Creamy Chimichurri Roast Chicken

I love an amazing sauce. In this dish, the creamy and velvety yogurt-herb sauce is used as both the marinade and the condiment served with the finished meal. Yogurt-based marinades always result in such tender meat- delicious!

This recipe was adapted from the Bon Appétit “healthyish” issue, contributed by Shilpa Uskokovic. The original recipe also suggests serving the sauce with meatballs, zucchini fritters, roasted mushrooms, or turkey burgers.

I served the chicken with roasted potatoes and broccoli- which were also both delicious drizzled with the creamy chimichurri sauce.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

For the Marinade & Sauce:

• 9 large garlic cloves
• 2 1/2 cups (packed) cilantro leaves with tender stems
• 2 cups (packed) parsley leaves with tender stems
• 4 T red wine vinegar
• 1 T plus 1 tsp Diamond Crystal or 2 1/4 tsp Morton kosher salt
• 1 T plus 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 8 oz (1 cup) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt

For the Chicken & To Assemble:

• 1 4-pound whole chicken, backbone removed, patted dry
• 2 tsp Diamond Crystal or 1 1/4 tsp Morton kosher salt
• roasted broccoli and potatoes, for serving, optional

To Make the Sauce:

1. Pulse garlic cloves, cilantro, parsley, red wine vinegar, salt, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) extra-virgin olive oil in a food processor until combined and herbs are very finely chopped but not puréed.
2. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl and add the Greek yogurt and remaining 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Whisk vigorously until emulsified (makes about 2 1/2 cups).

Do ahead: Sauce can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill. Whisk just before using.

To Make the Chicken & To Assemble:

1. Place the chicken, backbone removed, patted dry, breast side up, on a cutting board; open up against surface as much as possible. Using your palms, press firmly on breastbone to flatten breast (you may hear a crack).
2. Transfer chicken to a large bowl and rub all over with salt and 3/4 cup yogurt-herb sauce.
3. Cover and chill at least 2 hours and, preferably, up to 12 hours (no need to bring to room temperature before roasting).
4. Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°. (I set my oven to convection roast.)
5. Transfer chicken to a wire rack set inside a large parchment paper-lined, rimmed baking sheet; spread any marinade left in large bowl over skin.
6. Roast chicken, rotating baking sheet halfway through, until skin is deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of a thigh registers 165°, 50–60 minutes. (I used the oven probe and then confirmed the internal temperature with a separate thermometer.) (I roasted the potatoes in the same oven.)
7. Let rest 10 minutes. (This is a good time to roast additional vegetables.) Cut into pieces and transfer chicken to a platter.
8. If it has separated, whisk remaining sauce in medium bowl; drizzle chicken with sauce and serve remaining sauce at the table.

Turkish Grilled Chicken with Yogurt Marinade

What an amazing meal. Yogurt-based marinades are typically my favorite and this one was no exception. The chicken was incredibly tender and packed with flavor.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Lidey Heuck. The recipe was inspired by Turkish chicken kebabs.

We ate this grilled chicken with Zucchini and Chickpea Salad with Tahini Yogurt – it was a wonderful accompaniment. I also served warm naan and brown Basmati rice on the side.

Yield: 6 servings

• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (I used whole-milk Greek yogurt)
• 4 garlic cloves, grated or pushed through a garlic press
• 1 T chopped fresh oregano (or 1 tsp dried oregano)
• 1 1/2 tsp minced fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
• 1 T olive oil, plus more for the grill (or pan)
• 1 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or 3/4 tsp Morton), plus more for serving
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
• 1 lemon
• 2 1/2 to 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 10 thighs)
• chopped fresh parsley or oregano, for serving

1. In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, garlic, oregano, thyme, olive oil, salt and pepper.
2. Zest the lemon over the bowl, reserving the rest of the lemon for serving. Whisk until smooth.
3. Add the chicken thighs, toss to coat, then cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or up to 24. Remove chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.
4. If using a grill, clean and oil the grates. Set the grill to medium-high. (Alternatively, heat a grill pan slicked with olive oil on the stovetop over medium-high.)
5. Grill the chicken for 6 to 8 minutes on each side (depending on the thickness of the thighs), covering the grill halfway through if necessary to retain heat, until cooked through, with an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
6. Transfer the chicken thighs to a platter and squeeze half the lemon over them.
7. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and parsley, and serve with lemon wedges or lemon slices on the side, as desired.

