Greek Yogurt Chicken Marinade with Ginger and Lemon

This mouthwatering dish is made by soaking your chicken overnight in a tasty Greek yogurt marinade. The marinade features onion, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, and garam masala, so you can imagine how flavorful it is. Allowing the chicken to marinate for such a long time really infuses it with the aromatic flavors and gives it a truly special taste.

The recipe also includes directions for making a cucumber salad to serve on the side. Although you can omit that if you want, it is included here because it goes so amazingly well with the chicken. Also, you might wish to serve pita or naan bread with this, to make it a full meal. The cucumber salad is cooling and refreshing, which is the perfect contrast with the spiced chicken drumsticks. Without marinating, this meal simply would not be the same. The drumsticks would seem bland when served with the creamy cucumber salad, whereas using the marinade really livens them up and gives incredible results.

Use this marinade if you like Indian spices and if you want to make your chicken super-delicious. This is a nice marinade to use if you have friends coming over for a barbecue and you want to make something slightly different for them. They are sure to adore the flavors in this marinade because they permeate right through the meat.

Indian Chicken Marinade with Greek Yogurt

Summary: This fusion marinade combines Greek yogurt with Indian spices, to bring you a truly mouthwatering flavor experience. Chicken drumsticks have never been so easy to prepare or exciting to eat.

Contributed by Christine Szalay-Kudra

Published Friday, June 08, 2012

Ingredients

8 whole skinless chicken drumsticks
3 whole minced garlic cloves
1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon garam masala
3 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger

For the Cucumber Salad:

1 whole peeled, seeded, sliced cucumber
1 whole white onion
¼ cup cilantro
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons olive oil
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Pita or naan bread, to serve (optional)

Instructions

Chop half the onion and thinly slice the other half.

Add the chopped half to a blender, along with 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice, the garlic, and ginger.

Puree until smooth, and then transfer to a bowl and stir in the garam masala, Greek yogurt, 2 teaspoons of salt and a teaspoon of pepper.

Add the chicken and toss to coat, then cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or up to 24 hours.

Preheat the grill to medium.

Remove the chicken from the marinade, wiping off any excess.

Grill it for about 12 minutes or until cooked through, turning occasionally.

Combine the cucumber, cilantro, sliced onion, oil, and remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Serve the chicken with this cucumber salad, and also some pita or naan bread if liked.

Further details

Enough for (Serves 4).

Preparation time is approximately 15 min

This is what chicken drumsticks look like after you have marinated them or applied a rub. In the picture they are still raw but they will gradually cook to golden brown perfection, and the flavors from the marinade will stay clear and strong. Feel free to adapt any chicken marinade recipe. You can see the garam masala on the chicken, but also some finely chopped herbs which do not feature in the recipe. This could be mint, since that would be beautiful with the Greek yogurt, so add some mint to your marinade too if you want.

Marinade for Chicken Kabobs with Herbs

This delicious marinade contains thyme, parsley, oregano, and rosemary for an herby flavor. It also contains garlic, lemon juice, and mustard. The chicken is threaded on to skewers with sweet onion and bell pepper, to add color and crunch, and these ingredients are also soaked in the marinade, so everything has the same delicious taste. Making kabobs is really easy and if you want to grill some chicken you might like to consider these.

You can marinate the poultry in this marinade for chicken kabobs for four to twenty four hours, depending how much time you have and how strong you want the marinade flavor to be. Perhaps you are not a beginner to kabobs, since this is quite a basic thing to make, and most people who are experienced with the grill have made kabobs at one time or another. But have you ever marinated the chicken first?

It actually makes quite a lot of difference to the finished dish, since the kabobs will boast the subtle, aromatic flavors of everything in the marinade, and the herbs, lemon, mustard and other ingredients complement the natural mildness of the chicken beautifully, and turn a simple dish into a gourmet delight without adding a whole lot of work for the cook.

Chicken Kabob Marinade with Garlic and Herbs

Summary: In this recipe, chicken is marinated in a tasty herb mixture and then threaded on to skewers with onion and bell pepper, to make colorful and mouthwatering kabobs.

Contributed by Christine Szalay-Kudra

Published Monday, October 07, 2011

Ingredients

2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cubed
2 whole minced garlic cloves
½ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 whole red bell pepper, in 2 inch strips
1 whole green bell pepper, in 2 inch strips
1 whole Vidalia onion, in wedges
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

Instructions

Combine the garlic, olive oil, thyme, pepper, parsley, lemon juice, oregano, mustard, and rosemary to make the marinade.

Add the marinade to a big Ziploc bag, along with the chicken, onion, and bell pepper.

Seal and squish the bag so everything is well coated.

Refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the grill to moderately high.

Discard the marinade and thread the chicken and veggies on to skewers, leaving a small space between each piece of chicken or vegetable.

Oil the grill grate lightly.

Grill the chicken kabobs for 10 minutes, turning them when necessary, or until the chicken is cooked.

Further details

Enough for (Makes 5 Kabobs).

