Diethood » Recipes » Dinner Recipes » Chicken Recipes » Yogurt-Marinated Baked Chicken

Yogurt-Marinated Baked Chicken

This easy yogurt-marinated chicken recipe makes the most flavorful baked chicken ever. Tender, juicy, and coated with a crunchy golden crust, this simple chicken breasts recipe is a winning dinner idea!

Close up of baked chicken breasts sliced on a cutting board.

I love no-fuss dinner ideas that deliver big on flavor. In fact, this yogurt-marinated chicken is exactly what you need on a busy weeknight when all you really want is a delicious meal everyone will devour. This recipe makes the most flavorful chicken breasts, thanks to my easy yogurt marinade with garlic and thyme. You can start with marinating the chicken breasts in the morning, then bread them and pop them in the oven when you get home after work. The end result is ultra-tender chicken that’s juicy on the inside and perfectly crunchy on the outside.

Why We Love This Yogurt-Marinated Chicken

  • Easy. Simple pantry ingredients, a baking pan, and an oven are all you’ll need to make these chicken breasts. There’s nothing complicated or fussy about this recipe!
  • Perfect for meal prep. Since the chicken is marinated for hours, it’s the perfect make-ahead meal.
  • Goes with many sides. These golden, baked chicken breasts go with so many sides: mashed cauliflower, roasted veggies, cucumber salad; you name it. I’ve shared some of my favorite ideas below.
Cooked Yogurt Marinated chicken on a baking sheet with tongs

What Does the Yogurt Marinade Do?

  • The marinade takes just a few minutes to put together and does a couple of things to your chicken; the acidity of the yogurt helps to tenderize the meat, making it more tender and juicy. It also infuses the chicken with tangy flavor and moisture, resulting in succulent baked chicken.
  • In addition to the yogurt marinade, we will pound the chicken before marinating it. This further tenderizes the meat by breaking down the muscle fibers. It also ensures that your chicken cooks evenly in less time.

    How to Make Yogurt Marinated Chicken

    Are you ready to make this easy chicken dinner? Here’s a quick overview. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for step-by-step instructions and the full ingredients list.

    • Make the yogurt marinade. It comes together in a snap.
    • Marinate the chicken. I recommend marinating it for a few hours, but as little as one hour works. You have to give the yogurt time to work its magic!
    • Add the panko breading and bake. The chicken is done when light golden and when the juices run clear if you pierce it with a knife. It should register 165˚F with an instant-read thermometer.
    Overhead shot of yogurt-marinated chicken breasts on a cutting board.

    This is a serious, melt-in-your-mouth chicken dinner. I can’t even begin to tell you how often this appears on our table. It goes with many different side dishes too, so you can serve leftovers again later in the week and just switch up what you serve with it.

    Serving Suggestions

    Sliced breaded chicken breasts on a cutting board.

    More Chicken Recipes

    Close up of baked chicken breasts sliced on a cutting board.

    Yogurt Marinated Chicken

    Katerina | Diethood
    Flavorful, delicious baked chicken marinated in a yogurt mixture with garlic and thyme.
    4.78 from 9 votes
    Servings : 4
    Prep Time 4 hours
    Cook Time 45 minutes
    Total Time 5 hours

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (4 chicken breasts total)
    • salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
    • 6 cloves garlic, minced
    • ½ cup plain yogurt
    • ½ tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, or your favorite blend of fresh herbs
    • ¼ cup panko crumbs

    Instructions
     

    • Lightly pound chicken just enough to even it out; do not pound it thin.
    • Place the chicken in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper; set aside.
    • In a separate bowl, combine garlic, yogurt, and thyme; mix until combined.
    • Pour the yogurt mixture over the chicken; mix around until the chicken is thoroughly coated.
    • Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.
    • Preheat the oven to 375˚F.
    • Grease a baking dish/pan with cooking spray.
    • Remove the chicken from the bowl and shake off any excess; discard the yogurt mixture.
    • Transfer the chicken breasts to the baking pan.
    • Sprinkle panko bread crumbs over the chicken breasts.
    • Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use an instant-read meat thermometer to check for doneness; chicken is cooked through when its internal temperature registers at 165˚F.
    • Remove from oven and let stand for 5 to 8 minutes.
    • Serve.

    Notes

    • Ideal for Meal Preparation: The long marinade time makes this chicken perfect for prepping meals ahead of time.
    • Versatile Pairings: Pair these golden, baked chicken breasts with a variety of sides, be it mashed cauliflower, roasted vegetables, or a salad.
    • To Store Leftovers in the Fridge: Let the chicken cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
    • To Freeze: Place the cooled chicken in an airtight, freezer-safe container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
    • To reheat: You can reheat your chicken in the microwave on a plate lined with a paper towel, which will help prevent moisture from building up below your chicken. I recommend reheating single servings in the microwave. You can also reheat your chicken in an oven preheated to 400F for 7 to 10 minutes or until warmed through.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 4 ounces | Calories: 194 kcal | Carbohydrates: 12 g | Protein: 26 g | Fat: 4 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g | Trans Fat: 0.01 g | Cholesterol: 77 mg | Sodium: 196 mg | Potassium: 521 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 2 g | Vitamin A: 78 IU | Vitamin C: 4 mg | Calcium: 78 mg | Iron: 1 mg

    Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: baked chicken breasts, yogurt chicken, yogurt marinated chicken
    Did you make this recipe?Leave a Rating!

