This delicious, Moroccan inspired yogurt marinated chicken is packed full of flavour and super easy to make. This is an all-season healthy recipe that's perfect for entertaining as well as a family dinner.
Marinating chicken in yogurt is an easy way to tenderize the meat and add flavour. Plus it's very uncomplicated and the only ingredient that requires chopping is the chicken. Grilled yogurt chicken is juicy, with a slight tang and absolutely delicious!
Ingredients
I used skinless, boneless chicken breast which I sliced lengthways into thick strips (3-4 for each breast depending on the size of the chicken) to reduce cooking time.
In addition to the low fat yogurt (use regular if you prefer) the marinade contains 1 tablespoon of olive oil, a selection of Moroccan inspired spices and seasoning.
Yogurt chicken marinade
The marinade takes seconds to put together! Simply combine the yogurt, oil, spices and seasoning and whisk together until smooth. I used garlic and onion granules (rather than fresh) so there is no chopping involved.
The chicken needs to be left in the yogurt marinade for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight so this recipe is perfect for busy people who like to enjoy great food. You can marinate the chicken the night before or in the morning and enjoy a quick and delicious meal later!
How to cook yogurt marinated chicken
For me the easiest way of cooking marinated chicken breast is by using a non-stick griddle pan. This is because you can easily control the temperature of the pan to ensure the chicken doesn't brown too quickly before it's cooked through. But if you love outdoor grilling it's absolutely fine to use this method, too.
If using a griddle pan coat it with oil spray and heat up then lower the heat and add the chicken strips, not too close to one another. Do not scrape the marinade off the meat before grilling. Cook over a low to moderate heat for about 5 minutes then turn over and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Serve immediately.
Cooking times may vary depending on the size of your chicken pieces and whether the chicken is barbecued outside or cooked in a griddle pan. Using a griddle pan tends to be quicker but the main thing to remember for both methods is to cook the meat over a low/medium heat.
Top tips and FAQs
- Leave the chicken in the marinade for a minimum of 4 hours (up to overnight).
- Do not scrape the marinade off before grilling the meat. It's where the flavour.
- Cook the chicken over a low-medium heat so that it has enough time to cook through. You my have to cook in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
- Try not to overcook the chicken. Remove from the pan/barbecue as soon as the juices are clear. Even marinated, tenderized chicken can end up being tough if cooked for too long.
- Best served immediately. Leftovers can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days. See Serving Suggestions below.
- Not suitable for freezing.
Serving suggestions
These healthy chicken kebabs can be served with rice or couscous. You can slice the chicken and serve over crispy salad or in a wrap, with a nice dip such as ranch, beetroot hummus or red pepper hummus. Delicious served with roasted cauliflower salad as well as cauliflower tabbouleh and beetroot salsa.
This is one of those recipes that taste delicious the next day too, so if you've got leftovers - great! Because you can combine the chicken with either pasta, quinoa or rice and enjoy it as a salad meal. Or you could chop it up and turn into a delicious coronation chicken pineapple salad.
You might also like
- Easy Apricot Chicken Tagine with Chickpeas
- Moroccan Spiced Crispy Chicken Legs Recipe
- Grilled Chicken Pineapple Salsa Tacos
- Chicken Quinoa Salad with Sriracha Dressing
Check out also this collection of 13 healthy easy one pot chicken recipes.
Keep in touch!
If you make this yogurt chicken recipe I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks!
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Yogurt Marinated Spiced Chicken Breast
Equipment
- Non-stick griddle pan our outdoor barbecue
Ingredients
- 4 medium chicken breasts skinless, cut lengthways into 3-4 strips each
- ½ cup low fat yogurt natural or Greek
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin and paprika powders each
- ⅔ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp onion and garlic granules, ground coriander each
- ⅓ tsp cayenne pepper and ginger powder each
- ¼ tsp ground allspice and cinnamon each
- Oil spray for coating the pan
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine the yogurt, oil, all the spices and stir. Place the chicken pieces in the marinade, stir thoroughly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (up to overnight).
- If using a griddle pan coat it with oil spray and heat up then lower the heat and add the chicken strips, not too close to one another. Do not scrape the marinade off the meat before grilling. Cook over a low to moderate heat for about 5 minutes then turn over and cook for another 4-5 minutes (or until fully cooked and the juices are clear).
- Serve immediately. See the post for serving suggestions.
Notes
- Leave the chicken in the marinade for a minimum of 4 hours (up to overnight).
- Do not scrape the marinade off before grilling the meat. It's where the flavour.
- Cook the chicken over a low-medium heat so that it has enough time to cook through. You my have to cook in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
- Try not to overcook the chicken. Remove from the pan/barbecue as soon as the juices are clear. Even marinated, tenderized chicken can end up being tough if cooked for too long.
- Best served immediately. Leftovers can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days. See Serving Suggestions in post.
- Not suitable for freezing.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.
The spices and flavours here are just perfect. North African flavours are so appealing x
Thanks! They really are, and so good in so many dishes!
These are some of my favourite flavours!Absolutely delicious.I could eat these all week long.
I love these spices too, and they can be used in so many recipes!
Oh my, these are SO up my street. But I think you probably knew that already! It's making my mouth water just looking at them. Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare. Eb x
Thank you Eb!
Isn't it amazing what happens to chicken in a yogurt marinade?! This recipe seriously has me wanting to take my family for a picnic. Unfortunately, it won't be this weekend—we're expecting rain. So, I think we'll plop a picnic blanket right in front of the TV and nosh on your lovely Moroccan-Spiced Yogurt Chicken Kebabs!
Thanks Michelle! I hope it's not too wet and you aren't forced to watch too much tv:)
Oh this is right up my street. I was going to make something very similar for my blog but haven't got around to it. meantime i may just make these for our supper
Thanks Jacqui, I hope they turn out ok for you!
These sound so good and are exactly the type of meal I love. My children both love most types of marinated chicken so it's definitely something we'd all enjoy!
Thanks Corina! In my house it's a rare occasion when all the kids like the same thing:)
Oooh these look delicious and I can image how tasty they would be on the BBQ. Delicious summery food.
Thanks Cat! They really were yummy:)