I hit the jackpot when I was a foreign exchange student in Greece. As a food-obsessed high school kid, I was placed with the best possible family—my host, the Curthrillis, was a retired pastry chef and an excellent home cook. Notepad in hand, I spent the summer in their kitchen learning to cook Greek home cooking. One of the best lessons I learned was how to make the juiciest, tastiest chicken I’ve ever eaten.
My host mother Despina’s secret was to marinate the chicken in thick, full fat. Greek yogurt Season with minced garlic, oregano, lemon juice, and plenty of pepper. It’s just a few ingredients, but the results are always remarkable — delicious chicken flavored with tangy, garlicky goodness and a crispy, charred skin!
Full-fat yogurt does not contain stabilizers and gums like low-fat and non-fat yogurt cans, and is thick enough to stick well to meat when marinating and roasting. All the delicious flavors remain on the meat. . You can use 2% yogurt in a pinch, but the results won’t be as juicy.
My host mother marinated the chicken overnight in her yogurt marinade and roasted it for our Sunday dinner. She will serve what the Americans call. Greek salad (They call it horiatiki) and bread with plenty of sesame seeds to soak up the juices.
Instead of a whole chicken, I usually make quick bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks. The chicken pieces are ready to roast after at least 4 hours in their yogurt bath, although they can go up to 24 hours without becoming mushy.
When roasting, the meat on the bone stays moist (especially chicken legs), while the skin acts as a blanket, giving the meat fat and flavor. If you prefer to use boneless, skinless chicken, I would recommend that. Grilling it Instead of roasting for the juiciest results.
Roasting a whole chicken
If you are using a whole chicken instead of pieces, remove the throat and neck from the cavity and reserve for the stock. Make the marinade as directed and coat the whole chicken in the marinade. Gently slide some of the marinade under the skin of the breast and rub some into the cavity. Place the spent lemon in the cavity and Shred the chicken. Marinate for 24 hours.
If you’re adding potatoes (see below), stuff the potatoes with fingerlings or cut Yukon or red potatoes in half. Roast as directed, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh registers at least 165°F, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. If the skin starts to brown too much, cover the bird with foil towards the end of roasting. Skip the broiling.
Make it a meal with potatoes
This yogurt marinade not only makes the chicken delicious, but it also produces plenty of zesty pan juices. To soak up all the sunny-flavored goodness, I often add potatoes to the pan. I’m partial to thin fingerling potatoes, which I cut in half lengthwise, but you can also use bite-sized (1-inch) pieces of Yukon Gold or Baby Red potatoes. Toss them once while frying.
When roasting a whole chicken, the time it takes for the meat to cook will turn the skin a deep charred brown. When roasting thighs and drumsticks, I like to broil the chicken for just a few minutes at the end of cooking to ensure I get the crispest pieces of skin. It’s optional, but the crunchy, marinade-flavored skin really adds a delicious textural counterpoint to the extra-juicy meat.
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- 1 big lemon
- 1 Cup full fat, Plain yogurtpreferably Greek style
- 3 Tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 big Garlic clovesfinely grated or pressed
- 2 Tea spoons Dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon saltPlus extra for seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh Ground black pepper
- 4 On whole chicken legs, bone in, skin on (3 1/2 Pound)
- 1 Pound Finger potatoesHalve lengthwise, or baby Yukon gold or red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces, optional
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Marinate the chicken:
Start marinating the chicken at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours before roasting. Finely grate the lemon zest and juice into a large non-reactive bowl or baking dish. Add yogurt, olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper and stir to combine.
Cut the chicken legs through the joints into thigh and drumstick pieces using a boning knife or poultry shears. Add the chicken to the yogurt mixture and rub it into the meat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
Simple tip!
You can substitute chicken legs for a mix of drumsticks and bone-in, skin-on thighs, or use all drumsticks or all thighs. -
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Place one oven rack in the center and the other rack in the upper third of the oven (so it’s about 6 inches from the broiler element). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Prepare the chicken and vegetables:
Arrange the marinated chicken pieces face up on the baking sheet and space between them, leaving any marinade sticking to the meat. Discard any pickle remaining in the bowl. Tuck the potatoes around the chicken pieces, if using, and sprinkle everything with salt.
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Roast:
Transfer the baking sheet to the middle rack of the oven and roast the potatoes, stirring once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the largest thigh registers at least 165°F, 35 to 40 minutes. give
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Broil the chicken:
Move the baking sheet to the upper third of the oven and turn the broiler to high. Broil, rotating the baking sheet once and stirring the potatoes, until the chicken skin is dark brown in places, about 3 minutes.
Remove from the oven and transfer the chicken and potatoes to a large serving dish. Drizzle any pan juices over the top and serve.
Refrigerate leftover chicken in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To reheat, place on a microwave-safe plate, cover, and cook on 60% power until piping hot. To crisp the skin, broil the chicken after reheating, arranging it on a foil-lined baking sheet 4 inches from the broiler element, until the skin is shiny, 2 minutes.
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| Nutrition facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 475 | Calories |
| 24 grams | thick |
| 18 grams | Carbohydrates |
| 48 grams | Protein |
| Nutrition facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 4 to 6 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 475 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| 24 grams | 31% |
| Saturated fat 6 g | 29% |
| 237 mg | 79% |
| 563 mg | 24% |
| 18 grams | 6% |
| Dietary fiber 4 g | 14% |
| Total sugar 8 grams | |
| 48 grams | |
| Vitamin C 72 mg | 360% |
| Calcium 131 mg | 10% |
| Iron 3 mg | 16% |
| Potassium 802 mg | 17% |
| *% Daily Value (DV) tells you how much of the nutrients in a serving of food contribute to your daily intake. 2,000 calories per day is used for general nutritional advice. | |
Nutrition information is calculated using the ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient substitutions are given, the first listed nutrient is counted. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.