    Categories:

    Ask a Question or Rate this Recipe

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating:




    82 comments on “Yogurt-Marinated Baked Chicken”

    1. Avatar photo
      Phil Aaronson

      Recipe looks great. I am going to try it. It says 169 calories. Is that per serving? And how much is one serving?

    2. I had excess vanilla yogurt so I’m marinating thighs w Moroccan spice, Odobe seasoning and a dash of hot paprika and garlic to counter the vanilla. Fingers crossed for a one pot meal later!

    3. Bone-In Chicken Thighs were on sale today, in preparing, I removed the skin from 4 thighs and slashed the meat to the bone in a couple of places for the marinade to penetrate the meat. Used a generous ½ cup of yogurt, juice of one lemon, at least 6 cloves of garlic (maybe a smidge more to keep the vampires away!), and used McCormick Greek Seasoning which in includes a bit of mint, and finished with salt and pepper. I marinated the thighs for 2 ½ hours, baked off at 350F until chicken temp with a probe thermometer reached 160 degrees F. Removed from the oven and let the dish ‘rest’ for 5 minutes or so while mixing the salad. Temperature on the thighs came up to 165, safe for serving and was nóstimos (Greek for delicious!). Accompanied with your recommended rice and a nice Greek Salad with feta, kalamata olives, and dressed with a lemon vinaigrette using a fruity olive oil..

    4. Avatar photo
      Marsha Dingle

      How can this possibly be only 3 WW points!?!?!?! When I was in turkey I remember a friend marinading chicken in yogurt. This was absolutely delicious and exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!

    5. The chicken was tender and delicious! I did add onion quarters and lime slices. I devoured it with rice! Thank you.

    6. Avatar photo
      Sophia Gardner

      I really love yogurt but I ‘ve never tried it with chicken before.So I made it last week. So delicious :).
      This is the perfect combination. Thanks for sharing.

    7. had something this past week that was just about like this. My friend said to look it up online and this is what I found. I’ve babied the chicken all afternoon and will be ready to bake it in about 2 hours. I expect it to be just about what I’m looking for. I’m serving fresh summer squash with it…

    8. Hi Katerina!
      Your recipe of Garlic Yogurt Baked Chicken looks amazing! i have already bought chicken thighs not breasts though.. so think they would work out with the recipe? Also it calls for yogurt but it doesn’t say if its greek or not..any recommendations? Thank you!!

    9. Hi

      Looking forward to trying this at the weekend, however, may sound a stupid question but what did you serve this with? I’m unsure between rice or potatoes?

      Thanks Mel
      x

        1. Avatar photo
          neil anderson

          that sounds interesting. could i get your big salad recipe? I think I’ve perfect the garlic chicken . 🙂

    10. Flavors were fantastic! Super easy. One of our new favorites. Would love to add the sliced lemon, did you cook on top or bake separately? Thanks!!!!

    11. I messed up, lol. My chicken breasts have been marinating all day but now I just realized I used 4 whole chicken breasts instead of the halves. So they’ve been marinating in half the marinade required (I was wondering why it barely seemed to cover the surface of them) and they’ll probably cook all strangely, too. Sigh.

      I guess I’ll just double the cooking time and panko crumbs and hope for the best.

      1. Katerina - Diethood
        Katerina Petrovska

        OH! haha 🙂 It might not take double the time to cook, but I hope that the marinade will be enough and the chicken won’t be dry! Let me know! Fingers crossed, it will be amazing! 😀

        1. I tried lowering the temperature to 350 and went up to a cooking time of an hour. It may need to cook longer than that but I hope the lower temperature will keep it from drying out as badly. I will let you know how it turns out!

        2. It turned out okay, but it definitely would have been tastier with less chicken! 😀 Can’t wait to make it again the right way!! Thanks for the awesome recipe. Went great with panko-parmesan-zucchini crisps!

    12. Stumbled across your site and this recipe while searching for a split pea soup recipe, of all things. [It was in a side-bar link.] This looks so good, I wish I could make it tonight! Unfortunately, no yogurt in the house. But this will be made and devoured soon, I promise! With some herb-seasoned rice and a nice, big green salad on the side, this will make a great meal.

      1. Katerina - Diethood
        Katerina Petrovska

        Hi Joann! Yes, those are lemon slices, I also added some sliced carrots and red onions… mostly for color, but they taste great, too! 🙂

        1. Hi!

          I had my heart set on making this (Garlic-Yogurt Chicken) tonight but missed the part about having to refrigerate 4- hours before cooking. Is that a requirement? I can place in fridge for about an hour only. If that wont work, ill have to make it another night.

