Our Greek Yogurt Chicken Marinade is a simple way to add the best flavor to your grilled chicken breast.  Whether your chose to cook this on the grill or the stove stop, you’ll have a simple and delicious weeknight dinner full of classic greek flavors ready in under and hour.

The Best Greek Yogurt Chicken Marinade (Greek Yogurt Chicken)

This easy marinade is made with fresh dill, shallots, lemon juice, and oregano, and gives the best summer flavors in every bite.  For the boldest flavor, allow your chicken breasts to marinade overnight, but if you’re in a time crunch, 30 minutes will work fine as well.  Make it a complete meal with pita bread, tzatziki sauce, lemon slices, and English cucumber.

Is Greek Yogurt A Good Marinade For Chicken

Yes! Greek yogurt marinade for chicken is a simple and unique way to get the best texture and summer flavors. Mild acidity from calcium and lactic acid in greek yogurt helps to tenderize chicken, keeping it juicy and never rubbery.  Expect tender chicken with a slightly tangy flavor in every bite.  And add in the fresh herbs and you’ve got yourself a summer staple.

What You Will need

Greek Chicken Marinade

• plain greek yogurt – Used to perfectly tenderize the chicken and add a mild tangy flavor.
• fresh dill – A summer staple herb
• shallots – Subtly sweeter than a traditional onion.
• fresh garlic – A small ingredient with complex buttery and spicy flavors.
• lemon juice – Helps to brighten and even out flavors throughout.
• kosher salt & ground black pepper – Just a bit goes a long way.
• dried oregano – Gives a slightly peppery bite with a hint of mint flavor.

Greek Yogurt Chicken

• Chicken breast – This recipe calls for boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you can always use bone-in chicken thighs or chicken legs if you prefer. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time as needed.
• kosher salt & ground black pepper – Kitchen staples to enhance flavors.
• pita bread – Feel free to use Naan if that’s more convenient.
• tzatziki sauce – We love our homemade tzatziki sauce and we even have a dairy free option that’s just as tasty.
• pickled onions – We always have these on hand to add a pop of color and flavor to any dish.
• English cucumber – This variety has a lower water content, which keeps them from getting mushy.
• fresh mint – One of our favorite summer herbs. Dill tastes amazing here too.
• lemon – Just a bit to add an extra dose of citrus.

How To Make Greek Yogurt Chicken (+ Marinade)

Start by adding all of the marinade ingredients into a medium bowl and whisk to combine.  Next, place the raw chicken on a plate and pat dry with a clean paper towel.  This gets rid of the surface moisture, allowing the chicken to cook properly. Once dry, move your chicken to a glass container and add the greek yogurt marinade. 

Once all of the chicken is thoroughly coated with the marinade, cover the container and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator.

Once your chicken has marinated, heat your outdoor grill to medium-high heat or around 400°F.  Next, add a sheet of heavy duty foil over the top of your grates and spray with your favorite non-stick cooking oil.  Place your chicken over direct heat and let cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Insert an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken to get the most accurate temperature reading.

Recipe Tip:

Don’t skip the foil! We tested this recipe by cooking directly on clean and greased grill grates, and the chicken still got really stuck on the grates, which is why the foil is an important step. You can also use your favorite grill mat in place of foil.

Transfer the chicken to a plate and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute back into the meat, leaving you with juicy and tender bites.

To make this a complete meal, serve your marinated chicken with with slices of pita bread or nann, feta cheese, tzatziki sauce, fresh mint or dill, English cucumber, quick pickled onions, and fresh lemon slices.  

Stovetop Directions

To get the best tasting chicken, cook marinated chicken thighs in a cast iron skillet on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes a side or until the internal temp of the thickest part reaches 160 °F.  Then just like grilling, transfer the chicken to plate and let rest 5-10 minutes.

Recipe FAQs

• grill mat or foil – Be sure to use a grill mat or foil when cooking on a grill as we noticed that the chicken sticks to the grill grates even after they’ve been cleaned and greased.
• Bone-In Chicken Thighs – You can definitely use bone-in chicken thighs if you prefer, simply adjust the cook time accordingly. 
• Chicken Breast or Chicken Legs – Either work great! Just adjust the cook time accordingly. 
• Stove Top – Cook marinated chicken thighs in a cast iron skillet on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes a side or until the internal temp of the thickest part reaches 160 degrees F. Transfer to plate and let rest 5-10 minutes.
• Storage: Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Other Greek Inspired Recipes You Might Like

• Greek Chicken Meatballs
• Greek Chicken Bowls
• Cucumber Salad
• Easy Weeknight Greek Chicken Bake
• Chicken Gyros