Yogurt Spice Marinade: Easy, Flavorful Chicken Delight

I make a conscious effort to utilize my spices when they're at their peak flavor, typically within six months from the date of purchase. I detest nothing more than having to discard them when they lose their freshness. One of my favorite techniques for employing spice blends involves creating a reliable chicken marinade by combining them with plain yogurt.

Unlocking the Marinating Potential of Yogurt

Yogurt contains lactic acid, a compound that serves to tenderize meat. Additionally, it provides essential fat content that enhances flavor and moisture retention. Unlike other acidic components such as vinegar or citrus juice, lactic acid has a gentler impact, resulting in slower meat tenderization. This unique feature allows you to marinate chicken in yogurt for extended periods, even up to 24 hours, without worrying about the meat becoming tough or mushy. Yet, even with just 30 minutes of marination, you'll still enjoy noticeable benefits.

Creating My Two-Ingredient Chicken Marinade

In my culinary philosophy, I consider salt a fundamental element. For this marinade, gather the following ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of full-fat plain or Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons of spices or dried herbs
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt (adjust depending on whether the spice blend contains salt)

Begin by combining the yogurt in a medium-sized bowl. If you're working with particularly thick Greek yogurt, you can add a touch of water to achieve the desired consistency. Incorporate the spices or dried herbs and either 1/2 teaspoon of Kosher salt (if your spice blend contains salt) or 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt (if it doesn't).

Apply the marinade to the chicken by brushing it evenly. Then, cover the chicken and place it in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes, or for a more extended marination period of up to 24 hours.

When you're ready to cook the chicken, allow any excess yogurt to drain off, and grill it directly on well-oiled grates over medium-high heat. Turn the chicken pieces halfway through cooking, ensuring they display grill marks and are thoroughly cooked.

Alternatively, you can place the marinated chicken in a lightly oiled casserole dish and bake it at 200°C. The exact cooking time may vary depending on the type of chicken cut, but it's done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F, as confirmed by an instant-read thermometer.

Serving Size

This marinade recipe is suitable for marinating 1 1/2 pounds of chicken. However, it can be effortlessly adjusted to accommodate your specific quantity of chicken.

Three Tips for Using the All-Spiced Yogurt Marinade

1. Opt for Whole Yogurt:The beauty of this marinade lies in its adaptability. You can choose either plain or plain Greek yogurt, depending on your preference or what's available. While full-fat yogurt is ideal for its moisture and flavor enhancement, especially with lean, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, low-fat yogurt can also work well.
2. Embrace Spice Variety:To keep it true to the two-ingredient concept, I often reach for spice blends. Garam masala, dried harissa (with a hint of rose), chili powder, za'atar, Herbes de Provence, and Trader Joe's Green Goddess spice blend are just a few of my frequently used options. However
3. Chicken Cut Versatility:While boneless, skinless chicken breasts are my personal favorite for this marinade due to their succulence, you have plenty of options. You can dice the meat into sizable chunks and thread them onto skewers, use whole breasts, or experiment with boneless or skinless chicken thighs, bone-in breasts, drumsticks, or thighs. This marinade is incredibly versatile and will work its magic on various chicken cuts.