percentage
I tested this with both 0% and full-fat Greek yogurt. Both work, and our preference is to use 0% fat just because it keeps the recipe lighter and lower in fat. However, using 0% yogurt does produce a more watery marinade.
Full-fat Greek yogurt is creamier and, in our testing, released less liquid and browned better.
Whichever yogurt you use, let the excess marinade drip off before cooking.
What Does Greek Yogurt Do To Chicken?
Greek yogurt works particularly well as a chicken marinade because its thick texture coats the meat rather than simply running off. Use a thick, plain Greek yogurt so the marinade clings well to the chicken.
It also makes an excellent base for carrying flavours such as garlic, lemon and herbs, so every piece of chicken gets coated in the seasoning.
You will sometimes see yogurt marinades described as making chicken much more tender. The biggest advantage we find with this recipe is that the yogurt creates a flavourful coating while helping the chicken stay juicy during cooking.
How Long Should You Marinate Chicken in Greek Yogurt?
For the best flavour, we recommend marinating the chicken for at least 2 hours.
If you can plan ahead, around 12 hours gives the flavours plenty of time to develop and makes this a useful recipe to prepare in the morning. We love a prep-ahead meal for busy school nights.
We don't recommend leaving the chicken in the marinade for longer than 24 hours as it starts to go mushy as the acids in the marinade break down the meat proteins too much.
Our preferred marinating time: We found 8-12 hours gave the best balance of flavour and texture and makes it ideal for prepping ahead.
If you are short on time, you can cook the chicken after a shorter marinade, but the flavour won't be quite as developed.
How To Make Greek Yogurt Chicken
- Add to a bowl: Add all of the ingredients into a bowl.
- Marinate: Mix well so that the chicken is completely coated. Cover and refrigerate for 2-12 hours. For the best flavour and texture, we recommend 8-12 hours.
Preheat: Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C(fan)/425°F/Gas 7. Line a baking dish or a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Put onto a baking sheet: Let any excess marinade drip from the chicken, then arrange the thighs in a single layer with a little space between each one.
- Cook: Bake for around 30 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the thighs. Check the thickest part of the chicken for doneness rather than relying only on cooking time.
💡 If you want a crispier top, put under the grill (broiler) for 3 minutes.
Allow the chicken to rest for around 5 minutes before serving or slicing.
Other Ways To Cook Greek Yogurt Chicken
Air fryer - Arrange the marinated chicken thighs in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook at 190°C/375°F for 14-16 minutes, turning if needed, or until cooked through. You may need to cook them in batches depending on the size of your air fryer. We used a Ninja Dual 9.5 litre air fryer for this method.
BBQ - Greek yogurt marinated chicken is also delicious cooked on the BBQ. Allow excess marinade to drip off and cook over a high heat, turning as required, until cooked through with charred edges. Because yogurt marinades can catch over very high heat, keep an eye on the outside of the chicken while the centre cooks. It will take about 5-6 minutes each side.
Pan - Heat oil in a pan and add the chicken. It will take about 7-10 minutes each side.
Cooking Guide
|
Method |
Temp |
Time |
Tip |
|
Oven - chicken thighs |
220°C |
30 minutes |
Finish under the grill |
|
Oven - chicken breast |
200°C |
25 minutes |
Cook to an even thickness |
|
Air fryer |
190°C |
14-16 minutes |
Don't overcrowd basket |
|
BBQ/ |
High |
5-6 minutes each side |
Watch the yogurt coating |
|
Pan fry |
Medium |
7-10 minutes each side |
Cook in batches |
Serving Suggestions
For a simple dinner, serve it with brown rice and quinoa or couscous and a big salad. It also goes really well with air fryer roasted vegetables, or air fryer potato wedges. I am also a big fan of this on my Greek Meze Platter.
We also like to slice the leftover chicken and use it in:
- Greek-style salads
- Wraps and pitta breads
- Rice or grain bowls
- Pasta
- Couscous salads
- Lunch boxes
You can make wraps with the yogurt marinated chicken too. Shred the cooked chicken and wrap it in a warm pita or try our Homemade Flatbread with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and Cottage Cheese Tzatziki and Kebab Shop Chilli Sauce.
Meal Prep and Storage
Fridge - Allow leftover Greek yogurt chicken to cool and then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It can be eaten cold in salads and wraps or reheated until piping hot. I like to reheat it in the air fryer as it's quick and only takes about 5 minutes.