Grilled Za’atar Chicken Thighs & Tomatoes with Garlic Yogurt Sauce

My husband made this full-flavored grilled chicken for my birthday dinner. One of our favorite grilled chicken marinades is yogurt-based. It truly results in the most juicy and flavorful meat. Because yogurt is more gentle than vinegar or lemon juice used in other marinades, the marinating time can be extended without altering the texture of the meat. Making the marinade a day in advance is perfect when activities are planned for the day of the meal and there is little time to spend in the kitchen.

Much of my birthday celebration was focused on food- no surprise. 🙂 My first surprise was a very special breakfast pastry delivery from Dominique Ansel in NYC. (I am a huge fan!) So beautiful, I had to take a few photos.

If that wasn’t enough, we enjoyed the beautiful weather by going out to lunch at a favorite outdoor spot. Lovely.

We ate this grilled chicken over rice for dinner. This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. The original recipe suggests serving it with pita and cucumber-tomato salad. I loved it with grilled tomatoes. We also had warm naan on the side.

My daughter and I made Strawberry Crumb Cake for our celebratory dessert. We ate it warm with vanilla ice cream. ❤

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 6 garlic cloves, finely grated, pressed, or minced
• 2 lemons, zested
• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (I used Greek yogurt)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more sprigs for garnish
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the tomatoes and for serving
• 1 1/2 tablespoons za’atar, plus more for serving
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or marjoram, plus more sprigs for garnish
• 1 3/4 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 to 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used 8)
• 8 to 10 Campari tomatoes
• pita, rice, or naan, for serving, as desired

1. In a large bowl or container, stir together 5 of the grated garlic cloves, half the lemon zest, 1/3 cup yogurt, the cilantro, oil, za’atar, oregano or marjoram, salt and black pepper. Add chicken and toss until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. When ready to cook, light the grill to medium (or heat your broiler with the rack 3 inches from the heat source).
3. Remove chicken from bowl, shaking off any excess marinade, and grill or broil on one side until charred in spots, 5 to 8 minutes. Flip the chicken and grill or broil for another 5 to 8 minutes, until just cooked through. Using an instant-read thermometer, the meat should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
4. Brush the Campari tomatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Thread onto skewers. Grill until heated through, slightly charred, and soft.
5. While the chicken and tomatoes are cooking, place remaining 2/3 cup yogurt in a small bowl. Stir in the reserve grated garlic clove and lemon zest, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Cut one zested lemon in half and set aside for serving (save the other zested lemon for another use).
7. To serve, place chicken on a serving platter and drizzle with olive oil and a large squeeze of the zested lemon. (We served it over Basmati rice and drizzled it with the juices accumulated after removing the chicken from the grill.)
8. Top with cilantro and oregano or marjoram sprigs and serve with yogurt sauce.

Sheet-Pan Garam Masala Chicken with Cauliflower & Chickpeas

I love yogurt-based marinades because the resulting meat is always juicy and tender. This dish not only had a yogurt marinade, it was made on a single sheet pan and had a bright and spicy “finishing condiment” as well. A winner. 🙂

The rimmed sheet pan did accumulate a lot of pan juices, but the chicken and cauliflower were still perfectly crispy on top. The cauliflower and chickpeas absorbed a lot of wonderful flavors from the pan drippings as well.

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Kat Boytsova. I added chickpeas and served the roasted chicken, cauliflower, and beans over rice, drizzled with pan juices. We also had warm naan on the side. The lemony cilantro-onion-jalapeño finishing condiment was essential and absolutely delicious.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

For the Chicken:

• 3″ piece ginger, peeled
• 2 cups whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup (or more) 2% Greek yogurt, for serving (can substitute whole-milk yogurt)
• 2 lemons
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3 T garam masala, divided
• 8 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 lbs)
• 2 T plus 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1 15-oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 head of jumbo cauliflower (about 3 lbs)
• 3 T vegetable oil or olive oil

For the Finishing Condiment:

• 1/2 yellow onion
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and ribbed- if desired
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• rice and/or warm flatbread, for serving, optional

To Marinate the Chicken & Prepare the Dish:

