Greek yogurt chicken marinade
- Preparation 5 min
- Servings ¾ cup (180 ml)
- Freezing Absolutely
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🔥 Not just for chicken
The beauty of this marinade is that it works on everything: chicken, pork, beef, lamb, and even shrimp. The 1:1 ratio of yogurt and olive oil gives a perfect texture that sticks well to the meat without dripping all over the barbecue. The lemon juice and garlic cut through the fat, the dried oregano brings the Mediterranean side, and the fresh parsley adds a freshness you don’t find in store-bought marinades. You marinate between 2 and 24 hours depending on the time you have, and you’re set.
🍽️ The taste of vacation in your backyard
This is the kind of marinade you pull out when you want an effortless summer dinner that tastes like vacation in Greece. Barbecue skewers, seared chicken breasts in the pan, grilled shrimp. It works every time. Serve this with my tzatziki mint sauce, rice, warm pitas, and a good the best traditional greek salad, and you transport yourself straight to a terrace in Athens.
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🥄 Season without hesitation
The number one mistake people make with a yogurt marinade is not seasoning enough. Yogurt absorbs a lot of salt and pepper, so go generously. If your marinade isn’t already well-seasoned before adding the meat, your final result will be bland.
🧬 Yogurt, your secret tenderizer
Greek yogurt doesn’t just serve to add flavor. The lactic acid it contains works gently to break down the meat fibers, which makes it tender without making it mushy like vinegar can do. That’s why yogurt marinades are so popular in Mediterranean and Indian cuisine.
⏱️ 2 hours minimum, 24 hours maximum
Under 2 hours, the marinade doesn’t have time to penetrate the meat. Beyond 24 hours, the acidity of lemon and yogurt can start to change the texture of the protein. For shrimp, aim for 30 minutes to 2 hours maximum because they’re more delicate.
🥩 One marinade for everything
Chicken, pork, beef, lamb, shrimp. This marinade works on all proteins. The cooking time changes, not the marinade. It’s your basic summer recipe that you can adapt to what you find on special at the grocery store.
🫙 Keeps for a week
You can prepare your marinade ahead and keep it in the fridge up to a week. That means you can make it on Sunday and marinate different proteins all week. Pretty handy for meal prep.
✅ What to serve with my greek yogurt marinade?
Once your meat is marinated and cooked, serve it with my Tzatziki mint sauce for the classic Greek combo, my The best traditional Greek salad as a side, or my Greek pasta salad for a complete summer buffet. Warm pitas and rice complete it all perfectly.
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Ingredients
- ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
- ¼ cup (60 ml) plain Greek yogurt
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) lemon juice
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp (5 ml) dried oregano
- ¼ tsp (1 ml) salt
- ¼ tsp (1 ml) pepper
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Preparation
- In a bowl, mix the Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, parsley, salt and pepper.
- Season well to taste. It’s important not to be shy with salt and pepper, it brings out all the flavors in the marinade.
- Add your protein of choice (chicken, pork, beef, lamb or shrimp) and coat well.
- Cover and refrigerate between 2 and 24 hours.
- Remove meat from marinade and cook on barbecue, in pan or oven depending on the protein chosen.
Between 2 and 24 hours, depending on the time you have. The longer you marinate, the more the flavors penetrate the meat and the more time the yogurt has to tenderize it. For shrimp, it’s shorter. Between 30 minutes and 2 hours maximum, because they’re more fragile and the acidity of lemon can make them rubbery.
Greek yogurt contains lactic acid that breaks down meat fibers gently, which makes it tender without making it mushy. Unlike vinegar or lemon alone which can “cook” the surface of the meat, yogurt works more slowly and gives a juicy and tender texture. Plus, it helps spices stick better to the meat during cooking.
This marinade works on all proteins: chicken, pork, beef, lamb and even shrimp. The yogurt, lemon and oregano pair with everything. The only thing that changes is the cooking time depending on your protein and the thickness of your piece of meat. Shrimp is one of my favorites with this marinade.
The unused marinade (without meat in it) keeps about a week in the refrigerator in an airtight container. You can prepare it ahead on Sunday and marinate different proteins during the week. However, never reuse a marinade that has already been in contact with raw meat.
Greek-marinated chicken is served Mediterranean feast style with my tzatziki mint sauce for dipping, my the best traditional greek salad on the side, and my homemade greek dressing to drizzle over. Add rice and warm pitas, and you have a perfect summer dinner.
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