Lebanese Chicken Middle Eastern Spices (Printer-friendly)
Tender chicken thighs marinated in Middle Eastern spices, served with a fresh garlic and herb yogurt sauce. Perfect for a flavorful family dinner.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken Marinade
01 - 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs (approximately 1.3 pounds)
02 - 3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
03 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - Juice of 1 lemon
06 - 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
07 - 1½ teaspoons ground coriander
08 - 1 teaspoon ground paprika
09 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 - ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
11 - 1 teaspoon salt
12 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Herby Yogurt Sauce
13 - 7 ounces plain Greek yogurt (approximately 1 cup)
14 - 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
17 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
18 - ½ teaspoon salt
19 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Serving Accompaniments
20 - 1 red onion, thinly sliced
21 - 1 small cucumber, sliced
22 - 2 tomatoes, sliced
23 - Fresh parsley leaves
24 - Lemon wedges
# How to Make It:
01 - Whisk together Greek yogurt, olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, ground cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, salt, and black pepper in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.
02 - Add chicken thighs to the bowl and toss to coat evenly with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight for maximum flavor penetration.
03 - Preheat oven to 400°F or prepare a grill pan over medium-high heat.
04 - Remove excess marinade from chicken and arrange thighs on a parchment-lined baking sheet or grill pan. Roast or grill for 30 to 35 minutes, turning once halfway through, until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
05 - Combine Greek yogurt, grated garlic, chopped mint, parsley, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly and refrigerate until serving.
06 - Arrange cooked chicken on a serving platter and garnish with sliced red onion, cucumber, tomatoes, parsley leaves, and lemon wedges. Serve chilled herby yogurt sauce alongside.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The yogurt marinade makes the chicken impossibly tender, like it has been slow cooking for hours even though it takes minutes
- The spice blend hits every note, warm and bright and comforting all at once
02 -
- The yogurt tenderizes the meat, but do not marinate longer than 24 hours or the texture starts getting weird
- Pat the chicken semi dry before cooking, too much wet marinade makes it steam instead of roast
03 -
- Line your baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup, the spiced yogurt can caramelize and stick
- Grate the garlic for the sauce on a microplane, it disappears into the yogurt without any harsh raw chunks