Freezer - Once the chicken has cooled completely, transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to a month. Defrost thoroughly in the fridge before reheating.
Prep ahead - Yes, you can prep ahead and this is one of the reasons we love this recipe. Mix the marinade and chicken the night before, cover and leave it in the fridge. The next day, all you need to do is arrange the chicken on a tray and bake it.
Troubleshooting Guide
|
Problem |
Likely cause |
Fix |
|
Why is there liquid on my baking tray? |
0% yogurt releases more liquid, there may be too much marinade on the chicken, or the thighs are too crowded. |
Let excess marinade drip off before baking and leave space between the thighs. For less liquid, use full-fat Greek yogurt - in our testing it released less water. |
|
Why isn't my chicken browning? |
Too much surface moisture, excess marinade or an overcrowded tray can cause the chicken to steam rather than brown. |
Shake/drip off excess marinade, space the thighs apart and use the hot oven temperature stated in the recipe. Finish under the grill/broiler for around 3 minutes. |
|
Why is my chicken dry? |
It may be overcooked, or you may be using chicken breast rather than thighs. |
Check the chicken with a meat thermometer rather than relying only on cooking time. If using breasts, make them an even thickness and use the shorter cooking time. |
|
Why has my chicken gone too soft or mushy? |
It has probably been left in the marinade too long. |
Keep marinating time below 24 hours. We found 8-12 hours gave the best flavour and texture. |
|
Why is the yogurt coating burning? |
The heat is too fierce or there is a very thick coating of marinade, particularly under the grill/broiler. |
Allow excess marinade to drip off and only grill/broil once the chicken is already cooked, watching it closely for the final few minutes. |
|
Why are some chicken thighs cooking faster than others? |
Boneless thighs can vary considerably in size and thickness. |
Use similarly sized pieces where possible and check individual pieces for doneness rather than assuming they will all finish at exactly the same time. |
Frequently Asked Questions
We leave a thin coating of marinade on each thigh but allow the excess to drip back into the bowl. This gives the chicken plenty of flavour without creating too much liquid on the baking tray.
Yes, you can, but keep the marinating time to under 24 hours. We find that 8-12 hours is best. So prepare it in the morning, for dinner that night.
The safest way is to check the thickest part of the chicken with a meat thermometer rather than relying on colour or cooking time alone.
Chicken is cooked when the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F.
You can, but cooking times will vary slightly. Cook at the same temperature, but reduce the cooking time to 25 minutes.
More Greek Recipes
If you've tried this Greek Yogurt Chicken recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
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Recipe
Greek Yogurt Chicken
Ingredients
- 520 g (1⅛ lb) of Chicken thighs - boneless & skinless; approx 130g/4.5oz per thigh
- 130 g (½ cups) of 0% Greek yogurt
- 60 ml (¼ cups) of Olive oil - extra virgin
- 2 Shallots - finely diced
- ¼ teaspoon of Fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon of Ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon of Garlic granules
- 1 teaspoon of Paprika
- 1 teaspoon of Dried oregano
- 1 Lemon - juice only
Instructions
- Add to a bowl: Put all of the ingredients into a bowl.
- Marinate: Mix well so that the chicken is completely coated. Cover and refrigerate for 2-12 hours. For the best flavour and texture, we recommend 8-12 hours.
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C(fan)/425°F/Gas 7. Line a baking dish or a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Put onto a baking sheet: Let any excess marinade drip from the chicken, then arrange the thighs in a single layer with a little space between each one.
- Cook: Bake for around 30 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the thighs. Check the thickest part of the chicken for doneness rather than relying only on cooking time.
- Rest: Allow the chicken to rest for around 5 minutes before serving or slicing.
Recipe Video
Recipe Tips
- Chicken thighs vary in size, so use the cooking time as a guide.
- The longer you marinate the chicken, the more flavourful and tender it will be. Aim for at least 2 hours, but 8-12 hours is best.
- Don't overcrowd the baking tray.
- This recipe works well on the grill, stovetop, or in an air fryer if you prefer not to use the oven.
- Use fresh herbs like parsley, dill, or coriander (cilantro) for garnishing to add a little bit of colour.
- If you want a bit of spice, then why not add some red chilli flakes to the marinade?
- Leftovers are great cold in salads, wraps and grain bowls.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Mrs Lesley Bennett-Chaney says
When you say freeze in the marinade, is after cooking, or before please?
Dannii Martin says
Before cooking.