Greek Yogurt Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken breasts marinated in creamy yogurt, garlic, and herbs, baked for juicy, flavorful results.

# What You Need:

→ Marinade

01 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (full-fat or 2%)
02 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
05 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
06 - 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
07 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
09 - 1 teaspoon salt
10 - ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Chicken

11 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 23–26 oz total)
12 - Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)
13 - Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Whisk together Greek yogurt, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, oregano, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl until smooth.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry and add to the bowl. Turn to coat thoroughly with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, up to 8 hours for best tenderness.
03 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a baking dish or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
04 - Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess to drip off, and arrange breasts in a single layer in the prepared dish.
05 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until cooked through (internal temperature 165°F). For extra browning, broil for 2 to 3 minutes at the end.
06 - Rest chicken for 5 minutes before slicing. Garnish with parsley and serve with lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The yogurt keeps the chicken so tender it practically melts, even if you accidentally overbake it by a few minutes.
  • You dump everything into one bowl, coat the chicken, and walk away—minimal dishes, maximum payoff.
  • The flavor is bold enough to impress without any fussy techniques or hard-to-find ingredients.
02 -
  • The marinade is thicker than you expect, and that's exactly right—if it looks too creamy, you haven't whisked it enough or your yogurt is too thin.
  • Marinating for at least 1 hour makes a real difference, but 4–8 hours transforms the chicken into something almost impossibly tender because the yogurt's acidity gently breaks down the proteins.
  • Pat the chicken completely dry before coating, otherwise moisture creates a barrier and the yogurt slides around instead of adhering.
  • Every oven bakes differently, so start checking at 20 minutes with a meat thermometer—overcooked chicken becomes rubbery, but 165°F is your target.
03 -
  • If you're marinating overnight and worried about food safety, trust that the yogurt's acidity and the cold refrigerator work together to keep everything safe—bacteria doesn't thrive in that environment.
  • For the most even cooking, place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound them to roughly the same thickness before marinating.
  • Invest in a meat thermometer if you don't have one—it removes all the guesswork and anxiety about whether the chicken is actually done.
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