Add a new versatile chicken recipe to your rotation with this curried yogurt marinated chicken! This recipe is made with common ingredients but produces flavorful and tender meat. Perfect as a main dish, on rice bowls and salads, in wraps, and more!
Table of contents
- This yogurt chicken recipe is...
- Recipe ingredients:
- Ingredient substitutions:
- How to make this yogurt marinade for chicken...
- Recipe pro-tips:
- Recipe FAQs:
- How to make this chicken on the stovetop:
- How to make your own chicken cutlets:
- Serving suggestions:
- Freezing the chicken in the marinade:
- Dietary adaptations:
- Storage directions:
- Tools needed to make this recipe:
- Other chicken recipes you'll love:
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Please tell me I'm not alone when I say that there's no such thing as too many good chicken recipes.
When the protein is easy to find, palatable to many, and versatile, I find it hard not to consider chicken for dinner most nights!
Thankfully, there are many ways to keep chicken from getting boring. Whip it up in a stir-fry, simmer it in a Thai curry, or bake it up with a crispy panko topping -- just to name a few ideas!
And of course, there are always chicken marinades. Such a simple, yet effective way to infuse your chicken with flavor. Just whisk up your marinade and marinate your chicken the night before (or before leaving for work in the morning!).
Come dinner time, the chicken cooks up in under 15 minutes and usually serves well with a variety of sides. Pretty perfect as far as weeknight dinners go, I'd say!
This yogurt marinated chicken is a recipe I've been playing with for a while. Thanks to the lactic acid in the yogurt, this chicken is uniquely tender. Curry powder brings dimension and spice without heat, and a generous finishing squeeze of lime highlights the other flavors and pulls it all together.
Most importantly, this chicken is made with simple and easy-to-find ingredients. Add cayenne pepper or sriracha to the marinade to bring some extra heat, but otherwise this dish is family, friendly, versatile, and great any day of the week.
This yogurt chicken recipe is...
- Tender
- Juicy
- Lightly spiced (but not spicy)
- Family-friendly
This curried yogurt chicken is surprisingly versatile and easy to make. Check it out and add it to your meal rotation today!
Recipe ingredients:
- Chicken cutlets - or, chicken breasts cut in half. See my notes below on how to make your own chicken cutlets.
- Curry powder - storebought or homemade; please note: not garam masala
- Plain yogurt - low-fat or whole milk are best; non-fat yogurt doesn't provide enough flavor
- Honey
- Salt
- Onion - yellow or white
- Lime juice - preferably fresh
Ingredient substitutions:
- Chicken - chicken tenders, boneless skinless chicken thighs, or boneless skinless breasts cut into thirds or quarters also work in this recipe
- Sweetener - agave syrup can substitute for the honey
- Yogurt - 2% or whole milk Greek yogurt can work in place of plain yogurt
- Citrus - sour orange juice or lemon juice can substitute for the lime juice in a pinch
How to make this yogurt marinade for chicken...
- Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until combined.
- Add the chicken to the yogurt marinade and turn to cover.
- Marinate the chicken covered in the refrigerator for 2 - 24 hours.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Place the chicken on the grill (there is no need to wipe the marinade off the chicken) and grill for 8-10 minutes, turning every 2-3 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Recipe pro-tips:
- Pay attention to grill hot spots - so you can cook the chicken evenly. If you notice a hot spot, either avoid it or evenly rotate chicken pieces onto it as they cook.
- Marinate the chicken longer for more flavor and tenderness - or, for up to 24 hours. The longer the chicken marinates in the yogurt, the more tender and flavorful it will be.
- Use low-fat or full-fat yogurt - partial or full-fat yogurt brings a richness to the chicken that non-fat yogurt doesn't. If you are concerned about higher-fat yogurt, know that most of the yogurt brushes off the chicken as it grills.
- Give your chicken some heat - by stirring ½- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (also known as ground red pepper) or 1-2 teaspoons sriracha into the yogurt marinade.
Recipe FAQs:
The acid in yogurt, lactic acid, tenderizes the chicken to make it ultra juicy and tender.
Chicken can safely marinate in yogurt for up to 24 hours. As with other marinades, always marinate your chicken in yogurt covered in the refrigerator.
No, you do not need to rinse off yogurt marinade before grilling. Any marinade that adheres to the chicken will likely fall off the chicken as it cooks. The remaining yogurt coating will caramelize as it cooks, creating beautiful (and delicious) grill marks.
Chicken can safely marinate in most marinades covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Some marinades are more acidic than others, however, so pay attention to the specific marinade's directions so you don't over-marinate the chicken. For this chicken, it can safely marinate for up to 24 hours.
How to make this chicken on the stovetop:
You can make this chicken year-round thanks to the stovetop! Here's how:
- Marinate as directed.
- Preheat a stovetop grill pan over medium or medium-high heat. Spray with non-stick spray.
- Place the chicken on the grill pan, discarding the remaining marinade. Cook for 8-10 minutes, turning the chicken every 2-3 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Squeeze lime juice over the chicken and serve!
How to make your own chicken cutlets:
Chicken cutlets are sold in the refrigerated meat section of most major grocers here in the US. If you can't find them or don't have them on hand, however, you can make your own.
To make chicken culets, just slice boneless skinless chicken breasts lengthwise through the thickest part of the breast.
Serving suggestions:
This curry yogurt chicken is delicious served with any of the following sides:
- Jasmine rice or basmati rice
- Rice pilaf
- Air fryer zucchini or grilled zucchini
- Blistered green beans
- Paratha bread
- Whole wheat naan bread
- Side salad
- Cucumber tomato (kachumber) salad
Freezing the chicken in the marinade:
Make multiple batches of this chicken to enjoy later. Just freeze the chicken in the marinade in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost fully in the refrigerator until thawed (or about 24-36 hours) before grilling as directed.
Dietary adaptations:
- Gluten-free- this recipe is naturally gluten-free
- Dairy-free - make this recipe dairy-free by using soy or nut milk yogurt
Storage directions:
Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. They do not freeze well.
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Tools needed to make this recipe:
Other chicken recipes you'll love:
- Mexican Chicken Marinade
- The Best Grilled Chicken Thighs
- Spicy Honey Chicken Marinade
- Asian Chicken Marinade
- Rubbed Turmeric Chicken
- Skinny Orange Chicken Recipe
- Sheet Pan Mojo Chicken
- Instant Pot Barbecue Chicken
Curried Yogurt Marinated Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 ½ tablespoon honey
- ½ cup minced yellow or white onion
- 1 ½ lb chicken cutlets
- 1 lime juiced; or 1 ½ tablespoons lime juice
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the yogurt, salt, curry powder, honey, and onion together until combined.
- Add the chicken to the yogurt marinade and turn to cover.
- Marinate the chicken covered in the refrigerator for 2 - 24 hours. The longer the better, as this will impart the best flavor into the chicken.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Place the chicken on the grill, discarding the remaining marinade. (Note: there is no need to wipe the marinade off the chicken.) Grill the chicken for 8-10 minutes, turning every 2-3 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the chicken on a plate. Tent with foil or another plate, if desired, and let rest for 5 minutes. Squeeze lime juice over the chicken and serve hot!
Notes
- Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. They do not freeze well.
- Make your own chicken cutlets by slicing boneless skinless chicken breasts lengthwise through the thickest part of the breast.
- Freeze the chicken in the marinade in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost fully in the refrigerator until thawed (or about 24-36 hours). Grill as directed.