Preparation time is approximately 15 min

Marinade for Chicken Kabobs

Adding bell pepper adds plenty of color to these tasty marinated kabobs, as you can see from the picture, and the bell pepper and onion also add plenty of flavor and nutrients. Choose from sweet onion, red onion or just regular onion, depending what is available and which you prefer. You can see how the light charring on the kabobs makes them look even more appealing, and these are sure to be received with glee when you serve them to your family or dinner guests. Everyone loves juicy kabobs with herb-marinated chicken!

Lemon Mint Yogurt Chicken Marinade

The live cultures in yogurt are able to break down the proteins in chicken, which gives juicy, tender results. If you are looking for a way to make moist, succulent and delicious chicken, try soaking your poultry in this mint yogurt chicken marinade and prepare to be amazed at the results.

Give the chicken at least eight hours so the yogurt can work its magic, and not only will it be really tasty but the texture will be soft and tender too, giving you an all-round great chicken feast. Serve this excellent recipe with potato salad or bread, and maybe a simple salad on the side to showcase the grilled bird.

This recipe provides cooking tips for gas grill users and charcoal grill users, so you can take your pick depending which type of grill you have. Obviously your chicken will take on a smoky flavor if you use a charcoal grill, which a gas grill does not offer, but a gas grill is easier to control temperature-wise, since you just turn it up or down. Both types of grill have advantages and disadvantages. Some people even use an electric grill, and those can be used inside since there is no toxic smoke or gas involved.

Mint Yogurt Chicken Marinade with Cayenne

Summary: This yogurt-based chicken marinade is easy to make and will make your poultry taste absolutely delicious. The recipe features mint too, which offers a lovely fresh taste.

Contributed by Christine Szalay-Kudra

Ingredients

4 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Zest of a lemon
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons cumin
3 whole minced garlic cloves
1 cup plain yogurt
¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

Combine the extra-virgin olive oil, yogurt, garlic, mint leaves, lemon zest, cayenne pepper, salt, and cumin in a shallow glass dish.

Add the chicken to the yogurt marinade, turning to coat both sides.

Cover with plastic wrap and let it marinade for up to 24 hours (but at least 8) in the refrigerator.

Preheat the grill and remove the chicken from the marinade.

If you are using a charcoal grill, keep the lid open.

Spread the hot coals evenly over the grill and turn the chicken often so it does not burn.

The breasts will take about 25 minutes to achieve an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

If you are using a gas grill, you will need to close the lid, else it will not stay hot inside.

Open any vents and cook the chicken for about 22 minutes or until it is 165 degrees F in the thickest part and the juices run clear.

Turn the chicken a few times during cooking.

Further details

Enough for (Serves 4).

Preparation time is approximately 15 min Lemon Mint Yogurt Chicken

Cajun Chicken Marinade with Garlic

This fantastic Cajun chicken marinade contains onion and garlic powders as well as Cajun seasoning and more. You should make this about an hour before you plan to cook the chicken, or longer in advance for a richer flavor. If you are looking for a spicy marinade for chicken breasts, this one is great. It is not too spicy but it does have a bit of a kick from the Cajun seasoning.

You can serve the resulting chicken with rice or fries, as well as your favorite vegetable. If you like Spanish rice or Mexican rice, that would also be a good serving idea because you can combine the rice and vegetables in one side dish. This Cajun chicken marinade is ideal for beginners in the kitchen because it is so simple to prepare.

Perfect Marinade for Cajun Chicken

Ingredients –

4 boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning

Preparation:

Combine the vegetable oil with the onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, salt and Cajun seasoning to make a paste.

Add more oil if the paste is not liquid enough.

Rub the marinade paste all over the chicken and put them in a food storage bag.

Refrigerate for about 3 hours.

Grill or broil the chicken for about 6 minutes per side; the exact cooking time depends how thick the chicken is.

When the juices run clear, the chicken is done.

(Serves 4)

Cuban Chicken Marinade

Recipe: Aromatic Cuban Chicken Marinade with Lime and Ginger

Boasting fragrant flavors like cumin, nutmeg, and ginger, as well as bold ones like chili powder and lime juice, this exciting Cuban chicken marinade is the type of marinade which makes you sit up and take notice. Nobody could bite into their cooked marinated chicken without being overwhelmed by how moist the chicken is and how great the flavor is.

The following Cuban chicken marinade is suitable for beef or pork, as well as for chicken. Give the chicken two hours for a mild Cuban flavor or overnight for a more intense one. Cuban cuisine is a fusion of Caribbean, African and Spanish cuisines, giving it a spicy edge with a fondness for bold flavors. This Cuban chicken marinade was created with the Cuban palate in mind to give you an authentic Caribbean dining experience.

Authentic Cuban Chicken Marinade Recipe with Citrus

Ingredients

2 teaspoons black pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon chili powder
3 minced garlic cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons orange juice
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients in a glass dish or Ziploc bag.
Add the chicken and allow it to marinate for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill it until it is cooked through.
(Serves 4)