Juicy Yogurt-Baked Chicken
Take a cue from the book Ramona Quimby, Age 8 and use tangy yogurt to transform chicken thighs into an ultra-tender, deeply seasoned main dish! This Juicy Yogurt-Baked Chicken uses pantry ingredients to make an easy (almost totally hands-off!) meal for the whole family to share.
Good To Know
- This recipe was developed with regular plain whole-milk yogurt; if you want to use plain Greek yogurt instead, whisk in some water to loosen it until it has a pourable consistency. When mixed with the other ingredients, the sauce should be easy to drizzle from a spoon. Don’t use flavored yogurt in this recipe.
- Chili powder (ending in an i) is different from chile powder (ending with an e)! Chili powder is a blend of dried, ground chile peppers, spices, and seasonings, and has a mild spiciness. Chile powder, on the other hand, is made from only ground chile peppers, and can be very hot! Make sure to use mild chili powder (with an i!) in this dish.
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can sometimes have ragged edges and/or big pockets of fat attached to them. You can trim these parts off easily using kitchen shears. Always make sure to wash your hands, tools, and cutting board using hot soapy water after they’ve touched raw chicken.
Equipment You'll Need
- 2 Bowls (1 medium, 1 small)
- Whisk
- Spoon
- 9-by-13-inch baking dish
- Oven mitts
- Cooling rack
- Tongs
- Serving platter
Measure Your Ingredients
- 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon mild chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- Cooking spray
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed (see note)
- Chopped parsley, basil, or cilantro (optional)
Let's Cook!
- 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon mild chili powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon table saltIn a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, lemon or lime juice, oil, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt. Spoon half of the yogurt sauce into a small serving bowl, cover, and transfer to the refrigerator.
- Cooking spray, 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmedSpray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Pour the rest of the sauce into the greased baking dish. Add the chicken thighs and use a rubber spatula to thoroughly coat the chicken with the yogurt sauce. Spread the pieces into an even layer. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
- Near the end of the marinating time, set your oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Uncover the dish and bake in the preheated oven until the chicken is golden brown, about 1 hour.
- Use oven mitts to remove the baking dish from the oven and place it on the stovetop or a cooling rack. Let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Chopped parsley, basil, or cilantroUse tongs to transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Drizzle with the yogurt sauce that you set aside in step 1. Sprinkle with herbs (if using) and serve.