Yogurt is an ideal base for meat marinade, says Michael Symon in his book Fix It with Food. Like me, Michael has Rheumatoid arthritis, and the book is about eating to avoid foods that trigger RA flares and inflammation. His recipe uses a whole chicken to roast, but I decided just to try chicken thighs.
I love chicken thighs – full of flavor, and they don’t dry out as easier as chicken breast. Long slow cooking makes the meat fall of the bone tender. And the enzymes & acidity of yogurt helps create tender meat.
A number of spices add flavor as well. The marinade needs time to work – at least a couple hours, but overnight is better (like most marinades) to flavor the meat itself.
We found this chicken to be exceptional!
Chicken Thighs in a Yogurt Marinade
Uses chicken thighs, legs or even a whole chicken rubbed with this marinade. Let sit in the fridge overnight for the best flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 2 tbsp grated ginger
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp dried cilantro substitute dill or basil
- grated zest and juice of 1 orange
- 4-6 chicken thighs 4 chicken legs, 1 whole chicken
- salt and pepper
Instructions
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In a large bowl blend together the yogurt, half the olive oil, garlic, ginger, spices and orange zest and juice.
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Add the chicken to the marinade turning to coat. With a whole chicken, rub some marinade inside as well as all over the outside.
Let chicken sit in the fridge at least 2 hours, but best either all day or overnight.
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Remove chicken from the fridge at least an hour prior to cooking to allow it to come to room temperature.
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Preheat oven to 375F. Wipe most of the marinade off, and use the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil to coat the chicken pieces. Season with salt and pepper.
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Bake 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of the pieces of chicken, and it reaches an internal temperature of at least 165F. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting and serving.