1. Place a rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 425°. (I set my oven to convection roast.) Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.
2. Finely grate 3″ piece ginger into a medium bowl. Transfer all but 1 teaspoon of the grated ginger to a large resealable plastic bag, reserving ginger in bowl for the finishing condiment. (I used a gallon-size bag.)
3. Add 2 cups whole-milk yogurt to bag with ginger.
4. Cut 1 lemon in half crosswise and squeeze juice from each half into the yogurt mixture.
5. Add cayenne and 2 T plus 1 tsp garam masala. Seal bag and shake to combine.
6. Season 8 chicken pieces with 5 tsp salt. (I placed the chicken on a plate, seasoned with half the salt, turned each piece over, and seasoned with the rest of the salt.)
7. Place chicken pieces in the marinade bag, seal, and shake again to cover all the pieces.
8. Squeeze out as much air as you can from the bag, which makes sure that all the chicken is covered with the marinade. Let marinate at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or keep in the fridge for up to 4 hours. (I marinated the chicken 3 hours in advance, letting it come closer to room temperature for 20 minutes or so before roasting.)
9. Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans. Lay out on a paper towel to dry thoroughly.
10. Cut 1 head of cauliflower into quarters through stem end. Place quarters cut side down and remove most of the core. The cauliflower florets should fall apart and separate naturally, but you can slice any larger florets in half or into quarters until all florets are about 2″ in size. You want the more or less evenly sized so they’re cook evenly.
11. Transfer cauliflower and beans to the prepared baking sheet.
12. Drizzle 3 T oil and 1 1/2 tsp salt over and toss to coat. Spread evenly all the way to edges of pan, making sure that the pieces aren’t too crowded, otherwise they’ll steam instead of roasting. (If you ended up with more cauliflower than can fit in a single layer, take some out and save it for something else.)
13. Remove chicken from marinade, slightly shaking off excess. Arrange on baking sheet skin side up, nestling into cauliflower. (It’s okay if some marinade clings to the chicken, just make sure it’s not pooling in pan.)
14. Roast chicken and cauliflower, turning pan halfway through and moving chicken around with tongs to ensure even browning, until chicken skin is blistered, meat is tender all the way to the bone, and cauliflower is nicely charred, 35–40 minutes. (The internal temperature should reach 165 degrees.) Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

To Make the Finishing Condiment and to Serve:

1. Chop the onion, place it in a colander, and rinse it with cold water. (This removes some of the onion’s sharpness.)
2. In the bowl of a food processor, finely chop the cilantro.
3. Add the onion to the food processor, finely chop.
4. Add onion and cilantro to the bowl with the reserved ginger (from step 2 above).
5. Finely grate zest of remaining lemon into the bowl. Cut lemon in half and squeeze 1 half into the bowl; reserve remaining half for another use.
6. Remove seeds and ribs from the jalapeño, if desired, finely chop. Alternatively, it can be thinly sliced into rings. Add to the bowl.
7. Season with remaining 2 tsp garam masala and 3/4 tsp salt.
8. Mix with a spoon to combine, taste, and add more salt and lemon juice if necessary.
9. Arrange chicken, beans, and cauliflower over rice, if desired, on individual plates or on a platter. Drizzle with pan juices, as desired.
10. Top with lemon condiment and serve with a dollop of yogurt or yogurt to pass at the table, as desired. (I served 2% Greek yogurt with the meal.)

Double Mustard Sheet-Pan Chicken with Potatoes and Greens

I have a couple sheet-pan dinners to share. Cooking an entire meal on one sheet pan may be the ultimate method for easy back to school dinners. Love it.

This dish uses Dijon mustard in the marinade and whole grain mustard in the dressing. Perfect for all of the mustard chicken fans in my house.

This recipe was adapted from epicurious.com, contributed by Anna Stockwell. I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs, reduced the oil, and substituted my beautiful CSA arugula for the frisée. We ate it with Ritzy Summer-Squash Casserole. Great.

Yield: 6 servings

For the Chicken Marinade & Potatoes:

• 2 T Dijon mustard
• 2 T honey
• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 8 to 10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 4 whole chicken legs (thigh and drumstick; about 2 lbs total), patted dry (I used 9 boneless, skinless chicken thighs)
• 2 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1 to 1 1/2 lbs baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved lengthwise
• 4 rosemary sprigs

For the Dressing & To Serve:

• 1 large garlic clove, finely grated
• 3 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 4 tsp whole grain mustard
• 4 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 6 to 8 cups arugula, 1 small head of frisée, or 1/2 small head of escarole, trimmed, torn into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 cup parsley leaves

1. Place a rack in top third of oven; preheat to 375°F, preferably on convection roast.
2. Whisk Dijon mustard, 2 T honey, and 1 T olive oil in a medium bowl to combine.
3. Season chicken on all sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Transfer to bowl with honey mustard and toss to coat. (I marinated the chicken for 4 hours in the refrigerator.)
4. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss potatoes with remaining 2 T olive oil, 1 tsp salt, and remaining 1/2 tsp pepper.
5. Arrange chicken, “skin side” down, in the center of the sheet pan; discard excess marinade.
6. Arrange potatoes around outside of pan in an even layer, then turn cut side down (this will help them brown better). Arrange rosemary over potatoes.
7. Roast until chicken, flipping over to “skin side” up after 15 minutes, and potatoes are golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 165°F, 20 to 25 minutes for boneless, skinless thighs or up to 30–40 minutes for bone-in meat.
8. Meanwhile, make the dressing. Whisk garlic, lemon juice, whole grain mustard, olive oil, honey, and salt in a small bowl. Adjust seasoning, to taste.
9. Divide greens and parsley among plates, drizzle with dressing, then top with chicken and potatoes. Drizzle additional dressing over chicken and potatoes. Garnish with chopped parsley, as desired.

