Do you need a tried and true go-to chicken recipe? I know I did! I hated scrambling to find a simple yet delicious recipe when it came to dinner time. I could never figure out which one would result in perfectly juicy, flavorful chicken.
Until now! You will never need to scramble again!
This easy and flavorful chicken marinade with greek yogurt is sure to become a weekly staple. With just boneless, skinless chicken breasts, greek yogurt, and a handful of basic spices (think: garlic powder and kosher salt to name a few!), you will be able to make tender chicken that is perfect on just about anything!
I absolutely love pairing this chicken with my homemade pomegranate BBQ sauce for a quick punch of added flavor!
Aside from being delicious, there are two reasons why this recipe has become a family favorite:
The first reason is its ingredients.
They are simple, but carefully tested. Each one makes sense when combined in the marinade. The greek yogurt helps tenderize the chicken, making it extra tender and juicy, and the combination of spices gives the chicken the best balance of flavor. However, if you need a more spiced-up marinade for a taco night, you can also try this cilantro lime chicken marinade instead.
To finish this recipe off, the grill seals in all of this goodness and gives the chicken the perfect caramelized smokiness. I love the combination of ingredients in this chicken marinade so much that I used it again in my veggie-packed chicken skewers!
The second reason this recipe is so good is that it is very versatile.
I make it so frequently that I think of it now as my "staple chicken recipe". The chicken is so juicy, the flavor is neutral enough to be paired with nearly any side dishes, and it's incredibly easy to work with (I like to either cube it or butterfly it into thin cutlets)!
From meal prep, to salads and bowls, to sandwiches, to kebabs, to thin filets, there are so many ways to utilize it, you'll never get bored! And if you are like me and love warm weather dishes, try adding this chicken to my Summer Roll Pasta Salad to have a well-balanced, filling, and delicious meal in no time!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Step 1: Cut the chicken breasts into 1½-inch cubes or butterfly horizontally into 6 large pieces and place them in a medium bowl.
- Step 2: Add greek yogurt, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, and salt. Mix to coat the chicken.
- Step 3: Set chicken in the refrigerator and let marinate at least 30 minutes, up to overnight.
- Step 4: When the chicken is done marinating, preheat your grill to 425 degrees F.
- Step 5: If you cubed the chicken, add pieces of chicken onto skewers so they don't fall through the grill grates. If using whole pieces, there's no need for skewers.
- Step 6: Add skewers or whole pieces of chicken to the hot grill, cover the grill, and cook untouched for about 10 to 12 minutes (for skewers) or 5 to 7 minutes (for whole pieces). Flip the chicken over and cook again, covered by the grill, for another 10 to 12 minutes (skewers), 5 to 7 minutes (whole pieces), or until the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
⭐️ Quick Tip! Keep the grill closed so that the ambient temperature cooks the chicken on the inside. If you just rely on the heat from the grill grates, the outside will become burnt and dry, while the inside remains undercooked.
My Top Tips!
⭐️ Be sure to use plain, unsweetened greek yogurt!
⭐️ If you are cutting the chicken into cubes, cut them into 1 ½-inch pieces! If the pieces are smaller, the chicken will overcook. If the pieces are bigger, the chicken may take a bit longer to cook through.
⭐️ If you are using whole pieces of chicken, I suggest butterflying the pieces in half so that they can absorb more of the marinade. Just keep in mind that they will cook relatively fast and should only need about 10 to 15 minutes total on the grill.
⭐️ For the best flavor, I recommend marinating the chicken overnight but not much longer than that. If left too long, the yogurt will start to break down the proteins in the chicken, making the chicken mushy.
Related Recipes
Looking for more chicken breast recipes? Try these:
Share your cooking with me! If you make this recipe, I'd love to know. Leave a comment with a rating at the bottom of this page!
Simple Chicken Marinade with Greek Yogurt
Equipment
- 8 to 10 10-inch bamboo or metal skewers
Ingredients
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ cup plain greek yogurt unsweetened
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breasts into 1½-inch cubes or butterfly horizontally into 6 large pieces and place them in a medium bowl.
- Add greek yogurt, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, and salt. Mix to coat the chicken.
- Set chicken in the refrigerator and let marinate at least 30 minutes, up to overnight.
- When the chicken is done marinating, preheat your grill to 425 degrees F.
- If you cubed the chicken, add pieces of chicken onto skewers so they don't fall through the grill grates. If using whole pieces, there's no need for skewers.
- Add skewers or whole pieces of chicken to the hot grill, cover the grill, and cook untouched for about 10 to 12 minutes (for skewers) or 5 to 7 minutes (for whole pieces). Flip the chicken over and cook again, covered by the grill, for another 10 to 12 minutes (skewers), 5 to 7 minutes (whole pieces), or until the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Notes
- Don't cut the chicken too small! 1 ½-inch pieces is the ideal size for skewers. Any smaller, the chicken will overcook and any larger, the chicken will take much longer to cook through in the middle.
- If using whole pieces of chicken instead of skewers, I like to butterfly the chicken breasts in half so they absorb more of the marinade. However, they cook much faster and will only need about 10 to 15 minutes total on the grill.
- For the best flavor, marinate the chicken overnight but not much longer. If left too long, the yogurt will start to break down the proteins in the chicken, making it mushy.
Nutrition
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