The most tender, flavorful, delicious chicken? This Yogurt Chicken is in the running! The easy chicken recipe is delicious on its own, shredded for kids, or added to pasta, rice, or another favorite meal. Plus, it stores well and can be served cold or warm.
Yogurt Chicken
We love Baked Chicken Tenders and Chicken Nuggets, and I wanted to try to have another easy option in the rotation that wasn’t breaded. This version, which uses yogurt and pantry spices to make a quick marinade, is incredibly tender and perfect for shredding. That makes it a great chicken recipe for babies, toddlers, and really anyone who’s interested!
I usually make this recipe in the air fryer, but you can also bake it. It’s very flexible and quick to prepare.
Ingredients You Need
To make this chicken recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Chicken tenders: I love using chicken tenders here since they are thin and cook so fast, but you can also cut chicken breast into strips or use boneless chicken thighs.
- Yogurt: Greek or regular plain whole-milk yogurt helps make the chicken super moist.
- Spices: I use a mix of garlic powder, cumin, oregano, and salt to flavor the chicken.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Below is an overview of how to make this recipe. Scroll to the end of the post for the full information and recipe.
- Add all of the ingredients to a wide pie plate or bowl.
- Stir to coat well. Cover and marinate.
- Preheat the air fryer or oven and add the chicken.
- Cook until just cooked through. Serve warm, room temperature, or chilled.
TIP: I usually don’t turn this over since it cooks so fast, but you can if you’d like to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Marinating chicken in yogurt helps the chicken stay very moist and very tender.
No, leave it on and cook the chicken as directed. The marinade will be absorbed into the chicken adding flavor and tenderness.
I prefer to use plain whole milk Greek yogurt. You can use regular style yogurt, too, if you prefer.
What goes well with Yogurt Chicken?
We love to pair this recipe with one or two of the following:
How to Store
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Serve warm, room temperature, or chilled.
Best Tips for Success
- Shred, slice, or dice for easy eating as needed.
- Use plain whole-milk Greek or regular yogurt.
- To make these with whole chicken breast, slice it into 1-inch strips and proceed with the recipe.
- To make with chicken thighs, follow the recipe as written and increase the cooking time by 2-4 minutes, or cook until the chicken registers 160 degrees F with an instant-read meat thermometer.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback on this recipe, so please comment and rate it below!
Yogurt Chicken (Baked or Air Fried)
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken tenders
- ¼ cup plain regular or Greek yogurt (I use whole-milk yogurt)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add the chicken, yogurt, and spices to a wide bowl. Mix with a fork to coat the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours.
- To air-fry: Heat the air fryer to 400 degrees F. Coat the tray with nonstick spray. When heated, add the chicken and cook for 8 minutes.
- To bake in the oven: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet or pie plate with either nonstick spray or parchment paper. Place chicken onto the prepared pan and bake for 12-14 minutes or until cooked through.
Equipment
Notes
- Serve warm, room temperature, or chilled. Shred, slice, or dice for easy eating as needed.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Use plain whole-milk Greek or regular yogurt.
- To make these with whole chicken breast, slice it into 1-inch strips and proceed with the recipe.
- To make with chicken thighs, follow the recipe as written and increase the cooking time by 2-4 minutes, or cook until the chicken registers 160 degrees F with an instant read meat thermometer.
Would you recommend doing this with chicken wings instead of tenders?
I haven’t tried that but it might works similarly.
This is such a simple and delicious recipe. It is now part of my regular rotation as it satisfies my 7 year old and my husband (one is into plain foods and the other prefers tons of herbs/spices). Thank you, as always, for being so generous with your recipe shares.
Duh – nevermind – just saw baking instructions on the printed recipe!
Oh good!
What would you recommend for baking instead of air fryer?
Can this be frozen?
Sure, after cooking and cooling, you can freeze in a freezer bag or container.
Hi! This came our great! I’m now trying to eat a diet lower in saturated fat (per my dietician). Do you think non-fat Greek yogurt would work? Thanks!
Sure, it should work the same.
Wow. First chicken my 5.5 yo LOVES. Thank you!
So yummy and very easy. Made with regular yogurt instead of Greek. Everyone loved it from hubs to 2 year old. Thank you for making dinner so easy and yum!
I made this along with cheesy rice for my family and it was a hit! So simple and so yummy. In the words of my 3 year old….”This is deee-wicious!” Thank you for another amazing recipe!
This chicken is delicious and my picky 6 year old loved it! Such a win in this household.
Fantastic recipe, thank you! My 14mo twins are just graduating from whole foods to more interesting things and I’m so grateful for this site. My personal preference would be to cut the salt in half for this recipe. But my twins literally ate it faster than I could put pieces down!
I’m glad they enjoyed it. You can totally reduce the salt next time if you prefer!
This chicken was so easy and delicious! Anxious to try some more of your recipes.
Is there something you can sub the cumin for if someone can’t eat it or would you just recommend leaving it out?
You can just leave it out if you prefer!
This chicken is FIRE. Truly the best chicken recipe! Kids gobbled it up and asked for seconds!
Glad to hear it!
Can you freeze it?
Would this work with soy yogurt?
It should as long as it’s plain and unsweetened.