Yogurt-Marinated Roast Chicken

By Ali Slagle

Updated March 20, 2024

Yogurt-Marinated Roast Chicken
Matt Taylor-Gross for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
2 hours
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
50 minutes, plus at least 1 hour marinating
Rating
4(433)
Comments
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Marinating chicken in yogurt, much like buttermilk, creates juicy meat and caramelized skin, but yogurt’s additional fat and lactic acid contributes extra richness and tang. The practice of marinating meat in yogurt likely dates as far back as 13th century Central Asia and has stood the test of time for good reasons. While you don’t need to add anything to the yogurt besides salt for it to work its magic, yogurt carries flavors well. For even more depth, consider fresh aromatics like chopped chiles, garlic, ginger, and herbs, as well as dried spices like turmeric, cumin, za’atar and garam masala. As yet another bonus, you could serve more yogurt alongside to sauce the chicken. If marinating with Greek yogurt, thin it with a little olive oil until pourable — otherwise, its weight could keep the skin from crisping.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • ½cup plain full-fat yogurt
  • 2teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), or 1 teaspoon fine sea salt or coarse kosher salt
  • 3½ to 4pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (or one whole chicken of equal weight, see Tip)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

622 calories; 43 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 18 grams monounsaturated fat; 9 grams polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 53 grams protein; 707 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large bowl, resealable container or zip-top bag, stir together the yogurt and salt. Pat the chicken dry, then add to the yogurt and coat every nook and cranny with the yogurt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour but preferably longer, up to 24 hours.

  2. Step 2

    Heat the oven to 425 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Scrape off excess yogurt, then transfer the chicken to the sheet pan, skin side up. Roast until browned and cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes for pieces and 45 to 50 minutes for a whole chicken. (For the juiciest results, check that the breast is at least 155 degrees and the dark meat at least 165 degrees in the thickest parts.)

Tip
  • For even browning and cooking, if using a whole chicken, spatchcock it first. To do so, place the chicken on a cutting board, breast side down. Using sharp kitchen shears, remove the backbone by cutting on either side of the backbone to release it. Flip the chicken, open it up and set it breast side up. Flatten the chicken by pressing firmly in the center; you should hear a crack.

Ratings

4 out of 5
433 user ratings
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Comments

KT

Tasty. IMO, too much salt. I added 1 tsp garam masala to the marinade, which was really good. I used nonfat yoghurt, because that was what I had, and it worked well for thighs. Not sure it would work as well for breasts or whole chicken. I roasted quartered red potatoes (tossed with olive oil and ground pepper) with the chicken, since there was room on the baking sheet. Mixed an extra 1/4 cup with yoghurt with 1/2 tsp garam masala as a dip - delicious with both the chicken and the potatoes.

mandeman

We make something similar only with more kick. Add lemon juice, crushed garlic, thinly sliced red onion, dash of olive oil, salt & pepper. Let it marinade for at least 1-2 hours: if short on time, 30 minutes on the counter will do the job.

kate

I added some spices (paprika, garlic powder, flavored salt blend, chili powder) to the marinade and left it for 4 hours - definitely worth jazzing it up more than just salt in my opinion!

soleil

So easy - added garlic za'tar and fresh mint from the garden. Used goat milk yogurt. Paired with the cauliflower shwarma (look it up - it's excellent and the sauce works well on the chicken too).

gigi

Made this with just the salt and lowfat greek yogurt, marinated for 4 hours in the fridge. I could certainly see adding other spices as well. But this simple chicken was delicious with a salad on the side. Low input to high output ratio!

Connie

Marinaded about 8 hours with a couple tablespoons of pepper, paprika and cayenne based chicken rub added to the yogurt but think a wide variety of seasonings could work well. Patted the skin dry with a paper towel before baking. Bake time of 40 minutes was perfect for a spatchcocked 3.5 lb chicken cooked in a cast iron pan. Skin was beautifully browned and breast came out tender and juicy.

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