Do Ahead: Chicken can be marinated 8 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

Cilantro-Lime Chicken Thighs

This is another Mexican-inspired chicken dish. I coarsely hand-shredded this juicy chicken to serve as a taco filling with loads of toppings. It would also be wonderful in a burrito bowl or simply on it’s own with street corn, refried beans and rice. Yum.

The recipe was adapted from DamnDelicious.com. I marinated the chicken for 6 hours and it was very flavorful. I broiled the chicken instead of pan frying it as well. It would also be perfect grilled.

Yield: Serves 4

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 2 T freshly squeezed lime juice, plus wedges for serving
• 1 T lime zest
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used 4 large thighs)
• cooked rice and refried beans, for serving, as desired
• guacamole or avocado slices, for serving, as desired
• corn, red onion, shredded cheese, tomatoes, and salsa, for serving, as desired
• hot sauce and sour cream, for serving, as desired
• flour or corn tortillas for serving as a burrito or tacos, optional

1. In a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.
2. In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken and cilantro mixture; marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight, turning the bag occasionally. (I marinated the chicken for 6 hours.)
3. Preheat broiler or grill.
4. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on a rimmed baking sheet, if broiling.
5. Cook the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 4-5 minutes per side.
6. Let rest and cool slightly to coarsely hand-shred (to use as a taco or burrito filling).
7. Serve with rice and refried beans and assorted toppings, as desired.

Sheet-Pan Chicken with Chickpeas, Cumin, & Turmeric

I love yogurt marinades because the resulting meat is always extremely tender. This dish was particularly great because it used a yogurt marinade with a short marinating time, only 30 minutes.  It was also a sheet-pan dish which made it a full-flavored weeknight meal.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Alison Roman. I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of bone-in, and substituted caraway seeds for the fennel seeds. We ate it garnished with the yogurt sauce and lemony red onions, with Basmati rice and roasted vegetables on the side. Perfect.

• 10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or 1 (3 1/2 to 4 pound) chicken, cut into parts (alternatively, 3 to 3 1/2 pounds of bone-in, skin-on chicken parts, such as breasts, thighs and legs)
• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 ½ cups full-fat Greek yogurt, divided
• 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric, divided
• 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon caraway seeds or fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 large red onion, thinly sliced, divided
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ cup mint or cilantro leaves, torn
• Basmati rice, for serving

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Combine 3/4 cup yogurt, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon turmeric and 2 tablespoons water in a large bowl. Season well with salt and pepper. (It should be on the salty side, as this is a marinade.) Add chicken and toss to coat evenly. Let sit at least 30 minutes at room temperature, and up to overnight in the refrigerator.
3. Place oven rack on the top third of the oven and heat to 425 degrees, preferably on convection roast.
4. Combine chickpeas, fennel/caraway seeds, cumin, remaining teaspoon of turmeric and half the red onion slices on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
5. Move chickpeas to the outer edges of the baking sheet. Scrape any excess marinade off the chicken, and place the chicken parts in the center.
6. Place baking sheet in oven and bake, tossing chickpeas occasionally, until the skin of the chicken is evenly browned and the chickpeas are golden and starting to crisp, about 30 minutes for boneless meat and up to 45 to 50 minutes for bone-in meat. Be sure to toss the chickpeas occasionally as they roast to encourage them to get coated in the chicken fat as it renders.
7. Meanwhile, toss remaining onion slices with 2 tablespoons lemon juice and season with salt and pepper; set aside.
8. Combine remaining yogurt with remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice and season with salt and pepper; set aside.
9. Once chicken is ready, scatter with lemony onions and mint or cilantro, as desired.
10. Serve with seasoned yogurt alongside as a sauce.

One Year Ago:

• Pan-Roasted Chicken with Harissa Chickpeas

Two Years Ago:

• Scallops & Polenta

Three Years Ago:

• Indian-Spiced Chicken

Four Years Ago:

• Napa Cabbage Curry
• Pork Tenderloin with Mustard-Wine Sauce