          Thanks for your help. Your site is fantastic!

          XX
          Jessica

          1. Katerina - Diethood
            Katerina Petrovska

            Hi Jessica!! So, if you allow it to marinade, the flavors will be deeper and more distinct. If you can let it sit for at least one hour, then I’d go ahead and make it. It’s delicious no matter what! 😉 THANK YOU!!

            1. Katerina - Diethood
              Katerina Petrovska

              Hi Jo! Chicken can get mushy if left in marinades too long so a couple of hours is enough… overnight can be too much.

    13. Amazing! Seriously I’ve already made this recipe and just checked to see if I can cook with yoghurt and I can’t believe I’ve cooked it with the exact same ingredients! This doesn’t happen to me often and just wanted to say thanks for.the reassurance. 🙂

    14. Avatar photo
      The Chicken Recipe

      Looks delicious and i am gonna try this out today, Hope it will look delicious as your dish looks.

    15. I made this tonight and it was so good! My boyfriend liked it a lot, too, even though we got a little thyme’d-out a few months ago–this was a great way to bring thyme back into our cooking! I didn’t put any garnish in with the chicken; I just baked it alone with the bread crumbs (regular, not panko), and then I squirted a little lemon juice on top when I took them out of the oven. Delicious–thanks so much for sharing!! 🙂

      1. Katerina - Diethood
        Katerina Petrovska

        YAY! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! Thank you! And I’m lovin’ the “thymed-out”!! hahaha 🙂

    16. Made this for dinner last night and had to use two substitutes: greek yogurt and regular breadcrumbs as this was what I had in stock. Came out great, only I would suggest that if using regular bread crumbs to use half of a 1/4 cup suggested for the panko because mine didn’t seem get the “look” like the ones pictured here. Delicious meal and my husband LOVED it.

      1. Katerina - Diethood
        Katerina Petrovska

        HI! Sometimes, to make the photo work, I start throwing things on there to add contrast, color, etc… SO, I’m thinking it’s probably a bit of red paprika? 🙂

    17. Can I use a different brand name bread crumbs? I have Progresso Italian Style bread crumbs in my house… Or will that throw the flavor off?

      1. Katerina - Diethood
        Katerina Petrovska

        Hi Jaclynn! Yes, you can definitely use those bread crumbs – it will still taste just as good.

    18. So do you mean two whole chicken breasts cut into four halves or four whole chicken breasts cut into eight halves? I’m trying to double the recipe

      1. Katerina - Diethood
        Katerina Petrovska

        Hi Michaela!

        Yes, two whole chicken breasts cut in half. And, yes, double it – the more, the better! 😉 ENJOY!

    19. I made this for dinner. Wow!! Loaded with flavor. I did use Greek yogurt & dried thyme as that is what I had on hand. May cut back 5 min on cooking time, otherwise very happy. Extremely flavorful even my 4 yr old asked for seconds 🙂

    20. Hi Katerina, just made this for dinner along side Foxes love lemons loaded potatoes recipe and salad. It was amazing. The thyme in it brought everything together nicely. Thank you for sharing 🙂

    21. Are those oranges or lemons? And how long do you cook the veggies and citrus? Skinless chicken? Looks great!

      1. Katerina - Diethood
        Katerina Petrovska

        Hi! Yes, the chicken is skinless. The citrus is actually slices of lemon. Put everything in at the same time – together with the chicken breasts. Roasted veggies are the best! 🙂 Let me know how it goes! Have a great day!!

    22. Avatar photo
      Jennie @themessybakerblog

      We stuffed our faces with enchiladas on V-Day. Best. V-Day. Ever! I fell in love with this dish as soon as I saw it float across my Pinterest page. It looks rustic and comforting.

      1. Katerina - Diethood
        Katerina Petrovska

        Hi Zelda! That’s too thick … I just use plain yogurt. The brand I use is “Dannon”. Hope that helps!

    23. Avatar photo
      Maureen | Orgasmic Chef

      One peek and this dish needs to be mine. I can only imaging how flavorful this chicken is.

    24. Avatar photo
      Sue/theviewfromgreatisland

      This is stunning! This chicken and that Black Magic cake of yours would be my ideal meal!

    25. Avatar photo
      Julia@Vikalinka

      Not very often do I look at something and want to make it immediately but I do right now! That chicken looks purely scrumptious. I can’t wait to feed it to my family.

    26. Avatar photo
      easyfoodsmith

      Marinating the chicken in yogurt makes it so moist and tender and combined with the other flavors I am sure this chicken must have been amazing.

    27. Avatar photo
      Angie@Angie's Recipes

      I too enjoy chicken, esp. low fat chicken breast. Your baked chicken breast halves look amazing, Kate.

    Scroll to Top